General Hospital's Maurice Benard May Have One Of The Best Gray Hair Evolutions On TV
After decades of playing the "General Hospital" villain Sonny Corinthos, a mobster kingpin with jet-black, slicked-back hair, Maurice Benard debuted a full head of gray with a matching beard in 2021. And it suited him perfectly, putting Benard's hair transformation among one of the best on TV. In an Instagram selfie, the soap opera star celebrated the 2021 New Year, and used the opportunity to ask fans for their opinion about his new look.
In the comments section, social media users showed they were all for Benard's decision to join the list of celebrities who went gray. "You look fabulous with the gray hair and beard like a true OG," one fan raved. Many others also thought that the gray highlighted his natural good looks. "I love the silver hair and beard, you look so handsome. I love Hispanic men with silver hair and beard, it makes them look sexy," a second user gushed, proving to be a true fan who knows that Benard actually has Salvadoran and Nicaraguan roots, despite playing an Italian gangster for decades.
Other fans, however, had mixed feelings about it, mainly because of the implications the beard would have on his character. "Beard looks good, but mobsters are always clean-shaven," one user pointed out. Others just thought it hid too much of his face. "No beard, hides the adorable dimples," another fan opined. All in all, it sounds clear that fans approved the gray part of the look.
Maurice Benard had to go back to black
After sporting the fan-approved gray, Maurice Benard reappeared with his signature black hair (seen above in 2025). Fans tried to encourage him to embrace the silver, but the "General Hospital" star wanted to put an end to the conversation. "Listen, I'm tired of hearing about my black, dyed hair," he said on his "State of Mind with Maurice Benard" podcast in a February 2025 episode. It wasn't because he didn't value his fans' opinion, but because the matter wasn't up to him. "I want it gray. The powers that be want it black," he explained.
With that, he implied that "General Hospital" producers want Sonny Corinthos to keep rocking the dark hair. Benard almost quit "General Hospital" back in the day, but he's willing to play ball when it comes to his hair. "There's not a whole lot I can say. You try to pick your battles, and my hair being black is not one of them," he concluded. However, Benard had previously noted that he sometimes manages to allow a little gray to sneak through. "Sometimes my hairdresser paints a little more, sometimes less," he laughed in a 2023 interview with the New York Post. "It is what it is."
Benard is definitely not trying to look younger by dying his hair. While the "General Hospital" star takes his workout seriously and cares about his health, he has no problem embracing his age. In fact, he has been relishing his role as a grandparent and loving this new stage. "Someone once told me life doesn't start till you're a grandfather," he raved in a 2020 Instagram post that featured him with one of his grandkids.