Soap opera fans, brace yourselves: Chad Duell has left General Hospital after a jaw-dropping nearly 15-year run as Michael Corinthos. Yep, you read that rightβMichael has left the building (and the hospital), and no, it wasnβt because he tripped over a rogue IV stand.
Duell dropped the news back in November 2024, leaving fans clutching their pearls and tissues. The showβs executive producer said, βNo recastingβ¦ for now.β Translation: theyβre playing it cool but have the number of a decent Michael lookalike on speed dial.
The Podcast Confessional: Chad Tells All
Chad recently spilled the teaβor maybe just a chamomile latteβon The Daily Drama Podcast. Spoiler alert: it wasnβt just because he ran out of scrubs.
βItβs a life adjustment,β he said, proving that even soap stars can outgrow their dramatic plotlines. And whatβs behind this mysterious βadjustment,β you ask? Apparently, itβs not a secret love child or an evil twin. The real bombshell: his father passed away, and Chadβs been grappling with it in a way that even Michael Corinthos canβt fix with a well-timed monologue.
But wait, thereβs more! βIβve been in a comfort bubble,β Chad confessed. Sounds cozy, right? Unfortunately, the soap star bubble isnβt filled with champagne and caviarβitβs more like reruns and existential dread. Chad admitted he needed to burst it, step into the scary unknown, and, presumably, buy some metaphorical Band-Aids for the journey.
Breaking Up with Comfort
Fifteen years is a long time to play one role. By the end of it, Chad joked (kind of), he wasnβt sure where Michael ended, and he began. βWho I wasβ¦ was the show,β he said, sounding eerily like someone describing a toxic relationship with their DVR. To fix this, heβs embarking on what sounds like a combination of a soul-searching road trip and a yoga retreat. Namaste, Chad.
And the guy isnβt stopping there. Heβs got big plans for January 2025, which may or may not include a New Yearβs resolution to avoid hospital corridors altogether. βItβs different because I have a kid now,β he added, reminding us that parenthood is like stepping into a never-ending soap opera where youβre the sleep-deprived lead.
Whatβs Next?
In true soap fashion, Chad left us with a cryptic teaser: βI want to make sure I take care of myself.β Does this mean weβll find him meditating on a mountaintop, auditioning for a new role, or maybe just binge-watching General Hospital in sweatpants? Only time will tell.
For now, all we can do is respect his decision, wish him well, and keep an eye out for a dramatic return⦠because in the soap world, nobody ever truly says goodbye.