Days Of Our Lives
Days of our Lives’ Emily O’Brien Says ‘Goodbye’ to Gwen Rizczech and ‘Hello’ to Theresa Donovan
On the Friday, October 6th episode of Days of our Lives, the much-talked about ‘soap opera role switch’ came to fruition, when Emily O’Brien exited the scene as the character of Gwen Rizczech and then re-entered the same scene as the recast for the character of Theresa Donovan.
Fans who have been following this unusual casting stunt know that Jen Lilley came back to the show to reprise the role of Theresa for Victor Kiriakis’ (the late John Aniston) memorial service, and as Lilley has told the story to press outlets, she informed DAYS she had about 4 weeks of availability to tape. However, the show wrote about 12 weeks of episodes for the character and suddenly the soap recast the role with Emily O’Brien. That choice, was interesting in itself as O’Brien was already playing Gwen.
Fast-forward to today, where in story, Gwen decided to leave Salem after she found out her best friend Leo (Greg Rikaart) and her husband, Dimitri (Peter Porte) were having an affair. Gwen got an assist from Kristen when Kristen (Stacy Haiduk) made a suggestion for her future, and Gwen realized she could come out of this O.K and with some dollars!
Photo: JPI
Kristen shared that since Dimitri’s going off to Statesville prison, “someone” is going to get their hands on his fortune. Therefore, Gwen should go pay her new in-laws a visit and persuade the Von Leuschners that she needs to be one to handle his financial affairs while he is incarcerated. Realizing her time in Salem has been a disaster, Gwen decides to uproot her life.
Later, at the airport, and as she is ready to board her plane, Gwen says her goodbyes: “Well, Salem, it hasn’t always been fun, has it? It’s certainly been interesting. Now, there are things about you that I have loved. There’s also a lot of things I have hated. I suppose you could say the same thing about me, though. But I promise you, it might be goodbye for now, but you haven’t seen the last of this girl!”
Photo: JPI
After Gwen exits for the plane, out comes Brady (Eric Martsolf) entering the terminal calling for Theresa who is trailing behind him. Next, Theresa shows up in the form of O’Brien sporting a blonde wig.
The entire ‘blonde wig’ situation has been a whole story on to itself. Lilley shared she had volunteered to dye her hair before returning to the soap, but was told that wasn’t necessary. However, when O’Brien showed up as Theresa she was wearing a blonde wig. Go figure!
So, after seeing the end of today’s episode, are you intrigued to see O’Brien’s take on Theresa Donovan? Happy or sad to see Gwen exit the canvas? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
I loved it Emily is a fabulous actress and doesn’t act like shes a daytime born again nut/Meryl Streep. Right on Emily!!!!
I loved it
Surprises are always great, I’m just hoping she’ll be back as Gwen
Not a fan of the first 5 min of O’Brian cast as Teresa. I like the other one much better, but this is who we have now. Gwen was kind of running out of story li es so I’m sure she will be back someday. Just like Vivian
On the other horn, it looked as though Gwen & Vivian got on the same plane… which would make sense, as the Alamains & Von Leuschners came from the same fictional place in Europe. But if those two have to sit together on the plane, it will probably crash over the Atlantic… and then I’ll be stuck with both of them in Hell at the same time!
I hate the recast. I have watch since the soap started and this is the worst casing. After 60 years days has finally screwed up royalty.
No one could replace Lilley. She will always be the true Theresa in my books.
No a fan of O’Brians acting
I agree with Cindy and Lorraine this was a stupid move she won’t be able to do this Gwen is gwen and Teresa is Teresa and Jen lilly is the onlyTheresa that can play that part
Agree. Another stupid move by producers. Time to quit watching.
Me either this is disapointing at the least. I thought we were rid of her overacting as Gwen.
I am on board with the recast! Loved the whiplash changeover!
I think that O’Brien is a great, appealing actress. I have thoroughly
enjoyed her as Gwen and hope for the character’s eventual return.
Theresa is a fun character. Let’s see what O’Brien does with her…
Uughh let’s see
Good riddance Gwen!. I never liked the Theresa character so im not looking forward to this switcheroo.
I don’t like this. We will see
I wished that Jen Lilley would of stayed on days as Teresa
Me too. She was the original. Also I heard a hint of O’Brien’s accent when she became Theresa. If this continues then it will be absolutely awful.
That is her real voice. O’Brien is British (in terms of nationality) but speaks with an American-Southern California accent in real life, and has since about 10 years old. You can find clips from interviews at the Emmys on YouTube. She simply reverts to the British accent she had as a child in England to play Jana and Gwen, but like Portia DiRossi (who lost her Aussie accent after several years in the USA) and Mel Gibson (who picked up an Aussie accent at 10 when he moved there and reverted back to his childhood American accent as an adult after moving back to the US permanently) her second accent is her day to day one.
I’m gonna miss Gwen I loved her character ! Gwen an Leo were always entertaining
I’ve always liked the original Thereesa
I hope she’s able to take on the role
Will miss Gwen don’t think she can pull off a Teresa
She won’t fit and tired of her acting
I’m not enjoying the recast. I’m also not enjoying the aged Tate. There’s too much arguing. I don’t like it.
I think its so silly. That blonde wig looks ridiculous.
The way that they did the recast in the episode was one part clever and one part absurd. A credit to Emily, I already don’t see her as Gwen in the role, though like most recasts, it will take a bit before I see her as Teresa.
I love days but do not understand all the recasting of existing actors and actress in different rolls in the show its way to confusing its hard enough to get used to new actors but to try to dissociate the old player and put them in a new roll like Ben to Alex and Gwinn to Theresa
Sad the writers have got to stop this !hasn’t been this bad since the devil was on the show that was the worst !
Hey, at least when I was on the show, I didn’t disappear suddenly and then reappear as an angel 30 seconds later!
Hate the change. Sometimes the accent showed up. I was so excited with Jen Lilley showed up. Really missed her even watched hallmark movies to see her. This change is terrible
She is terrible at being teresa
Hate Hate Hate the whole role switch never cared for Gwen as an actress! They did Jenn Lilly wrong.
I think it is stupid that Emily switched from Gwen to Teresa. I have been a days fan for 50 years and some of the things they do never surprises me.
Don’t care for it at all is stupid.
I think it is ” STUPID” that Emily switched from Gwen to Teresa. I have been a days fan for years and some of the things they do never surprises me. SMH as if there is no others actress????
JUST PLAIN DUMB!!!!
Probably not the best move. Gwen should have gone in search of Dr Rolf and Dimitri’s mother…returned with Dr Rolf and Rolf’s secrets to create a competitive company for Titan and DiMera… Tait should have come in on his own and just left Theresa back where she came from
Worst move to date for Days. Ben to Alex was bad enough but this is a terrible idea.
I think it’s bizarre to cast the same actress as a different character in the same show. But even more bizarre that it was immediately! Very strange…
I think it is a terrible idea a terrible look
More casting news from Days of Our Lives, and for now, the soap opera seems to be breaking their new additions to Salem via their Instagram account. Now comes word and picture on August 24, that General Hospital and The Young and the Restless alum Brytni Sarpy has joined DAYS!
The Peacock soap opera’s Instagram account, showed a photo of Sarpy standing in front of her dressing room in the hallways of Days of Our Lives’ studios. The caption read, “Someone new is checking into Salem… Welcome Brytni Sarpy to the Days of our Lives family! Stay tuned.”
The casting of Sarpy comes on the heels of the announcement of Sydney Malakeh coming to the show in September, and earlier this year General Hospital favorite, Sofia Mattsson (ex-Sasha Gilmore, GH) joining the show in a mystery role when she began taping back around the end of March of this year. Now Sarpy is the “mystery role” category too!
In addition, the Days of Our Lives social team dropped a video ditty of the cast spoofing Love Island, where Sarpy appears as the new “bombshell” of the villa. Other cast members such as Rob Scott Wilson (Alex), Abigail Klein (Abigail), Casey Moss (JJ), Sal Stowers (Lani), Paul Telfer (Xander) and Linsey Godfrey (Sarah) pop-up in it too, among others.
Photo: JPI
SOAP HOPPING
Soap fans first met Sarpy when she played Valerie Spencer, the niece of Luke (Anthony Geary) and Bobbie Spencer (Jackie Zeman) on General Hospital back in 2015. She made her final appearance on the series back in 2019 to join the cast of The Young and the Restless in the role of Elena Dawson.
Elena was introduced as a love interest for Devon Winters (Bryton James). She later cheated on him with his cousin Nate Hastings (Sean Dominic). Elena began to be back-burned by 2023 with Sarpy’s last on-screen appearance in Genoa City in November of 2024.
Due to Days of Our Lives nearly year in advance tape schedule, viewers will have to wait till sometime in the early summer of 2027 to see Brytni’s arrival in Salem.
So, happy to see Brytni Sarpy has landed another soap role? Now that she is at DAYS, who you think she might be playing and paired with? Put on your casting director hats and let us know via the comment section.
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Days Of Our Lives
Sydney Malakeh Joins the Cast of ‘Days of Our Lives’ in Mystery Role: Who Do You Think She’s Playing?
There’s a new gal coming to Salem, or is she new and a recast? That’s what inquiring minds from Days of Our Lives fans have been trying to figure out since the Peacock soap opera dropped an Instagram video heralding actress‘ Sydney Malakeh‘s arrival in Salem.
The soap did confirm that viewers will first see Malakeh on the September 9 episode. In the video, Malakeh is seen going set to set from her dressing room and in to the halls of Days of Our Lives studios.
What we do know id that Sydney has been acting professionally for 6 years and had appeared on Grey’s Anatomy, Apple TV’s Shrinking and the HBO Max’s The Sex Lives of College Girls.
Plenty of Malakeh’s DAYS castmates jumped into the comment thread with positive emojis symbols or written excitement including: Paul Telfer (Xander), Linsey Godfrey (Sarah), Sal Stowers (Lani), Conner Floyd (Chad), Eric Martsolf (Brady) and Christie Clark (Carrie) and more now that fans will finally see her on-air. Since Days of Our Lives tapes 10-11 months in advance, Sydney would have started taping the show sometime back in 2025.
DAYS fans think perhaps because the actress’ name is Sydney that she might be playing the grown-up daughter of Sami and EJ. That character hasn’t bee on the canvas since 2021.
So, who do you think Sydney Malakeh might be playing on Days of Our Lives? Drop your casting director thoughts via the comment section below.
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Days Of Our Lives
Peacock Hikes Subscription Rates for Fourth Time in Four Years; ‘Days of Our Lives’ Fans Sound Off
While recently the streaming service Peacock reported turning a profit for its first time since its infancy, now comes word that the company is raising their prices for all customers, and in some cases it stared today on August 18.
The news of the subscription rate increases marks the fourth time the NBCUniversal streaming platform has done so in four years. So, on August 18, Peacock is increasing the prices for new or returning subscribers and customers, while current subscribers will see the rate increase on or after September 17 depending on their billing cycle when they initially signed up.
Here is the new pricing to follow along: Peacock Premium (which includes ads) will be $12.99/month, up two dollars from $10.99; Peacock Premium Plus will be $19.99/month, up three dollars increase from $16.99; and the Peacock Select tier (which includes current and past seasons of NBC and Bravo shows but excludes movies, live sports and Peacock originals) will increase a dollar from $7.99 to $8.99/month.
Photo: JPI
SUBSCRIBERS CONTINUE TO PAY MORE ACROSS THE STREAMER LANDSCAPE
It was back in June that the streamer reported that aid subscribers were up to 48 million adding a 2 million net gain during Q2 in of 2026. The subscription price hikes are rampant now in the entertainment streaming industry where over the last two years for example, Netflix, HBO Max, Apple TV, Paramount+ have all raised their fees to consumers.
Peacock’s tier-levels feature not only Days of Our Lives, but reality hits such as The Traitors and Love Island USA, Bravo series, and a vault of Saturday Night Live, Law & Order, The Real Housewives franchise, and Below Deck episodes as well. Pecock Premium and Premium Plus subscribers have access to sports and live events, as well.
DAYS OF OUR LIVES SUBSCRIBERS HAD A FEW CHOICE WORDS FOR PEACOCK
As Days of Our Lives fans know, the soap opera moved from NBC to the streamer back in September of 2022 after 57 years on broadcast television. When the news hit X on the price increase, DAYS fans had a lot to say about it. Here are just a few of the comments below:
“I can’t believe Peacock and can’t come to a deal with Cordya to air old episodes of #Days. That alone would bring a ton of subscribers,” to If Peacock actually cared about #Days of Our Lives, gave the show the budget it needs for better sets, cameras, background actors and enough time to tell proper stories, I wouldn’t mind paying more. If the money actually showed on screen, the higher price would be worth it,” to “I will continue to pay for a Peacock subscription as long as #Days is on it, but did we know there was another price increase coming?” and more.
So, what do you think of the new price hike increase to watch Days of Our Lives and your other favorite shows and events on Peacock? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
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