Rory Gibson vs Chad Duell: Which Michael Reigns on General Hospital?

General Hospital pulled a switch with Michael Corinthos, and the fanbase did what fanbases do: they picked sides. After 15 years in the role, Chad Duell stepped out, and Rory Gibson stepped in earlier this year. A few months of episodes later, Facebook threads are buzzing over who wears the suit better.

The handoff

Duell’s tenure as Michael is no small thing — decade and a half, major stories, lots of baggage. Gibson inherits all of that, plus a version of Michael who has been through the wringer and is coming back from a recovery. That context matters, because it gives a recast some narrative cover to tweak the vibe.

The debate that took off

One fan kicked off a Facebook thread by saying they still admire Duell’s Michael but feel Gibson has already made the role his own. That post drew a ton of replies and, honestly, a pretty specific breakdown of what people are seeing on screen — from performance to, yes, facial features shaping tone. Soap viewers notice everything.

"I love Chad but Rory has hit a home run with me. He took the role and made it his own with a dark side. I believe this is now his role. He deserves it."

What fans are actually saying

• There’s plenty of love for Duell’s long run, but a recurring theme is that Gibson is doing a good job and hasn’t just copy-pasted the performance.
• Multiple commenters mention Gibson’s darker look — specifically his more pronounced, darker facial features — as giving Michael a fresh energy: a little bad boy, a little good boy.
• Some feel Gibson has leaned into a 'Dark Michael' lane the character was primed for, and that he fits that shade particularly well.
• A not-small contingent wants him to stay put: variations on 'keep Rory as Michael' pop up more than once.
• Others say Michael now has a whole different vibe that tracks with where the character has been lately — back from recovery, emotionally scorched by the Drew and Willow fallout — and that those changes make Gibson’s take feel believable.

So who’s winning?

Short answer: both actors have their defenders, but momentum in the comments leans toward Gibson right now. Even fans who miss Duell’s version are calling out how quickly Gibson has stamped the role with a darker edge. It’s one of those classic soap recasts where loyalty and lived-in history meet a fresh, slightly moodier interpretation — and for the moment, viewers seem into the switch.