MAURICE BENARD STATE OF MIND with CYNTHIA WATROS
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ก.พ. 2025
- This week’s episode I'm joined by Cynthia Watros. You may recognize Cynthia Watros best from her roles as Erin Fitzpatrick on Titus, Kellie on The Drew Carey Show and Libby Smith on Lost.
However, Cynthia started her carrier Annie Dutton on Guiding Light, which earned her the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1998; and has had many other guest starring appearances in primetime on shows such as Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy, The Closer, Criminal Minds, House, Hawaii Five-0 and more before joining General Hospital in the role of Nina Reeves in 2019.
Cynthia talks to me about growing up in Michigan and the realization of wanting to be an actress. How she took the role on Guiding Light and what it was like to join Lost in its second season. She candidly opens up to me about a DUI along with the mental illness in her family and how she's helping her children to navigate that.
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Learn more about State Of Mind at www.mbstateofm....
If you'd like to learn more about my life, I've recently released "Nothing General About It - How Love (and Lithium) Saved Me On and Off General Hospital" www.amazon.com...
The thing I love best about this podcast is seeing the humanity of these actors, and their willingness to share their own struggles. We're all on this 3rd rock from the sun together; we might as well help each other while we're here.
well said❤❤❤❤
You are so right Nancy!!👍🏿
So true Nancy 💯💯
She’s a fabulous actress
I’m so grateful Cynthia was this week’s guest. She’s beautiful inside & out
What she said 😊
That the viewers reacted the way they did , is a testament to Cynthia's incredible acting!
I have admired Cynthia since Guiding Light, but hate this story, and there is no getting around it.
I loved Cynthia Watros on General Hospital as Nina Reeves.❤
Thank you Maurice for having Cynthia on the show. She is so great as an actress, she brings so much in Nina. She brought a lot to the Mike and Nina story line 😊
Cynthia Watros is a talented actress and warm and kindhearted human being. Love her!
Maurice Benard: You are simply THE BEST!!! Thank you for creating State of Mind!!! Loveeeeee it❣️
Thanks 😊
Everyone hates me in GH Facebook comments because I want GH to have Nina and Sonny together ….. another great show Maurice I look forward to these videos every Sunday… thx for doing this……❤️
I’ve taken some heat about wanting Jason and Britt together. It’s time to switch people up. I have been over ‘Jasam’ for years 😑 I heard Kelly Monaco and Steve didn’t get along behind the scenes
@Tryen2bgd 21 Amen to that! I love how she and Olivia run the MC together and think it’s be kick ass to see another set of women on there doing the same. Britt and Terri sharing the Chief of Staff position is neat I guess
I love Sonny and Nina!!! I can’t stand Carly. I don’t think Maurice/Sonny and Laura/Carly ever had chemistry. Excited to see Sonny with someone else. Love Cynthia❤️Besides FB comments can be very cruel. I’m one of your supporters
She looks like she could be Cameron Diaz's sister.
I'm a Nina and sonny supporter too.
This interview was too short, we need at least an hour, Cynthia is such a wonderful actress and down to earth person that it's a delight to hear her talk about her life and work, please please bring her back.
I'm a Carson fan..but I like how she saw something Carly didn't..she brings out a different side to Sonny..great interview
I'm rooting for Carly and Sonny, too/always, yet Nina is such a moving, complex character, and Cynthia is the perfect actor to show all of her facets, like a complex diamond, and we get to look through the prism of the gem (as Maurice rightly called Cynthia!) and be dazzled. The character of Nina has often/historically made very bad choices when extremely traumatized, but this time/storyline was different, as even though she was very, very upset about the whole Wiley thing, it still can't explain her choice to keep Sonny's two youngest kids (for some reason--that's the part I really can't get past, the Donna and Avery aspect of the storyline) grieving. I think the older/adult children can bounce back but, I mean, take Avery: she lost her brother, her grandfather, and then her dad, and what is she, like 5 or 6 years young? And Sonny has now missed a precious 9 months of development of Donna's earliest childhood. Nope, having a hard time getting past Nina's choice here, BUT, that said, I DO still have hope that she will redeem herself, as there is so much to love, so much good about Nina, too. And the fact that I still think that, as a GH fan, after this storyline, is a tribute to Cynthia's acting and all she brings--the DEPTH she brings--to every performance as Nina!
What you’re just as delusional as Nina 💁🏽♀️🤷🏽♀️🤓🤓👀👀😆😆😂😂😂, she didn’t see a side of Sonny that we already didn’t know 😱😱🤔🤔!!! We know that there’s a softer side to Sonny but we only want that in very minimal doses because it’s tiredsome and boring and he has a town to keep safe 🤔🤔🤷🏽♀️🤷🏽♀️💁🏽♀️💁🏽♀️🤦🏽♀️🤦🏽♀️🤦🏽♀️!!!!!!!
@@angelaburress8586 what's boring is him sitting around with Snarly''on they're boring Black couch "with coffee" - That's been going On for years???? 🚦
That comment you made about the bed being quicksand and loving dreaming cuz that’s when you’re happy really hit me Maurice I suffer from anxiety, sensory issues, and manic depression among other things that was exactly how I feel my bedroom is my safety blanket in a sense. TY for your comment cuz I totally get it.
☮️
I'm glad you brought up the quicksand comment, as I, too, thought "how apt: what a great, great, true metaphor!" It's really important and courageous that Maurice talks so honestly about such things, so that others experiencing the quicksand know they (we) are not alone, and there's hope. We gotta pull ourselves out (of bed in the morning), or roll on out, as Maurice describes doing, or extricate ourselves however we can, because the seemingly simple, yet sometimes SO, so difficult, act of doing so is key to empowerment, and to making it better, day by day.
@@MBStateOfMind Wow! The comment about the bed being quicksand and the dreaming was a light bulb moment for me.
I love getting these back stories on my favorite GH characters! I've been watching since I was 7, and I'm 60! I also love that you are shedding light on mental illness. I have Major depressive and anxiety disorders, and a history of trauma. The stigma is real, lets get rid of it!
Great interview maurice with Cynthia great actress playing Nina love how she opened up about herself love the honesty of open minds down to earth conversations❤😊
Cynthia, I love how you describe how one is in different relationships. Like you said, one can be beautiful in one relationship but in another one can be ugly. Wow, truth right there. Cynthia, you have brought a softness to Nina. Michelle brought the spitfire. Both of you have done a great job doing Nina. Love the interaction between Nina and Carly. Nina brought some heat!! Good for you. Looking forward to seeing more of you on GH. Maurice, great interview. Sonny/Mike story line will be intense for sure with all characters. Great job!!
Was so thrilled when Cynthia joined GH as I was a huge fan of LOST. What a great show and all these years later I am still confused with the ending of the series lol. Cynthia is doing a great job on GH as I know it's not always easy when you assume a role that was played by another actress. Great job.
omg, SAME, re your first sentence, and SAME with a bullet re your feeling about the ending. I commented earlier in this thread that I still can't even talk about it, and I'm serious. Too soon *lol* (yet not lol... I'm not over the LOST ending/last episode, and let's just leave it at that). See you on the other side, brutha.
Cynthia Watros shines as a human and as an actress. I have adored all her performances from Annie to Nina. Keep "going there" and being oh so divinely messy!
I love the scenes with Nina and Mike, it was so good to me. I so enjoyed it.
I loved the Nixon Falls story-line with Nina and Mike. Great job CW and MB. :) HI CW - from one Michigan gal to another. :)
Hey My name is Simone from Jamaica.🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲. You guys are my favorite on the daytime Emmy's General Hospital.... Love your show and all your co-star you work with.
She’s so down to earth. Such a good actress. She’s in ridiculous shape too. Good interview. Enjoyed it
I love you both Cynthia is an amazing actress thanks for having her on
Cythinia you are so right, if we were perfect we would not need to be here. Love you in the role of Nina. Loved the Mike/Nina storyline as it is wonderful to see actors play different roles and you both were stunning!
Thanks 😊
I love her, so happy you have Cynthia Watros on, she's amazing!
That was sweet. Thank you Cynthia, I relate to the struggles of daughters in this day who deal with anxiety and depression. Thank you for being open with us on something so personal. Don’t listen to the idiots out there. I’ve watched Maurice since he came to the show and have been a fan since. And the work you’ve done with him is beautiful. Couples that stay ‘happy together forever’ on soaps are boring and eventually get pushed off a cliff and leave the show. You guys are great and I hope to see more of your work together. Great show MO, keep kicking ass! 👌
Thanks 😊
I really enjoyed this conversation. In addition I hope they continue the Nina/Sonny storyline
This was great, so glad Maurice was able to get Cynthia to open up. I have loved Cynthia since she was on GL. Her portrayal of bad girl Annie Dutton was so much fun! After watching this interview I now know that she is not only a great actress and gorgeous, she has a beautiful soul too.
I have loved her since Guiding light too❤️❤️Her And Laura.
@@gwenmarie7311 Yes, Laura too! Loved them both!
We need to show cynthia a lot of Love when she's on... shes been getting hate bashed for months now!! Even Maurice spoke of it!! Love her so much!!! She can take any storyline given and turn to gold with her amazing acting!!!!
Agreed! She is a stellar actress and amazing person 💗
She is a stellar actress, however, she is not the right fit for Nina
@@AuthorJCCarpenter agree to disagree
Let me add to that, had Cynthia been the Nina from beginning I think she would have received a different reception but because Michelle Stafford made that Nina character so phenomenal, people, myself included, compare her to that version of Nina. We want that fire and venum that Michelle Stafford had.
I agree. I think she’s fantastic!
Cynthia sounds very special person. I’m glad you had her on State of Mind to get to know her better. She’s down to earth, thanks Maurice.
Maurice looks great! He is such a great listener, I love Cynthia and I love her transparency!..Great interview ❤
They're kinda joking about it here, but the work Cynthia did on GL was indeed some of the best. She took her character through a complete 360 in the course of 4 years, and those scenes in the courtroom were fearless.
Recently caught a clip of that-was absolutely brilliant work!!!
So glad to get to more about Cynthia/Nina up close and personal. She has to be a great actress to get the reactions that she does. She seems like a really nice lady.
Cynthia is amazing as Nina. I thoroughly enjoy her. Foibles and all. Sadly some fans attribute that to the actor. Its not the least bit fair or true. Brava on the great job, Cynthia!!
🤣😂🤣
thats right cindy
I love this interview. ♥️ Great actress.
I’m one of the people that really like
Nina & Mike/Sonny.
I loved what Cynthia said about the character Sonny and Mike because that is how I see Sonny with this soft side...you guys are great actors
Awe sweet I love you both I hope they never take Nina off GH I love the drama with Carly ,Sonny and Nina amazing actors I love you guys
Love the honesty, and vulnerability. You’re both A1 actors and I feel privileged to get to see you perform, more even more so to have a peek behind the curtain. Life is tough, but together we get through. Sending lots of love! ♥️
I loved the interview. I love Mike & Nina together
I loved Sonny and Nina's relationship and hope the effects of it continue to be explored by the characters. GREAT interview as always! I love hearing about the creative process in acting. Thanks!
Me too!!! I so love this show!!!
i do also
I do too! It really grew on me. "Mike" is so totally cool, sweet, fun and seems much more at ease with himself. Sonny seems uncomfortable in his skin. I really hope the writers explore this more.
Love their characters together, Sonny as Mike needed the tranquilty he found with Nina, and Phyllis and Lenny for that matter, turn away from that mob life for once, team Nina&Mikw/Sonny, like LW, but Carly can be annoying ,acting like Jason was her husband, when Sonny was her husband
I predict that Sonny (Mike) and Nina will end up together as this is why he still has all the Mike memories. Cynthia plays Nina so well (much better than the previous Nina), her acting is amazing!! Love her FIRE!! Carly will end up with Jason once she learns that Mike was in love with Nina, and still has strong feelings for her… still. Carly will put it all together once she analyzes how Sonny has been so forgiving, almost protective, of Nina and never told her about his life with Nina since they were in LOVE. Poor Britt W… she’ll lose Jason a second time to Carly-Just watch!
I guess I was one of those fans of GH that appreciated the Mike/Nina storyline so much. I love characters who don't come together end up coming together even in a controversial, non-conventional way. It has amped up the show and has made it so much more interesting. This must be what makes bringing what you have emotionally into your performances so much fun. I think the fans who expect everything to stay the same and couples to stay together forever don't understand the genre dynamic of soaps. Shaking things up, bringing new unexpected elements are what makes watching so much fun! So, thank you both for doing it. I know you had your reservations about it Maurice but I for one am so glad you dove in and swam with it!! Great interview! 💌💌
Just goes to show you what a great actress Cynthia is because you do want to hate her character as Nina, and rightly so but....people have to realize she is playing a character. Lovely woman, and great acting Cynthia!
I Really like her Better, Than that loud mouthed Carly, >Holier than thou
I like Nina too, but I still love Carly
First discovered her on GL and her performance as Annie is still the single greatest daytime performance I've ever seen. It's imprinted in my memory FOREVER.
I felt bad for Annie, Josh really hurt her.
Another great, great show Maurice. I go back, as far as Guiding light with Cynthia!
Exactly - Guiding Light - where she was great there too!
"The secret is out" my favorite line from Annie (GL)
Me too, back to GL! Viewed a GL clip recently where her and Spaulding's wedding was stopped by Reva-was AMAZING acting by CW! Eeriely similar to Nina's realty check when Mike got his memory back confrontation-incredible acting both times!
Wow, I so relate to when you, Maurice, say how you don't want to get out of bed and all you want to do is dream because you're happy in your dreams. I don't know if I'm happy in my dreams but I definitely go through that when I am going through bad depression and even mild depression but I do take medicine for it and for anxiety. But that just wanting to be asleep and dreaming is/was my escape once I stopped trying to use alcohol and drugs when I was younger and I know now how that doesn't work.
One of the best episodes I have watched.
Thank you Maurice and Cynthia.
I agree. The quicksand metaphor alone will stay with me. But that was just one of many gem moments in this interview.
I truly enjoyed this episode. Cynthia has truly grown on me as Nina and I've loved the new storyline. It was really cool getting to know more about how she became an actress and her life.
Have a wonderful week.
Great interview! I continue to enjoy learning about the castmates on GH! Thank you!
The staying in bed comment being like quicksand resonated with me going through depression right now. You’re so right! I needed to hear that so thank you for that. Cynthia is SO amazing and I love that she is so raw with her feelings; I love this about her. I could listen to you both for hours.
I always loved Cynthia as Nina on G H . Enjoyed watching her on state of mind.👍
Me Too!!!!💯
I am one of the few perhaps but loved the Mike and Nina storyline and knew it would have to end, but will miss it!
I doubt there are just a few that love Mike and Nina. 💞💞
Perhaps those who do like them together are just reluctant to comment because they, as I have, will get hatred for expressing their thoughts and just don't want to deal with unreasonable people.
Cynthia was wonderful on Guiding Light as Annie Dutton Lewis.
I love Cynthia! I remember her from Annie on GL. She is a great actor. If people are being mean it's because she is doing a great job!
Thanks, Maurice and Thank you, Cynthia. Lovely and relaxed conversation about difficult challenges that life can present. Love listening to State of Mind and also GH.
Love, love, love Cynthia as Nina ...Mauri, This is a great interview! Thank you so much for this interview.I totally resonate with the Depression and the isolation with the not wanting to get outta bed or leave the house.
Thanks 😊
Cynthia Watros is an incredible actress. I remember when she played Annie on Guiding Light; the way she portrayed that character's long descent into evil felt so real and riveting and she always made you feel sympathy for her.
Right she was always able to channel the very best performances she could give there (Guiding Light) while still making you feel empathetic for her....much like she almost effortlessly does now btw, on General Hospital, I think. She's just a really good little actor
Yeah she was great as Annie
I'm a huge GH fan 40 years and Cynthia if fans dislike you for this complex role u are playing it only speaks to how amazing y'all are as actors🎉🎉
Lol
Watching these podcasts help me to learn so much about the true lives of the people I love watching on TV. As I've always known, they are just like us, they do everything we do but seeing the trueness come out without fear or shame surely brings out the best in everyone.
Huge fan of Miss Watros... so glad I get to see her almost every day she is on GH (I watch it at night by recording it). She (along with Jane Elliot) is the reason I watch regularly. Also really like State of Mind. Thanks.
Did Tracey Q. Just semi- retire? I can not imagine GH just not wanting her. I used to love her parents and Alan too.
Cynthia plays Nina perfectly and I like seeing Maurice in a different light and it shows how wonderful These two actors are and this podcast shows Cynthia vulnerable struggles that made her best self
Yayyyy…Mi! Born and raised here as well and my brother lives in Lake Orion now. This pandemic is playing hell with ppls minds that’s for sure!! Lol…My whole family’s Virgo but I’m the odd ball, I’m Aries. Lol…🤷♀️ I watched Lost and not sure why I don’t recall Cynthia, darn going to have to go find season 2 now to rewatch! Love you guy’s and stay well! 💞✌️Maurice you said the f word 🤣 That seems to be my favorite word these days! 🤷♀️🤦♀️ Cynthia I wish you and your girls the best! This pandemic won’t last forever and we have to just remember that! God Bless! 💞😘😘🙏 Awesome interview both of you! GH is #1!!!!
NO…I love you both but NO Nina and Sonny!!!
Love Cynthia/Nina,she is an amazing actress 💖
I love seeing our favorites out of character and sharing themselves with us! 🥰
I really like Cynthia! She is such a great actress and if she can make you not like her, then there it is !! Thanks Maurice for having her on. Love you both.❤
She makes me not like her as Nina, not Cynthia. And there is a diff between not like a character bc they’re playing the part so good and bc they’re not playing it so good. She was miscast.
What a great talk. Love Sonny and Nina together. I stopped watching GH, what seems like years ago, just recently came back, and Sonny was “Mike.” I’ve only been watching for about 3 weeks now, but am hooked again. Thank you to both of you Maurice and Cynthia. You’ve made me fall in love with GH again. Superb acting!
I can't wait I love Cynthia and we are both Michigan people
Me three!!! :)
Duh me three on the Michigan part. Me two on loving CW and MB.
Thanks, Maurice, for sharing Michael E Knight with us, on the amazing SOM. It was a wonderful journey with you both. The experiences (stories), the different journeys you both travelled and the laughter, and the etc... Keep shinning!
I’ve watched this one a few times now, and I just absolutely love Cynthia. I love the mutual admiration and respect you have for each other, and I hope she returns one day for a part 2
Absolutely loved this episode. I'm behind and so glad this is the one I started with. The kindness and sincerity in this whole conversation was beautiful.
Great show! Loved Nina with” mike” mike was happy - Nina was too ! Let’s see now ! Great talk on this !😊👍
The old school fan in me was upset at first but both the "Mike" and Nina and Carly and Jason stories had me. I am interested to see what happens next. Perspectives to consider on both sides. Thank you both for bringing good quality stories to GH. Thank you for you rawness as you share your personal journeys in life here on State of Mind. I appreciate this channel. Thank you.
Ms. Watros, you are an inspiration in courage and survival! Thank you for you honesty. Thank you for playing Nina on GH with such emotion and strength!
Another awesome conversation! I loved the Mike/Nina story line. It will be interesting to see what happens from here. LOVED how open she is about her life, past & current. We do all make mistakes & we all weren't Cheerleaders, even if we may look like we were. Some of us are late bloomers. I too am grateful to be one. I don't think I would be as "wise" if I hadn't been. 💌🦋
I think the two have come a long way, he characters but I love that it will still unwind more since Mike is part of Sonny ..and there is this aspect of redemption I really love to see unfold. I love the story line. ❤️
A great show Maurice and Cynthia. Keep up the good work look forward to Sundays
Great State of Mind. I love Ms. Watros story and I love the work you two are doing on GH. You both made the storyline of Nina and Mike believable and I love tuning in everyday to find out what's next. Thank you!
Cynthia is great, I could have listened to this conversation for hours. I'm happy that you had her on the show. She has been getting a lot of hate from people who can't separate reel from real. I hope this helps them see her as a person. TBH I liked the Nixon Falls sl. It was a nice change of pace. I'm happy that there seems to be unfinished business between Nina and Sonny
You never know what’s going to happen unless you try! I think Sonny and Nina are wonderful mix.
Maurice B and Cynthia W. So lovely and vulnerable kind and authentic. Great show!
I love watching state of mind and how each person you have on the conversation is so different and how personal it is.
I grew up in Michigan myself Cynthia.
You both have inspired me with your work over the years! Even told Cynthia once she sent message back saying " thank you xx oo!" I always have said I would be the male version of Her Guiding Light Character Annie Dutton! Blessed be
I'm hooked on these episodes of "State of Mind". I love that Maurice is interviewing "Soap Actors". We rarely see soap actors on any of the prime time talk shows and that is unfortunate. I believe that Soaps have some of the BEST ACTORS. Keep up the great work Maurice. We love you!!!
Cynthia you’re amazing. The openness and the genuine Personality that comes through is much appreciated.
Thank you,
Loved this interview and I loved hearing her take on the whole Mike/Sonny situation. Would love to see an interview with Kelly Monaco 😁
She’s a special actress and Maurice is the best. Great conversation.
I recommend this to my friends and other groups that deals with mental health issues and just life . Maurice always surprise with his guests and topics .. And he's such a goid interviewer
So not surprised to learn Cynthia knows Maura, their chemistry is so strong & casual on GH, that you could almost guess they know each other well off screen.
Ty- this is a wonderful interview! I am continually blown away with how great his interviews are. The subject matter is so compelling and Mr. Benard’s style is so engaging. Ty Ms. Watros for sharing your experience and wisdom. And I love the storyline too. 😉
Great show! I am an old timer both in age and having been a fan of GH since the 70s. I know we fans have favorites but I have always known that when your day is done and someone says "That's a wrap" you actors have a separate life. I won't say you are just normal people because what you do makes you special people. Maurice, this State of Mind, gives we the fans some more perspective of who you are and who your friends are. For that, Thank You.
Cynthia Watros is one of the best actress's out there!
I totally enjoyed you and Cynthia together. You both really are great together on screen. The chemistry is there ♥️
I've liked her since she was on Guiding Light I think it was. Glad she's on GH!
What a great interview. Open and honest. Love this
Hello, I wanted to say I appreciate this content so much. I watched this one because I have adored Cynthia Watros since Guiding Light. What I found most profound was what Maurice Benard said about dreaming and preferring dreaming over real life. I so related to this and really appreciated it. I have been there and know what it is like and have major depression. Thank you so much for being real!
Another great episode! Thank you for helping me with my panic disorder, with talking about triggers, etc.
I love love LOST!!! I started watching GH again, and love that Cynthia is there. And, to be clear, LOST did do the right thing to bring her back in the last season to wrap it up. :)
LOST, imho, was the best television show ever made. OMG I still miss it, years later. I now understand "trekkies" because I'm the LOST equivalent of a trekkie *lol*.
Love, Love, Love this interview
Cynthia has been a long time favorite from her days as Annie on Guiding Light! She's just the best!
This is one of the best podcast on TH-cam.
Absolutely enjoyed this episode 👏. I truly loved the connection between "Mike" and Nina. Fantastic work 💯❤
I love, love, LOVE State of Mind! I am SO happy I found this! Thank you, Maurice Benard!❤️🙏🏻
Since she was cast as Nina Cynthia has had the best story lines. From Valentine to Nell to Sonny. It usually takes time to adjust to a "re-cast" but the wedding to Valentine just threw her into the deep end and gave us fans lots to love about Cynthia. Thank you!