Regular fans of the famous, longest-running American soap opera General Hospital were left wondering when they realized that a show favorite, Brando Corbin, would no longer be in the show. Although usually the character would be subbed in by a different actor if the original actor was busy, this does not seem to be the case for Johnny Wactor’s character Brando Corbin. Before delving into the details of the actor’s exit from the show, let’s look at his highlights.
General Hospital is a daytime soap opera that has been airing since 1963. It has entered the Guinness Book of World Records with a whopping total of 15,000 episodes aired so far. The story follows the lives of a set of characters on the seventh floor of General Hospital in Port Charles and the incidents they would deal with on a day-to-day basis. Although the show’s ratings have waxed and waned over the years, it has garnered a large following in the US.
Now let’s take a look at the character of Brando Corbin. Johnny Wactor was roped in to play the role of Brandon Corbin in 2020 in a recurring role. And soon, he had endeared himself to the fans for his charming character who entered the series with a splash saving the life of Carly Corinthos. So it was shocking for fans to view the character’s death in the September episode, officially declaring Johnny’s exit from the show as well as the end of the character. Fans have been aching for answers since then. Why did Johnny Wactor have to leave the show? Why didn’t they just switch the actors?
Brando Left The General Hospital: What We Saw
The General Hospital began its 60th season on 12 September 2022. Everything seemed to go as usual, with the characters facing new challenges and revealing new secrets. However, in the episode aired on 20 September 2022, Brando ends up being the first victim of the Hook Killer. Fans were surprised by the events that led to this sudden pivot in the story.
Brando acts out of his character by leaving his wife, Sasha, and following Josslyn Jacks, played by Eden McCoy. This leads to him being at the wrong place at the wrong time, thereby becoming a target for the Hook Killer. Moreover, he somehow managed to survive. His surgeries went well, and it seemed like he would live. But strangely, he kisses his wife before suffering a random seizure and passing away, leaving his grieving wife and mother.
Brando Left The General Hospital: What Actually Happened
Fans speculated that the actor playing Brando Corbin, Johnny Wactor needed a freer schedule to take up new projects. In May 2022, he was briefly replaced by Brad Schmidt due to clashes with a movie he was involved in before returning to his role after a month. So the actor is interested in pursuing projects outside of The General Hospital. He has also revealed a few upcoming projects: two short films, a made-for-TV movie, and a film. He also clarified that he was not leaving the crew because of discord.
But why kill the character instead of just replacing the actor? Well, regular fans had developed an attachment to Johnny Wactor’s role of Brando Corbin. Additionally, the death of Brando will provide a plot plus point. His wife Sofia was under his conservatorship. Now with him dead, her character will progress more, with her having to deal with the loss of her husband, a potential loss of her freedom, and her addiction. This also opens up avenues to explore in Port Charles, notably the story of the Hook Killer. The show can then progress with a mystery angle. These are why the showrunners must have chosen to kill off Brando.
Brando Left The General Hospital: How Did The Actor Feel?
Lexi Ainsworth playing Kristina Davis, and David Lautman playing Grant Smoltz, took to social media to convey their best wishes for Johnny Wactor upon the decision to leave the show. When asked about how he was feeling about his decision, the actor stated that he was feeling “a little emotional” and e was wishing “the best to GH”.
However, in a note contradicting the fans’ speculation, Wactor revealed that it was not his choice to leave the show and that he had been a little overwhelmed with all the shooting that he was undertaking, and he was told that his character was going to be written out.
But whatever the case, the actor’s new projects might hint toward a great future ahead of him. We wish him the best of luck and hope that he achieves the best in all his new ventures!
