Kelly Monaco Reflects on Her “Dancing with the Stars” Journey
Kelly Monaco, the 49-year-old star of “General Hospital,” shared her experiences from when she participated in the first season of “Dancing with the Stars” back in 2005. Initially, she was warned that joining the show could be detrimental to her acting career.
Monaco had joined “General Hospital” in 2003, playing the role of Sam McCall. Two years later, she received an invitation to be part of the competition. “I found a letter in my dressing room mailbox at ‘General Hospital,'” she recalled in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. “We had these little mailboxes outside our dressing room, and there it was—a letter inviting me to dance with the stars.”
Despite the offer, Monaco faced pushback from family and friends, who thought reality TV wasn’t a fit for actors. “We kept hearing, ‘Actors shouldn’t do reality shows,'” she said.
At the time, she admitted she was not well-versed in dance. “Honestly, I’d never heard of ballroom dancing,” Monaco confessed. “But I thought, ‘Why not? I’ll give it a shot.'” That mindset, it seems, really shaped her approach to the venture.
Paired with professional dancer Alec Mazo, Monaco was up against contestants like Trista Sutter and Joey McIntyre. The first season was more of a trial run, consisting of just six episodes. “It was initially just a test, and I wasn’t telling anyone I was participating,” she explained, adding that she feared the critics’ comments after the first episode. She mentioned getting one of the lowest scores in the show’s history. “After that, I thought, ‘Okay, I need to take this seriously,'” she admitted.
As the weeks unfolded, Monaco was often surprised she wasn’t eliminated. “I wasn’t confident in my dancing, but I felt like I was improving each week,” she recounted with a sense of pride.
Eventually, she became a favorite among fans, although the competition was not without its hurdles. During one performance, her costume malfunctioned, which added a layer of chaos to the experience. “Alec had prepped me for mishaps, but wow, that was a scary moment,” she shared. “It felt like my outfit was under some sort of attack. I thought, ‘What now?'”
Monaco remembers having to adapt quickly, holding her dress while dancing, focused on keeping up with Alec. “He supported me every step of the way,” she noted, revealing her struggles with confidence in performance.
That wardrobe malfunction somehow shifted her public image. “After that incident, people saw the genuine me, not just the soap opera character I played,” she remarked, explaining how it allowed her to connect differently with the audience.
Ultimately, her hard work bore fruit as she won the Mirror Ball Trophy that season. “I was genuinely driven to win,” she confessed.
In 2012, Monaco returned to compete in “Dancing with the Stars: All-Stars,” where she finished in third place. Throughout this period, she continued her role as Sam McCall in “General Hospital” until the series concluded in November after a 21-year run.
Recently, she opened up on social media about her departure from “General Hospital,” addressing some misunderstandings regarding her exit, especially regarding speculation of her being fired. “There’s no major role anymore,” she stated. “It’s best to clarify facts, as the truth will free everyone involved.”
Monaco’s mother also expressed gratitude towards her daughter’s fans for their steadfast support through challenging times. “Your love means more than we could ever say,” she emphasized.
As she wraps up her time on the series—where she appeared in over 2,000 episodes since 2003—Monaco looks back on a career that included critical acclaim, like a Daytime Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actress in 2006.
Reflecting on the journey she’s had since stepping into the world of Port Charles, Monaco’s story encapsulates not just personal triumph but also the kind of resilience that resonates with many fans.
