Days of Our Lives continues to be all over pop culture in 2026 with A-list celebrities who have shared their love of the long-running soap opera set to turn 61 this November.

First came word of Ryan Gosling’s admiration of Deidre Hall (Marlena) and his love for the show. Next, came ‘Last Week Tonight’ host, John Oliver’s desire to visit Salem, which came to fruition, and now Hall, the iconic star of the series, has invited Oscar winner, Julia Roberts to do a guest stint on the soap, too.

Roberts had been a known fan of Days of Our Lives for decades. During Monday’s Backlot Pass Day, which showcased upcoming original television and streaming line-ups for NBC and Peacock, Hall walked the carpet to talk to reporters.

Photo: JPI

When she spoke with PauseRewind, Hall shared what other celebrity she would like to see show up in Salem, “You know, Julia Roberts is a very big fan,” recalled Hall. “I think she must have some downtime somewhere. So, Julia, come on by, babe.’

Hall, who is celebrating this year her 50th year as Dr. Marlena Evans, added that she has met Roberts several times at award shows. “She was just sort of gobstruck, (and it) wasn’t about me, it was the show. ‘The people sitting behind me are from my show.’ She was so cute,” added Hall.

RYAN GOSLING UPDATE

In addition, Deidre offered an update on her collab with Ryan Gosling, where fans everywhere are hoping to see scenes with Marlena and a character written for Gosling. He ‘has yet to come,’ acknowledged Hall.

As for John Oliver, who this week can seen on three episodes of Days of Our Lives (August 11, 12 and 14), Hall said of meeting him at the DAYS set, “I was there for John Oliver. He is so adorable and easy to work with. He’s thrilled to be there, part of the gang. There was no hesitation, just a dream to have him there because we appreciate his comedy and his history.”

Photo: JPI

A MARLENA STORYLINE YET TO BE TOLD

Deidre also spoke on storylines she had yet to do over five decades, since she has played almost everything imaginable, including being possessed by the devil twice in a lifetime! “Marlena has not been disabled, and 50 years you’d think at some point she would have fallen out a flight of stairs, or lost her hearing, or lost her sight, or something,” expressed Hall.

“I have thought at some point it would be interesting if Marlena had a patient who was hearing impaired, and the audience got to see what that looks like. Sign language is a beautiful, beautiful thing, and it would be interesting for them to see it,” added Deidre.

As it turns out, Deidre learned sign language along with her sister, Andrea (ex-Samantha and Hattie, DAYS) when her twin sister welcomed a young deaf student in her class (Andrea is a special education teacher) and had to quickly learn the language to better accommodate her needs.

So, would you like to see Julia Roberts next up on the growing list of celebrities to make their way to Salem? If so, who should she play? Weigh-in via the comment section below.

If you caught today’s Tuesday, August 11 episode of Days of Our Lives streaming on Peacock, you caught the debut of John Oliver in his Salem role as the chief water inspector in town named Devlin St. John.

The ‘Last Week Tonight’ host has been on a jaunt through the soaps over the past few months, first on General Hospital, where he played the WSB head named Z, to now the man who has got the goods on EJ DiMera.

In his first of three appearances (the remaining two stream August 12 and 14), Devlin meets up with Paulina Price (Jackée Harry), Julie Williams (Susan Seaforth Hayes), Rita Lesley (who takes a liking to Mr. St. Jonn), played by Maggie Carney, and EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel). When Oliver arrives on the scene there is the wig, the quipping dialog, and a few soap stares and such along the way.

Courtesy/Peacock

Days of Our Lives is the only American soap opera in production to tape so far advance, often 10 to 11 months, that it makes it difficult to get out of any storyline that is not clicking with the fans, or if the writers want to change course.

In addition, casting announcement of exciting returns or new characters while initially exciting, finds the viewers having to wait a very long time to see them on their screens. On the flip side, without this production model the soap opera, which will turn 61 in November, wouldn’t remain and that would be a serious blow to the fans, to the soap genre and all that it employs.

DAYS OF OUR LIVES EP KEN CORDAY ON THE PROCESS OF ADDING JOHN OLIVER INTO PREVIOUSLY TAPED EPISODES

When John Oliver made his pronouncement on his late night talk show back in March that he desired to be on a soap opera. DAYS executive producer, Ken Corday was going to make it happen. He explained to Vulture, how they were able weave in Oliver’s request and take him up on it, while making it look seamless into episodes taped so long ago.

Both Corday and co-executive producer and showrunner, Noel Maxam, intially went back and looked at previously taped episodes and story outlines to search for a potential story thread where they could place the character to be played by Oliver.

Corday shared, “We didn’t want to wait until next year for these shows to air, so we lifted (already produced) show and put him in. We basically had to shoehorn him into our schedule because we were so far ahead.” The longtime EP also expressed its challenges stating it, “was somewhat complex. It was basically, ‘We have to do this; let’s get it done.’ And we did. He was too good to pass up.”

THE CREATION OF DEVLIN ST. JOHN

In terms of the scripting and creation of Oliver’s character of Devlin St. John, it was a two-team effort. Corday explained that Oliver’s overall storyline was scripted by DAYS writers, but John Oliver’s team punched up some of the dialog.

“John and his producer had a lot of input in making the words fit the way he talks,” the EP recalled. “He’s (Oliver) very machine-gun in how he speaks, so that took a little work. But in the end, we both got what we wanted.”

In terms of the look of his DAYS character of the Salem chief water inspector, Oliver brought the wig he wears in his scenes to the set, and the DAYS hair and make-up team refined it for the cameras.

You can check out more behind the scenes moments of Oliver’s appearance on Days of Our Lives in the newly released video package from Access Hollywood that dropped last night below.

So, what did you think of John Oliver’s debut as Devlin St. John on today’s Days of Our Lives? Ken Corday sharing how the soap opera was able to shoehorn in Oliver’s scenes in previous shot episodes from months ago? Weigh-in via the comment section below. 

After a few months of speculation, it has finally been revealed who John Oliver will be playing when he kicks-off his three episode guest stint on Tuesday, August 11 on Peacock’s Days of Our Lives.

According to a rep for the soap opera, Oliver will be taking on the role of Salem’s Chief Water Inspector who opens an investigation into the local water supply.  As previously reported, Oliver will share scenes with EJ (Dan Feuerriegel) and Rita (Maggie Carney), and Mayor Paulina Price (Jackée Harry).

In addition, Soaps.com spoke with Dan Feuerriegel who shared that Oliver’s character name is none other than “Devlin St. John.” Feuerriegel also explained what the late night talk show wanted out of his Days of Our Lives experience noting, “He wanted the whole thing. From my recollection, he wanted a wig. He wanted a ridiculous name, and he wanted to slap or be slapped.” Feuerriegel then coyly admitted, “We did all the things. Everything you would think cliché in a soap, we did. I got slapped. I slapped.”

Jackée Harry previewed her scenes with Oliver to TV Insider, noting, “He is the water commissioner and coming to her with some scheme. He is trying to get one over on the city of Salem and she is not having it. And then he’s onto the next victim.”

Photo: Peacock

JOHN OLIVER’S TOUR OF SOAP DUTY CONCLUDES IN SALEM

After his initial entrance on Tuesday, look for Oliver on  the Wednesday, August 12 and Friday, August 14 of the soap streamer. Last month, John Oliver appeared on General Hospital in the role of the head of the WSB named Z for three episodes, as well which was more of a dramatic turn for the late night talk show host.

DAYS and GH both came calling after Oliver put the word out an episode of his HBO series back in March, that he is aiming to be on a soap! John shared, “To all the soap operas out there, let me say this: I’m officially offering myself to you. Write me a role, and I will be on your set so fast, it will make your head spin!”

Days of Our Lives executive producer, Ken Corday previously said in a statement, “When John Oliver said, ‘Call me, soaps, I’m available and willing to travel. I want to be a part of that world,’ our world, we had to heed the call!”

So, looking forward to tuning-in to see John Oliver as Salem’s Chief Water Inspector, Devlin St. John on this week on Days of Our Lives? Let us know via the comment section. But first, in case you missed it, check out this week’s Days of Our Lives promo below with Oliver as Devlin St. John  asking to see Mayor Paulina Price in its final moments.