Chad Duell Teases Potential ‘General Hospital’ Return: They ‘Left the Door Open’

The Doctor Is In

For exclusive news and updates, subscribe to our General Hospital Newsletter:

Chad Duell shocked the soap world when he announced he was leaving General Hospital in November 2024, and now he’s opening up about his decision and whether or not he will be returning to the daytime drama.

Appearing on the latest episode of his former costars Bradford Anderson and Steve Burton‘s Daily Drama Podcast, Duell explained why he chose to step away from his role as Michael Corinthos, a character he’s played since he joined the long-running soap opera in 2010.

“It’s just a life adjustment. A lot of stuff has been going on in my life… This break, there’s a few things behind it,” Duell said, per Soap Opera Digest, noting how the loss of a family member played a part in his decision.

“My dad passed away, and I’m still coming to terms with that,” he continued. “Also, my intention was to spend some time back in Arizona, but that’s becoming a little harder to do. Luana [Lucci, his partner] has school. Dawson [their son] goes to this daycare out here… Right now I’m just more about doing things mentally, physically… preparing myself for whatever next chapters [come].”

Duell didn’t go into detail on what those “next chapters” could involve, but he didn’t rule out a return to General Hospital. “Frank [Valentini, the soap’s executive producer] left the door open there,” he explained. “So we’ll see what happens in the future.”

Related

Lulu & Dante, Michael's Exit, and More in Store for 'General Hospital' Next Year

For now, though, Duell said he is “just trying to grow in ways that maybe I feel like I’ve stifled myself,” adding, “Sometimes you have to take drastic steps or make yourself feel uncomfortable to take a step.”

While Duell noted how much he loved working on General Hospital, he acknowledged that playing the same role for 14 years made him settle into the “comfortable and safe job… But safety and comfort [are] the enemy of progress a lot of times.”

“I feel like I had a very strong complacency and comfort for such a long time that my identity was wrapped up in that,” he continued. “Who I was was the show and the character I’ve done for so long. It’s going to be a process kind of unraveling that and really seeing who I am, especially now in my life.”

He concluded, “I don’t know what the future holds, but there’s a lot of work I have to do to achieve the potential that I know I have, not just in career-wise, but in a lot of aspects. I feel like I’ve been in that bubble of comfort for such a long time. As an artist, to be repeating the same kind of thing can kind of be a little stagnant, but I’m still extremely blessed to be able to [have been on GH] for as long as I have.”