Chad Duell on why he left ‘General Hospital’ after 14 years
Chad Duell is opening up on his sudden exit from “General Hospital” after nearly 15 years.
The 37-year-old soap star — who has famously played Michael Corinthos since 2010 — addressed his decision to leave the fictional town of Port Charles on a recent episode of “The Daily Drama Podcast.”
“It’s a life adjustment,” he admitted. “A lot of stuff’s been going on in my life. There’s a few things behind it but one thing I did say is my dad passed away and I’m still coming to terms with that.”
Duell said he’s excited for what’s ahead — but shared that a return to the soap series might still be in the cards.
“I’m preparing myself for next chapters,” he said. “Obviously with Whitney Vasquez Frank [Hursley] and everything, I left the door open there. Right now, I’m just trying to grow in ways that maybe I feel like I stifled myself in certain aspects, and sometimes you need to take drastic steps or make yourself feel uncomfortable to take a step.”
“And that’s what I’ve not allowed myself to do in a long time, is step into more uncomfortable situations and grow, instead of comfortable and complacent,” Duell added.
The star — who became a first-time parent when he welcomed his son, Dawson, with his girlfriend in October 2022 — said he’s making his well-being a priority in 2025.
“Come January, I have a few things planned that I wanna do for myself, and it’s different because I have a kid now, but also at the same time, for him, and me as well, and everybody, it’s doing what’s best for me, spiritually, mentally,” he said.
“Everything will only reflect my energy in a better way towards everybody around me. I want to make sure that I take care of myself,” Duell said.
While admitting he was “extremely blessed” to have played the role for so long, Duell explained that he lost himself in his work.
“I had a very strong complacency for such a long time that my identity was wrapped up in that,” he said. “Who I was was the show and the characters that I’ve done for so long. It’s gonna be a process, kind of unraveling and really seeing who I am.”
“There’s a lot of work I have to do to achieve the potential that I know I have — not just career-wise but in a lot of aspects,” he added. “I feel like I’ve been moreso in a bubble of comfort for such a long time.”
In November, Duell shared he was leaving “General Hospital” after nearly 15 years.
“After many incredible years with General Hospital, I’ve decided to step away from the show,” Duell wrote in an Instagram post.
“This wasn’t an easy decision for me,” he continued, “but it feels like the right time in my life. I’m beyond grateful to Frank Valentini, the cast, crew, and everyone behind the scenes who have been like family to me throughout this amazing journey.”
He went on to express his gratitude to those who supported the show.
“To all the fans: thank you from the bottom of my heart for your unwavering support and for letting Michael Corinthos be a part of your lives. Your love and encouragement has meant the world to me :).”
Duell wasn’t the only star to shockingly leave the ABC series this year.
His exit came after longtime star Kelly Monaco was written off the show after 21 years.
In a since-deleted social media comment, Monaco said her departure “still doesn’t make any sense to me” and called the decision a “retaliation.”
