In one of her first TV roles, Sarah Joy Brown debuted the character Caroline “Carly” Benson in 1996. An adoptee from Florida with a chip on her shoulder and a magnet for trouble, viewers quickly fell in love with Carly and her nefarious ways. Brown was beloved by “GH” fans during her five-year stint on the show, during which she received three Daytime Emmys. It was during these years that the epic saga of Sonny-and-Carly first began, and when they were married (for the first time) so she wouldn’t have to testify against him in court. Brown left significant shoes to fill when she exited the soap in 2001 (via IMDb).
In 2008, viewers were thrilled to see Brown return to “GH” portraying a new character, Claudia Zacchara. Claudia was the daughter of crime lord Anthony Zacchara and she came to town with the intent of taking over her father’s business. Brown was able to reunite with costar Maurice Benard when Claudia fell into bed with rival mob boss Sonny, whom she eventually married in a twisted business plot between their two organizations. Claudia was killed a year later by a teenage Michael Corinthos (Drew Garrett) when he witnessed her trying to steal his baby sister Josslyn and then clonked her on the head with an ax handle.
