Emmy-nominated actor Michael Easton (“General Hospital”) was spotlighted in Maurice Benard’s MB “State of Mind” podcast on mental health.
Easton is known for his portrayal of Dr. Hamilton Finn in the ABC soap opera “General Hospital.”
A three-time Emmy winner, Maurice Benard initially described Easton as a “unicorn” because it took him three years to do his podcast, but when he did do it, Easton was an “open book” and he didn’t pull any punches.
Benard went on to share that he is a fan of Rebecca Budig’s “About a Girl” short film on postpartum depression, which Easton directed. Benard went on to describe that short as “spectacular,” and rightfully so.
Growing up in Northern Ireland
Easton opened up about his humble beginnings, growing up in Belfast (Northern Ireland), and living a “nomadic life.”
“It’s a very interesting place. It is where the Titanic was built and it’s a different lifestyle there,” Easton said, prior to noting that Northern Ireland is home to some “good boxers, storytellers, and actors” (such as Cillian Murphy and Daniel Day-Lewis).
He was candid about losing his mother (who passed away at the same age that he is now), and that the time of her death was a “reflective” time for him. “Finding the path to healing is hard,” Easton acknowledged.
Benard expressed that “you have to dig deep withing yourself to find your truth, and that goes all the way back to your childhood.” “I was looking for answers from other people, but the answer is within yourself,” Benard noted.
Michael Easton on his acting career
Easton stated that he has been an actor for 35 years, and that acting was something that he never set out to do because he never took an acting class, never got in front of people, and he was scared of acting.
Easton disclosed that he started out on “Days of Our Lives,” and then, he did 10 years of series work (which included “Ally McBeal” and “The Practice”), prior to doing “Total Recall” and “Port Charles,” which ultimately led to his roles on “One Life to Life” (where he played John McBain) and “General Hospital.”
‘General Hospital’ acting work
Benard praised him for the acting work Easton was recently doing on “General Hospital,” especially as a part of the ALS storyline with Gregory Harrison. “It is nice to have material that you can sink your teeth into,” Easton acknowledged, prior to praising Harrison as an actor and scene partner.
Making People Magazine’s ’50 Most Beautiful People’ list
Benard and Easton also discussed him being named in People Magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People” list back in 1992. “That happened once, and they never invited me back,” he said with a sweet laugh. ” I guess they caught their mistake.”
Their entire informed MB “State of Mind” conversation may be seen below.
Michael Easton pays tribute to the late actor Kamar de los Reyes
Easton paid homage to his late friend and “One Life to Live” actor Kamar de los Reyes. “Not a day goes by where I don’t think about Kamar,” Easton admitted. “Kamar taught me not take anything for granted, and that life is beautiful but fragile.”
Easton shared that he was holding Kamar de los Reyes’ hand when he passed away (from cancer) as he was surrounded by family and friends. “Kamar was everything I wasn’t… I was shy and introverted whereas Kamar was bold and so self-confident. We complimented each other well,” Easton said.
“When you were around Kamar, there was more oxygen in the room. Kamar had passion for life and I was inspired by that,” Easton added.
Most recently, in a poignant post on social media, Easton revealed that he checked out of the ABC daytime drama “General Hospital” as “Finn.”
On the same day, Easton participated in a virtual fan event for Coastal Entertainment, which was well-attended by fans.
To learn more about Michael Easton, check out his official website, and follow him on Instagram.
