On the January 26, 2025, episode of State of Mind, General Hospital (GH) veteran Maurice Benard (Sonny Corinthos) welcomed his young co-star Carr, who portrays Rocco, 

Sonny’s grandson on the long-running soap. During their conversation, Benard had high praise for the rising star, commending his emotional depth and raw talent.

A Mentor’s Admiration

Benard, who has been a fixture on General Hospital for decades, is known for his support of young talent. 

While introducing Carr, he acknowledged his admiration for up-and-coming actors and his past efforts in mentoring them. 

However, he admitted that it had been some time since he found someone he truly wanted to help. That changed with Carr.

“I just want to say that I love young actors — I’ve helped quite a bit,” Benard shared.

“And I haven’t helped in a while because I just haven’t found anyone who I kind of like, and this person I’ve got today, I kind of like.” His words made it clear that Carr had caught his attention in a way few others had.

A Standout Performance

As the conversation turned to Carr’s latest work on General Hospital, Benard reflected on a particularly heartbreaking moment that left him deeply affected. He referenced the recent storyline surrounding the death of Sam (previously played by Kelly Monaco), a plot twist that sent shockwaves through the GH fanbase.

“In all honesty, everybody was great in that storyline,” Benard said. “You broke my heart,” he admitted to Carr. “In one scene, I was like, ‘Oh, s–t, this kid broke my heart just now.’”

Benard’s reaction was a testament to the powerful work that Carr put into his portrayal of Rocco’s grief. The young actor’s ability to evoke such a strong emotional response from a seasoned performer like Benard highlighted his impressive acting skills.

Rising to the Challenge

For Carr, stepping into such a heavy storyline was a new and challenging experience. He shared that, up until this role, he had primarily focused on comedic performances. The dramatic nature of Rocco’s emotional scenes required him to stretch his acting abilities in ways he hadn’t before.

“Knowing that it broke your heart, I think I probably did a good job,” Carr said, acknowledging Benard’s praise. He went on to discuss the difficulty of portraying Rocco’s reaction to Sam’s death. “It was hard to kind of play… because I’ve only really done, like, comedy stuff before this.”

Transitioning from comedy to drama can be a daunting task, but Carr proved he was more than capable of handling the emotional weight required for the role.

Learning the Ropes of Daytime Drama

Carr also reflected on how working on General Hospital differed from his previous experiences in television. He admitted that the fast-paced nature of soap operas presented a unique challenge.

“It’s a really different experience on this show than all the other shows I’ve been on,” he explained. “For this, you have to be ready to perform, and there’s not a lot of time to get into it.”

Unlike other types of television productions, daytime dramas often require actors to film multiple scenes per day with minimal rehearsal time. This demanding schedule forces actors to be highly prepared and adaptable.

Benard, a veteran of the genre, offered Carr a piece of valuable advice about surviving and thriving in the world of soap operas.

“The thing about soap operas, it’s very simple: if you’re not 200 percent prepared, you’re cooked,” Benard told him.

A Promising Future

Carr’s ability to transition into such an intense role and deliver a performance that resonated so deeply with audiences—and his fellow actors—suggests that he has a bright future ahead in the industry. His natural talent, combined with the mentorship of seasoned professionals like Benard, will likely help him continue to grow and refine his craft.

With his recent General Hospital performance proving his dramatic chops, fans will no doubt be eager to see what Carr does next. If this is just the beginning, his future in daytime television—or even beyond—looks incredibly promising.

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