Maurice Benard welcomed a fellow General Hospital co-star on his State of Mind podcast this weekend—none other than Laura Wright, who plays Carly Spencer. She opened up about her early career, personal life, and the decisions that shaped her successful daytime TV journey.
She Nearly Didn’t End Up on the Show
Did you know that Laura Wright almost didn’t take the role of Carly Spencer? In fact, she nearly turned it down. At the time, she was still playing Cassie Winslow on Guiding Light, and the idea of moving across the country made her hesitate. There were also contract issues with CBS, leaving her unsure about committing to GH.
On the State of Mind podcast, she explained that she initially declined the role. However, a call from executive producer Jill Farren Phelps changed everything. Wright recalled Jill saying, “I’m not letting you turn this down,” and encouraged her to try something new. That conversation became the push she needed.
Humble Beginnings
Maurice Benard and Laura also discussed her early years, long before she became a Port Charles icon. Wright worked four jobs at one point. Like many struggling actors, she took on shifts at a gas station and even a tanning salon. “It wasn’t an easy time,” she admitted. “I didn’t know how I was going to make it, but I just kept going.”
The gas station was run by her dad, who didn’t want her waiting tables. But she always wanted to pursue theater and loved studying it in school.
She added, “I sold pretzels at RFK Stadium,” before taking up work with “Jane’s Information Group,” where she “sold books over the phone.”
A Crisis in London
Her family life came up as well. Laura shared how her daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes while they were in London. It seemed terrifying, but fortunately, it worked out because Finola Hughes came to the rescue.
“My daughter was on vacation in London and was really struggling,” Wright recalled. “I could tell something was wrong. She had been there for weeks, and when I saw her, she looked so thin. She just kept saying, ‘I don’t know what’s going on.’”
Luckily, Finola Hughes was in London and there, her brother and sister-in-law, both worked as doctors. Laura reached out, and Finola, whose flight had just been canceled, sprang into action. After hearing the symptoms, Finola’s sister-in-law urgently advised, “Get her to an emergency room right now. It’s diabetes.”
At the hospital, heatstroke patients filled the wards, and Laura’s daughter was initially turned away as “non-urgent.” But once tested elsewhere, her blood sugar was “off the charts,”leading to an immediate diagnosis and life-saving insulin treatment. “Thank God for Finola,” Wright said.
Laura’s Other Project
The conversation also touched on Laura’s current project, Sacred Space. It’s a Zoom-based series where people gather for raw, honest discussions. She described it as a way to foster connection and find peace in an often overwhelming world.
Maurice Benard said to her, “Take me on a spiritual journey.” The real-life Sonny Corinthos noted that she’s “helping a lot of people.” Of course, he was talking about Sacred Space. If you don’t know, Laura takes it very seriously. She explained:
“I’m doing a lot of work on this right now. I’ve been really thinking about what is a sacred space for me. I really want to take Sacred Space on the road because I love being with people in a room. I think that’s where things really happen.”
Laura Wright told Maurice Benard that while the Zooms “are great,” she’s given thought to how she might do spaces in real life. She doesn’t want to “stand on a stage somewhere and tell someone I’m going to change their lives.”
In time, if she takes it on the road, she might be able to help people find a way to change their lives. So stay tuned for more about that.
