Days Of Our Lives
Maria O’Brien, Longtime ‘Days of Our Lives’ Acting Coach, Passes Away at 75
Many of the performers you have seen on Days of our LivesĀ worked with the on set acting coach, Maria O’Brien for years. This week, the DAYS family feels the loss of O’Brien who has died at the age of 75.
After many years as an actress with extensive television and motion picture credits, and being the daughter of Oscar-winning actor Edmund O’Brien and musical comedy star Olga San Juan, show business was always in her blood.
Maria was initially hired at NBC to help the actors with their scenes on Sunset Beach and Passions. Eventually, she came to then NBC juggernaut soap opera, Days of our Lives where she held a 15-year position as their acting coach, up until she retired in 2022, which was around the same time that the seres moved to its current streaming home on Peacock.
Some of O’Brien’s acting credits included: Murder She Wrote,Ā Magnum P.I.,Ā Good Morning, Miss Bliss,Ā The Love Boat, Law,Ā CHiPs,Ā Matlock,Ā Nash Bridges,Ā Suddenly Susan,Ā Jack & Jill,Ā For the People.Ā She even appeared in the web series Ave. 43, Ā which was a spoof on soap operas.
Back in 2019, Michael Fairman had the opportunity to sit down with O’Brien, along with Freddie Smith (ex-Sonny Kiriakis) for a deep-dive conversation on the former Inside Salem: Days of our Lives podcast, on how she helped not only Freddie with scenes and dialog but also the countless other cast members, if they had a question, or how to interpret the dialog, or just to help them key into a scene, if they were struggling.
Taking to X upon learning the news of O’Brien’s passing was longtime Days of our Lives star Alison Sweeney (Sami Brady) who expressed, “This is so sad to hear. I loved working with Maria over the years she was truly a gem. Prayers for all her friends & family.”
Casey Moss (JJ, DAYS) shared, “Maria, thank you for everything, I learned so much from you. My entrance into the world of storytelling was scary but you were one of the few that made it safe. Iāll always be grateful for the time we spent together. You will be missed. Go play with the greats. R.I.P.ā
True O’Brien (ex-Paige, DAYS) “My dear Maria, we not only share a passion for the art of acting but also a last name. Your smile was contagious, your passion intoxicating and your walk iconic. Thank you for all the sessions we had together and for your undying commitment and love for the craft of acting. Thank you for your support and beautiful spirit. May you fly with the angels today and forever more.ā
Eric Martsolf (Brady, DAYS) also took to his IG story and expressed: “Maria was an unsung hero in our industry. SinceĀ PassionsĀ she aided the actors through the roughest of dialogue challenges and made it all make sense. She shed light wherever she was. R.I.P. my friend. You will be missed.ā
It should also be noted that when her father, Edmund OāBrienās became one of the first celebrities to be diagnosed with Alzheimerās Disease, n 1983, Maria testified before Congress about the devastation of the disease. She was instrumental in securing government funding for Alzheimerās research.
Deadline first reported the news.
Now below, check out our interview with Maria and Freddie Smith from the July 22, 2019 edition of the Inside Salem: Days of our Lives Podcast. Then, share your thoughts on the loss of Maria O’Brien via the comment section.
Interesting I bet she was a neat lady – people think acting on a soap is easy but it’s very difficult I think. Not only memorizing all the dialogue but understanding what the scenes are about. Lisa Brown from GL was an acting coach too and talked about working with young actors.
Days Of Our Lives
‘Days of our Lives’ Leo Howard Joins Cast for ‘Yellowjackets’ Fourth and Final Season

Yellowjackets announced its full cast and new additions for its upcoming fourth and final season. None other than Days of our Lives favorite Leo Howard (Tate Black) will be featured in an exciting and undisclosed role on the Paramount+ streaming series.
Howard’s casting comes after he was one of four Days of our Lives cast members pink-slipped from the Peacock soap opera back in January of 2026. Due to Days of our Lives advanced tape to streaming episodes, Leo is also still appearing on the soap.
Viewers will need to tune-in to see how Tate, Holly (Ashley Puzemis), Johnny (Carson Boatman) and Chanel’s (Raven Bowens) storylines resolve before they all exit the canvas. No word on when Howard’s last DAYS episode airs as of yet.

Photo: JPI
YELLOWJACKETS CAST ADDITIONS FOR FINAL SEASON
The official Yellowjackets Instagram account welcomed a slew of new cast members for the upcoming fourth and final season which included Howard accompanying the post were, āThe wilderness welcomes these new faces to the cast of #yellowjackets season 4.”
Leo joins Molly Ringwald, Eric Stoltz, June Squibb, DulƩ Hill, Devon Sawa, Ken Marino, Aaron Staton, Cynthia Stevenson, Patricia De Leon, Noah Harpster, Sam Braun, and John Emmet Tracy for Yellowjackets final season which will premiere on November 22, 2026.
For those who may not be aware, Yellowjackets, was created by Ashley Lyle and Bart Nickerson, and follows a high school girls soccer team after its plane crashes in the remote northern wilderness. The series moves between the teenagersā increasingly brutal fight for survival and the lives the survivors have attempted to rebuild nearly 25 years later, proving that what happened in the past is far from buried.
Back on August 20, Paramount+ revealed that Yellowjackets will conclude with season 4 offering up a chilling teaser with former MTV VJ, Kurt Loder seen as a newscaster announcing, āWe are live with breaking news: The Wiskayok Yellowjackets have been found.” From there, the season will deal with the aftermath of the soccer team’s eventual rescue.
Michael Fairman TV will keep you posted when Howard’s first episode of Yellowjackets will stream on Paramount+.
Now let us know, glad to see Leo landing a role in Yellowjackets? Will you miss him on Days of our Lives? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.
Beyond the Gates
Federal Film and TV Tax Credit Bill Hits Congress; Daytime Dramas Not Eligible

In an effort to bring back productions to the United States and offering incentives to keep them from going abroad, a bipartisan group of lawmakers in Congress has introduced proposed legislation to establish a federal film and television tax credit. It is being touted as a landmark moment for Hollywood Workers and small businesses.
The Motion Picture, Television, and Entertainment Revitalization Act, led by Rep. Laura Friedman (D-Calif.), Rep. Nathaniel Moran (R-Texas), Rep. Sanchez (D-Calif.) and Rep. Brian Jack (R-Ga.) in the House of Representatives, would establish a 20 percent base tax credit on labor expenses and a potential rebate of 30% if signed into law.Ā Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) are spearheading an identical bill in the Senate.
To be eligible, productionsĀ must have a minimum spend of $1 million (per film or per TV season), and at least 75% of production days must be in the U.S. For animation, 75% of the production cost must be in the U.S.

Photo: CBS
SOAP OPERAS AND OTHER FORMS OF PROGRAMMING WILL NOT BE PART OF THE BILL
The federal incentive would be eligible to be stacked on top of individual state tax incentives, much like the current system in Canada and Australia. In the new bill, postproduction and special visual effects labor costs can be counted as eligible expenses.
However, the lawmakers proposed bill does not include the following type of shows: Daytime dramas, porn, commercials, talk shows, interview shows, game shows, award shows, news programming, live sports, corporate/industrial videos, and social media videos,
TV AND FILM PROJECTS THAT ARE ELIGIBLE HOPE TO BRING BUSINESS AND JOBS BACK TO THE U.S.
The federal film and television tax credit will be available for: films, TV shows ā scripted and unscripted (4-episode minimum), TV pilots, animation, above-the-line wages (producers, writers, directors, actors, etc.) and below-the-line wages (crew), and standalone post-production and visual effects.
If passed, the legislation could offer much needed help for workers who have been rocked by recent unsteady times in show business. In all, runaway productions, strikes and a contraction in the business have dashed many job opportunities in recent years, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics finding that jobs in the motion picture and video industries have declined by more than 100,000 since 2022.
Click here to review the entire proposed bill from congress.
So, what do you think of the new bill on the table in the U.S. congress? Glad to know that it could, if passed, help some types of projects? What do you think about how the soaps are excluded and deemed not eligible? Does it continue to seem to you, that no matter what, those that work within the continuous tightened budget of daytime dramas can never catch a break? Weigh-in via the comment section below.
Days Of Our Lives
‘Days of our Lives’ Preview: Will Dominic Marino Turn Out to Be Marlena’s Son With Stefano DiMera?

All signs point to that Dr. Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall) at some juncture had Stefano DiMera’s (the late Joseph Mascolo) baby, but will it ultimately prove to be true, especially when the man in question is Dominic Marino? The last name Marino could also be the clue which its first half contains Marlena, the last half Stefano!
For several weeks, Marlena has been grappling with some vague memories and things she doesn’t seem to want to remember or can’t. We know that when Belle (Martha Madison) and Chad (Conner Floyd) made it to Italy, they found hidden in the replica chess set, just like the one Stefano “gifted” Marlena and John, that a secret compartment revealed a photo of Stefano holding a young boy with the picture dated on the back “1992.”
Now, in all-new episodes of Days of our Lives streaming next week on Peacock, the official promo ends with quite the shock for Marlena. First, Steve (Stephen Nichols) pays her a visit with an update that they were able to track down the birth certificate of Dominic Marino. As she reads the certificate, Marlena says out loud that Stefano is listed as the father, but stops dead in her tracks when she reads the mother’s name, and the promo goes to black!

Courtesy/Peacock
Will Marlena learn she has another child out there, who seemingly was in cahoots with Dante Vitali (Franco LoPresti) in Monte Carlo? Or, is this all one last evil plan from the dead from Stefano to make Marlena believe she is the biological mother of his child? Stay tuned.
Elsewhere in Salem, Philip (John-Paul Lavoisier) races home to the Kiriakis mansion ready to save it, and the family business. after gambling it all in Monte Carlo. Sadly, when he walks in to the family home, it’s completely empty!
In addition, the machinations of Joy Wesley (AlexAnn Hopkins) continue as she concocts another scheme when she researches, ānerve conduction studies.” Could it be she is going to fake her paralysis? Then, Mason (Brandon Butler) and Holly (Ashley Puzemis) finally have s showdown, where she asks, “Do you think Iām to blame for Sophiaās death?” It appears Mason believes she had a lot to do with it.
Now below, check out additional Days of our Lives spoilers for the week of September 21-15.
Monday, September 21
Xander (Paul Telfer) and Brady (Eric Martsolf) decide to join forces as Sarah (Linsey Godfrey) finds herself in legal trouble.
Tuesday, September 22
Xander and Philip face a very disapproving Maggie (Suzanne Rogers), while Black Patch partners, Brady and Steve , continue their investigation into Dominic Marino.
Wednesday, September 23
Belle and Marlena share their concerns with Sydney (Sydney Malakeh), but is it about Dante, or what Belle and Chad uncovered in Italy?
Thursday, September 24
EJ (Dan Feuerriegel) questions Catās (AnnaLynne Cipriani) loyalty. Will these two be able to clarify their relationship with one another once and for all? Meanwhile, Leo (Greg Rikaart) and Javi (Jacob Martinez) test the waters to see if there is a chance at ever getting back together.
Friday, September 25
Chad welcomes Kate (Lauren Koslow) to The Spectator. How will Chad and Kate do working side by side? Marlena is disturbed by a harrowing dream. Steve gets unsettling news from Bo and Hope, while Sarah and Kayla (Mary Beth Evans) suspect something is amiss.
Check out the official DAYS promo, “Cold and Frank” below.
Now weigh-in: Did Marlena have Stefano’s son? Do you think it’s a set up … or the truth? If so, who do you hope is revealed to be Dominic Marino? Let us know your thoughts via the comment section below.
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