EXCLUSIVE: Chad Duell Reveals What’s Next for Him, Whether He’d Do Another Soap, and More! – News

Chad Duell talks life after General Hospital, future projects, fatherhood, and if he’d return to daytime soaps in this exclusive interview.

Chad Duell is no stranger to daytime television. With more than 1,500 episodes as Michael Corinthos on General Hospital, a Daytime Emmy Award, and decades of acting experience, his journey has been one of growth—both on and off screen. Soap Opera News had the absolute pleasure of catching up with Chad for a post-GH interview, where he opened up about fatherhood, his passion for acting, what’s next in his career, whether he’d return to daytime soaps, and how one lightning-bolt moment changed everything.

Chad Duell Talks Fatherhood

For our first subject of the chat, it was Duell’s most important role of all: DAD. Duell recently celebrated a big milestone: his son, Dawson, just turned two.

“Yeah, he just turned two… It’s been quite a whirlwind,” Duell said. “You grow into that role, and you’re seeing him grow as well, especially when he’s two years old. It’s like, ah, this is what it’s all about right now, because the personality’s coming through. He’s not just kind of a lump of meat that you’re like, you just got to keep alive.”

To celebrate Dawson’s birthday, Duell took him to Disneyland for the first time, which was just as magical for the dad as it was for the toddler. “Seeing it through his eyes for the first time was kind of like a little, like, you know, vicariously through him in a way,” he explained. “He’s very funny and energetic, and he’s got it all.”

When asked about the possibility of having more children, Duell acknowledged that while it isn’t off the table, his current focus is elsewhere. “You know, the only reason I would ever want to do that is because it gives him someone to grow up with. But besides that, it can be a lot… I’m also focused right now on the next chapters.”

The Lightning Bolt Moment

Duell’s journey to acting wasn’t always the plan. “First of all, I was going to be a football player,” he revealed.

“I was a natural athlete, and things came easy. Every single athletic thing I did came easy to me.”

But ADHD made school and sports tough, leading him to a turning point that would change his life forever.

“I watched this one movie—I think it was Vanilla Sky—and all of a sudden something came over my body. Like, it was like God going like, ‘Oh, you found your calling. Congratulations—right in this moment.’ It was like a lightning bolt hit me.”

From that point on, he left football behind and threw himself into theater. “The first time I did a scene, I was like, ‘Oh—I love this.’ It’s just exhilarating.”

Returning to the Stage

While Duell has primarily worked in television, his love for theater has never faded. “I started doing improv shows at my high school, and sketch shows and stuff—and it was just fun,” he said.

“That’s what is at the core of it all. Which you can easily lose sight of when you get too much into the industry or the business.”

When asked if he’d return to the stage, he answered without hesitation: “I need to get back… I’m going to be getting back into doing some more theater again.”

Before GH: Disney Days

Duell got his early TV break on Disney Channel’s The Suite Life on Deck, followed by a memorable guest spot on Wizards of Waverly Place. “That was so much—talk about fun,” he recalled. “Especially Wizards—just playing this crazy wizard… like a jerk, but also just—I don’t know. I loved that role.”

Landing the role of Michael Corinthos on General Hospital wasn’t what he initially auditioned for, and stepping into a legacy role came with pressure.

“I was so nervous. Very unlike the person who took over for me. It was like, ‘The role of Michael Corinthos is now being played by…’ They used to do that every single time. It’s like such a spotlight.”

Overcoming the Pressure

Despite the nerves, Duell found his footing. “I was actually just trying to survive in the beginning,” he admitted.

“At first I thought, okay, so I get fired tomorrow, at least I have this. I was struggling so hard.”

Then came a scene that changed everything. “It just took that one scene… and everyone was like, ‘Oh yeah, alright, he’s on track.’ And then I kind of started to go from there.”

He didn’t try to replicate what previous actors had done with the character. “Nothing really, to be honest,” he said about preparing for the role.

“I just needed to know the story… why would I try to be the person I was replacing?”

Instead, he worked to show a more emotional side. “I was trying to control his rage attacks, but also be more sympathetic… where you can see more of his heart.”

Daytime drama also taught Duell a lot about the pace of production. “I would say being able to handle pressure pretty well. You’re doing scenes quickly… you’re just rolling. The memorization—yes—but you also know the character so well. You know how he speaks.”

He added, “You can kind of change a little bit of the wording sometimes, and get away with it, while on primetime, you’ve got to stick to the script.”

What Other GH Role Would He Have Played?

Though forever linked to Michael Corinthos, Duell said there were a few other GH characters he would’ve liked to tackle when we asked.

“At this point, it’d be pretty cool. I would say… Jason Thompson, when he played the doctor. But the medical jargon would have been kind of rough.”

He also admitted, “I’d just do a different spin on that hitman type of… you know, with my father. That would be Jason. Jason’s like, he’s friends with Sonny. But I’d probably say Jason’s character. It’d be fun to play a hitman and beat people up.”

Chad Duell Honors Leslie Charleson

Duell had fond memories of working with Leslie Charleson, who passed away in January. “She’s very funny. She cracked this kind of—she never tried to be funny. She would just say these, I guess, just funny things that made me laugh.”

He continued, “It was so much fun working with her and all the other veteran cast members. She was a very sweet woman. Always came in with good energy. We’ve lost—it’s crazy how many we’ve lost on that show over the last 15 years. But she left a legacy. She was a really pleasant person to be around. She’ll be missed. I’m glad I got the chance to work with her.”

Working with Laura Wright

Reflecting on his time acting opposite Laura Wright as Carly, Duell pointed to some of his favorite moments. “I loved when I was getting on her a lot—when I was almost enemies with her briefly,” he said.

One scene stood out: “My favorite scenes I ever did were after she told me that Jax was—this is like 13 years ago—I think Jax was dead, but he wasn’t. He came back, and I had this toast I did at the Metro Court, New Year’s Eve. That was one of those moments.”

He especially loved their conflict. “I liked when we had conflict because she had such a passionate love and motherly energy. When I had those scenes, you could see how much it was hurting to have her own son feel that way toward her—I fed off that. It was really a kind of beautiful time.”

He recalled how Carly initially didn’t approve of Abby, Michael’s love interest, and how the dynamic evolved over time.

“Later on, she treated me more like a man. Early on, it was more like her son. And there was that turmoil, that conflict—it was really juicy, if you will. But also really passionate and fun to play.”

Keeping In Touch with the GH Family

Though no longer on the show, Duell still keeps in touch with his GH co-stars.

“Maurice is telling me I gotta come up and visit him up there. And Josh was telling me too,” he said.

“It’s tough, though. In this industry, it’s kind of like—it’s different sometimes. Some people just get in their own world. We don’t always keep that connection, and it’s a shame. But it’s two ways. I know I can do better myself.”

He added, “I’ve just been doing a lot of transition on my end, too. But I was just texting with Josh earlier. I gotta go visit Maurice at some point—up in his little farm he’s got going on out there.”

As for Maurice’s farm life. “Crazy. I don’t know. He has the weirdest life,” he laughed.

Returning to Daytime?

Duell said he’s open to returning to soaps under the right circumstances. “Yeah, I would entertain doing another daytime soap. It just depends on the role, how it is there, how they see my body of work, and whether the team is excited for me. If they have a good storyline and good character, then I’m all on board.”

New Film Projects and What’s Next for Chad Duell

Duell has two major film projects in the works, though he’s keeping things under wraps for now. “I have a couple films I’m working on coming up. I talked to the director about what I can actually talk about, and I can just give a brief synopsis,” he said.

One of the projects involves a man imprisoned for assisting his terminally ill father with suicide. “That’s going to be a new experience,” Duell said.

The second film is about a blind man who must carry his injured friend through the wilderness. “I have to carry him, but I can’t see anything. His leg’s destroyed, so he has to guide me. It’s going to be a whole experience.”

Stepping away from GH gave Duell a much-needed personal and creative reset. “When I left the show, I knew I was leaving on a tear. The industry was completely dead. It was the holiday season. But it was a perfect opportunity for me to reset,” he said.

“If I had jumped right into another soap, I wouldn’t have taken the time to rebuild and come back stronger. This month is when I’ve really felt like I’m filling myself back up again.”

He concluded, “When you’re on the same show year after year, you kind of lose your momentum or passion. You’ve got to reset. I’m in a really good place now, and it’s only getting better.”

He also revealed a dream role: playing Tom Cruise’s son someday, somehow! And being directed by Mel Gibson! Dreams do come alive!

A Message for the Fans

Duell couldn’t leave without a message for his fans and supporters.

“It’s been almost a year [since leaving GH], but I’ll just say thank you for your love and support over the years. Regardless of me feeling burnt out or needing a recharge, it still was a blessing to play Michael — not only for myself but for you all. I hope that me playing Michael made you have a good experience or a good escape — in seeing these storylines through my eyes. I am forever grateful for the support and the love, and that I got to be Michael for as long as I have. So, thank you.”