Alice Halsey is making a return to her Daytime Emmy-nominated role of Rachel Black on Days of our Lives. In a twist, Halsey is actually filling-in for her successor, Lorelei Oliva Mote.

According to TV Insider, an offer went out to Halsey to make a short comeback for four episodes when Mote had a scheduling conflict. The episodes Halsey taped will not be seen until late in 2027, due to Days of our Lives ongoing production schedule which tapes almost a year ahead of dropping new episodes on Peacock.

Mote has been playing Kristen DiMera (Stacy Haiduk) and Brady Black’s (Eric Martsolf) daughter since March 2026. Halsey had stepped away from the role in which she played from April of 2025 to March of 2026, and earned a Daytime Emmy nomination along the way in the Outstanding Emerging Talent category at the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards.

Photo: JPI

FROM ‘LITTLE HOUSE’ TO SALEM

Halsey is now starring in the central role of Laura Ingalls in the Little House on the Prairie reboot on Netflix, which premiered this past June and in which the second season wrapped last month in October.

On coming home to Salem, Halsey shared, “It was very exciting. My parents told me that I would be coming back for a few more episodes, and I was so happy. I was freaking out. I was like, ‘I get to go back to Days. I get to see everybody again.’ And I’m just really glad that I get to be here.”

Stepping into Rachel’s skin after months away from the role, Alice explained, “I came in, and I did my work, and it was just awesome. It was fun, and it reminded me so much of back when I was Rachel before, and it made me even more grateful to be able to be Rachel again.” 

She added “Rachel has matured a little bit more than when I was there, and it’s really fun to be able to play that up. She is older now, and so, of course, Rachel has changed, but my portrayal of her is essentially the same. She’s still the little girl that she used to be.”

Now below, you can check out Michael Fairman TV’s chat with Alice on the red carpet at the 2026 Daytime Emmy Awards via the Michael Fairman Channel, where she furthered discussed being a part of the reboot of the iconic series, Little House on the Prairie, plus loving her Days of our Lives family.

So, what do you think about Alice filling-in for Lorelei Olivia Mote on DAYS? Have you watched her on Netflix’s Little House on the Prairie? Let us knoq via the comment section.

Today, November 8, marks the iconic Days of our Lives 61st anniversary having first burst on to the soap scene back on this date in 1965 on NBC. For 57 years the soap opera was a part of the NBC daytime programming block, and then in September of 2022 it debuted on the NBCUniversal streamer, Peacock as the first broadcast television daytime drama to move onto a streaming platform.

Now, here we are in DAYS sixth decade, and it’s found a way to survive with their unconventional taping schedule of shooting almost a year ahead of dropping new episodes on the platform, and Salem is still kicking as of this moment.

The anniversary week of episodes which begin tomorrow on Monday, November 9 through Friday November 13 will feature: the returns of Thaao Penghlis and Leann Hunley as Tony and Anna DiMera, more on the arrival of the newest DiMera, Dominik Marino as played by Kyle Pryor, Leo Stark (Greg Rikaart) in dire straits, and whatever secret long-running character, Abe Carver (Daytime Emmy winner, James Reynolds) is keeping.

Photo: JPI

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER ON SALEM CANVAS LOOK IN THE MONTHS AHEAD

Days of our Lives executive producer, Ken Corday, who took over the reins of the soap from his parents, the late Ted and Betty Corday, fully in 1986, previewed what’s ahead as Salem turns 61 with Soaps.com and talked about the foundation of the shows legacy characters and families. Previously, the series was renewed for its 62nd and 63rd season.

Most intriguing is Corday revealed there is a brand new female character coming to the show in the Spring of 2027. Ken explained what lies ahead, “There are some new, young loves, rekindled romances and complicated triangles. I’m particularly excited about a brand-new character who brings some levity to the canvas and gets herself involved with almost everyone in Salem. She’ll debut in the spring.  Stay tuned!”

Corday also added, “We are having fun exploring the dynamics between the Kiriakis and DiMera families, much like the Montagues and the Capulets. Each of our core families –  the Hortons, Bradys, Carvers and Hernandezes – will be important in upcoming stories and will intertwine.”

NEWCOMERS AND FAMILIAR FACES

Pictured in the celebratory cast photo which was shared with the outlet were: DAYS newcomers Sofia Mattsson (Chloe Lane, and ex-Sasha Gilmore, GH), Brytni Sarpy (whose DAYS role is yet be revealed, ex-Elena, Y&R and Valerie, GH) and the return of Bryan Dattilo (Lucas Horton).

You can check out this action in Salem and DAYS anniversary week promo below.

Then, share your congratulations today for Days of our Lives as they celebrate their 61st anniversary via the comment section below. Let us know your thoughts on who could be playing the brand-new female character Ken Corday is speaking of? We previously reported that it looked like Brytni Sarpy would not be hitting the screens till early Summer. 

Earlier this week on the November 2 episode of Days of our Lives, Kyle Pryor made his Salem debut when a key scene at the end of the episode, with Rita sitting in a chair, the long-talked about character of Dominic Marino unmasks himself!

This sets the stage for the new umbrella storyline that long-running soap opera set to turn 61 on November 8 is launching into. What we know thus far is the viewers are led to believe from a birth certificate discovered that the late Stefano DiMera and Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall) are the billionaire’s biological parents, but is he? Does Marlena have another son she will come to love?

Ahead of his debut, Michael Fairman TV caught up with Kyle Pryor on the red carpet at the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards where he teased to us, whether Dominik will be all bad or just misunderstood?

Photo: Peacock

Pryor revealed, “I feel like having a bit of a good side makes it a bit more nuanced, but, we always want to see that sort of character development and not be too predictable. Just keep it a bit of a mystery and sort of surprising.”

Speaking about working with Days of our Lives icon Deidre Hall as his alleged mother on the show, Pryor had nothing but winning things to say about the legend. “Deidre is the absolute OG, amazing,” shared Kyle.”She’s so experienced on the show and her character has been through so many sort of trials and tribulations.”

As to his Days of our Lives father, Stefano DiMera, played by the late Joseph Mascolo, Nick shared he heard plenty of stories from the cast about Joe. “I heard that he was quite sort of method in his approach. as well. That behind the scenes, he would be his sort of usual casual self by the sounds of it. And then as soon as he gets on set, he’s in ii! An absolute sort of legacy … amazing character.”

Photo: JPI

In addition, TV Insider spoke to the former Home and Away (ex-Nate Cooper) and Hollyoaks (ex-Laurence “Laurie” Shelby) soap star, where he was in for quite the shock at how far ahead Days of our Lives was taping in advance of streaming new episodes on Peacock.

Kyle expressed, “Every other show that I’ve worked on in the past, it’s been a much faster turnaround, Usually somewhere around five, six weeks, so it’s been really interesting keeping a secret for 10 months. Also, this is the fastest soap that I’ve ever worked on, so you have to become very good at being instinctual, which in a weird way works for me. I’m a bit of an over-thinker, so it’s nice to be just very reactive and in the moment. It’s a lot of dialogue to get across, and Dominic loves a chat, so there’s always a lot to deal with.”

You can check out our quick chat with Kyle Pryor on the red carpet at the 2026 Daytime Emmy Awards below and make sure to check out more video coverage of Emmy night via the Michael Fairman Channel here.

So place your bets! When all is said and done will Dominic Marino be the true biological son of Marlena Evans she never knew she had? Or is someone else his mother? Let us know your thoughts via the comment section below.