Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts, Michael Strahan, and George Stephanopoulos – and Viewers – Touched by the Story Behind Student Sofia Nielsen’s Heartfelt Gift!
Robin Roberts, Michael Strahan, and George Stephanopoulos are a morning TV staple, but they looked very different on Tuesday’s Good Morning America.
The GMA hosts were transformed from the screen to paper after Notre Dame graduate Sofia Nielsen surprised them with a hand-drawn portrait.
The graduating senior did a remarkable job capturing Robin, Michael, and George’s likeness in the pencil drawing that featured them all with beaming smiles sitting in their news anchor chairs.
Sam Champion unveiled the drawing after speaking about Sofia during a segment on the show, which revealed how she sketched portraits of all 110 of her classmates, presenting them with their gifts during her commencement speech.
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Michael, Robin, and George as you’ve never seen them before
Sofia wanted to “honor each classmate for their uniqueness” and spent two months working on the drawings using photos from last year’s yearbook, only finishing the project two days before graduation.
Following the segment, Sam told his co-hosts: “Talk about gifts, this busy young woman created something last night.”
Sofia’s drawing of Robin, Michael, and George then appeared on screen, and they were all blown away by her kind efforts.
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Michael, Robin, and George loved Sofia’s drawing
“Thank you, Sofia,” Robin gushed, while George admitted her gift was “so nice” and Michael called it “great”.
Sam was also in awe, saying: “The thought process of someone who’s that busy doing something that nice for everybody.”
Meanwhile, the trio appears to be settling into their new home after the GMA crew moved from Times Square downtown to their “sparkly new headquarters” this week.
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GMA’s new headquarters in 7 Hudson Square
On Monday, they appeared in their new studios in Hudson Square, an increasingly popular neighborhood west of SoHo, not far from TriBeCa.
GMA kicked off their Monday broadcast with Robin declaring: “It’s a big day, welcome to our new home,” as George later added: “New day, new week, new home,” and Michael then quipped: “It’s a beautiful location in the city.”
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Disney’s new headquarters are home to the ABC Television Network
The studios are in Disney’s new headquarters and also house fellow ABC mainstays The View, LIVE with Kelly & Mark, 20/20, World News Tonight, and the
The new complex was designed by renowned architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, with interiors by Gensler, and “serves as a collaborative town square in the bustling city”, according to Disney’s website.
GMA has left its Times Square home
It “has already started welcoming employees, and by next summer will officially be home to news, editorial, live productions, streaming, technology, advertising, corporate, business support functions, and more.”
Named after current Disney CEO Bob Iger, who began his career at ABC in 1974, “7 Hudson Square is also a testament to Disney’s commitment to NYC, its economy, and its people. The state-of-the-art building encompasses an entire city block and will be a collaborative hub for the company’s media, production, and innovation.”
