Days Of Our Lives
James Scott Comments: “I Will Never. Never. Never. Never. Never, Go Back to Hollywood Let Alone DOOL”
Those hoping that finally James Scott would return to his signature daytime soap role of EJ DiMera on Days of our Lives, now that Alison Sweeney is on her way back to the show this fall for a longer run as Sami, can count those hopes now dashed and for good.
In a post on his Instagram account for his meditation and contemplations Sunday morning Zoom series and website, Scott posed with Deepak Chopra. When a fans posted a comment in the IG account how they miss him on DAYS and to come back with Sami, James replied, “Hi – thanks for joining me here. Please know that I will never. Never. Never. Never. Never. Go back to Hollywood let alone DOOL. There is notbing interesting there for me. J”
Fan favorite James Scott, who has been MIA from the acting profession for awhile now is running The Whisper Within – and as detailed by the website, Scott explains how he left acting to be more involved with meditation and helping others find inner-peace – “In 2014, after a successful career in the entertainment industry, I found myself with everything and nothing. I had money, celebrity, and status and the grief to match it. I had worked tirelessly for the better part of two decades to attain wealth and validation, yet no external thing could touch the emptiness I felt and the worthlessness I experienced. I knew that something unknown wished to be known—something I could feel only through its apparent absence. In my despair and depression, I faced a simple choice: to change my lived experience or to end it. One felt impossible; the other easy I had already spent so much time reading self-help books, attending workshops and retreats, drinking concoctions with shamans, exploring tantra and abstaining from sex all together, dancing and singing, and many more practices, which had done little or nothing to abate the loneliness.
Desperate and in despair, still seeking, still suffering, I found my way to an Indian meditation center. I went for a week and stayed for a year. It was there in my own reflection that I found the teacher I had been seeking silently waiting to be known. At first, there was rage and anger, but eventually the intensity of the fire burned low and sadness took its place. I cried and cried until I cried myself empty and something new arose: beneath it all, I discovered a newfound peace. Like a fragrance arising from deep within, I heard the sound of the silence that can never be spoken: the eternal wisdom of the whisper within. To live from this place is my practice and my path. To inspire others to do the same is my purpose.”
So, what do you think about James’ comments and path that he has now gone down for his life? Do you think its time for DAYS to finally re-cast EJ? Comment below.
He’s hot. And you know the old saying – they all come crawling back to Hollywood. In the above story, you might want to replace the word mediation with meditation. BIG difference…
Good for him for sticking to his guns. It is clear he has zero interest, and I hope that people allow him to live out his life in the ways for which he wants to. I am happy he seems to be happy with himself currently, and that is what matters at the end of the day.
Definitely time to re-cast! Not sure who, but just makes more sense.
Considering the failure rate of recasts under the ReRon regime at Days, it’s probably best to leave the character off the canvas.
The last thing we need is a male equivalent of NOT-Diana Colville or NOT-Eve Donovan.
It was really a dumb idea to have Elvis be one of Rolf’s zombies without a plan to bring James back, which he clearly has no interest in. They thought it would give them a convenient excuse to keep Sami out of town, “caring for her husband”, but now she’s coming back to Salem more often, so it’s probably best just to pull the plug on the unseen character again, and say Elvis has left the building, permanently.
Worth remembering the head writer in NY has almost nothing to do with casting. And while characters from long ago are free to have their personalities and priorities shifted around, EJ is too recent, with too many current connections, to be very different a character. Personally, I don’t think he’s needed. Let Sami get the bad news that he’s never going to get better than he already has and go through a great letting go story, then find love again. With Lucas or someone new. Enough time has passed.
Eve Donovan’s recast with Kassie DePaiva did not originate under Ron Carlivati; Gary Tomlin and Christopher Whitesell were head writers during that time. Stop trying to blame Carlivati for something he did not originate in writing.
On the topic of EJ DiMera the character- The show should have allowed EJ to remain missing, or confirmed he in fact had died. It would leave the door open down the road for him to reunite with Sami (not necessarily on-screen), perhaps at the closing of the show. Then Sami would be free until then to be with Lucas again, or even Rafe. They made a mistake resurrecting EJ too soon. Now, they should consider killing him off for good. Let EJ go with whatever is left of his dignity (unfortunately, not much after his ill-fated resurrection).
If he’s happy that’s great but I will always miss him on days he was wonderful.
Just four little words from me. No one is indispensible.
I’m delighted that he is doing what fulfills his soul and am delighted that he is happy and contented and willing to help others fill the emptiness within their own souls! I miss him as an imaginary character I enjoyed but I real like & admire and respect this man!
A bit rude. Recast since he doesn’t want to come back. Loved him as EJ, but these comments leave a bad taste in my mouth.
I’m gonna get hammered for this but here goes…………….
His responses seem a little “nutty” to me. The majority of people work like dogs to support a family and have some financial well-being. I’m too busy trying to balance the demands of a job, family and simply life to spend a lot of time speculating about “loneliness”, the meaning of life, etc. Yes, everyone should be happy with their life. (I generally am and certainly am not miserable). However, every day isn’t a picnic. But the rigors of a particular day are just part of the package.
This guy had a lucrative acting career — one that 90% of actors who are struggling just to pay a power bill would kill to have. I roll my eyes when I read comments from a celebrity spouting the type of stuff he says in this interview. He had a good, solid, financially good career going. Yet, he walks away from it to practice yoga, meditate and other things to overcome “loneliness”? Fine, but that ain’t gonna pay the mortgage or help your retirement account.
I may be too much of a realist. I would never abandoned my career for some ill-defined, spiritual quest. He seems like a “flake” to me.
His story is sort of reminiscent of Fleetwood Mac’s founding guitarist, Peter Green, who walked away from that band just as they were starting to get famous. He gave away all his money and went off in search of spiritual fulfillment. Of course, this being in the early 1970s, there were also some psychedelic substances involved, but some of those have been used in spiritual ceremonies by various indigenous peoples for centuries.
Not sure if James has had any “chemical” help in his spiritual journey, but if the man’s happy and didn’t abandon a family or leave anybody in debt, then more power to him, I guess. Hey, I’m the Devil! I’m the last one to discourage anybody from walking their own path!
“I” thought for sure, he left because of how bad, at that time.. the writing gets !!!! that would gnaw at me… even if, it paid the bills. I don’t know, if assessing from his BIO @wiki. you’d think he never tried Hollywood. he did a pilot in 2016.. and nada zilch, dropped off the earth. AND at that time he was neither married or a parent. so i can believe that he did have issues, demons, challenges, ( age 25 when he started AMC… and was 35 when he left @DAYS.. and left America). to up and leave EVERY THING. well… i’m just glad that he had a nest egg… and “sought” energies , that , after 6 years… he’s still being
perhaps his response, was a once and for all… fans persistence – he is an incredible actor… I so wish he would have won… best lead actor… nominated in year 2011, 2012. shoot
James Scott’ you dance
Barbara : I do like your last sentence’ first para:
“…However, every day isn’t a picnic. But the rigors of a particular day are just part of the package. ”
oh, i can only add, that our lives , are this amenable. to let things go… unfortunately, we have our lot to pick up and carry and let go when it’s time
do i pick love – easily
right – ? –
still dancing amongst you
That is fine for you, Barbara. But not everyone needs to live a life filled with materialistic possessions, and in the eye of an acting career. Clearly, he was lonely from it (as many are) and sought an out to find his own path, and that is what should ultimately matter. If he’s happy and content, why should that make him or his quest “ill-defined?” Quite judgmental of you, if I am being honest. Those in glass houses should not throw stones.
Barbara,et all
Not much to say about this. I understand everyone’s reasoning and agree with just about everything said, but in the end some people are never satisfied. even if they were hung with a new rope, go figure.
I’m with you, Barbara; no hammering here at all. It always makes me a little weary when people who have had wealth and success talk about leaving it all behind to seek “fulfillment” or some such. It’s not that I’m not happy for him, if he’s happy, but most of us—as you so accurately pointed out—don’t have the luxury of doing that. To me, it comes off as a kind of “more-evolved-than-though” preaching or maybe some kind of bragging, even, and as Julia Sugarbaker would say, “And that’s not nice.” I won’t begrudge him his spiritual fulfillment, since that’s certainly a legitimate life goal, but it would be less off-putting if he could speak of it in a way that (1) didn’t seem to be looking down his nose at the rest of us (who don’t have the luxury of doing what he’s done) and (2) showed some level of gratitude for the career that (apparently) has made it possible (financially) for him to pursue his higher goals. There’s more than a hint of smugness in what he’s saying–because of the way he says it–that does not come off as at all attractive. He might consider working on that part of himself, too. If he wants to “inspire others to do the same,” he may need to work on his script a bit.
I think it’s a bit unfair to pass judgement on someone’s journey. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Who knows what this man is going through. Sure, he looks great and has a ton of money but that doesn’t mean that he should be fulfilled by those things. Everyone’s walk in life is different. We don’t all view life through the same lens and that doesn’t make some of us “flakes,” that’s just what makes us individuals. All unique, with individual wants and desires. His journey is not mine and it’s not yours, it’s his.
OMG I’m glad someone else said it!!!! I feel
the same way! Recast with another British accented cute actor and it will work! Everyone loves the Chad that we have now. ♀️
Recast Hope too with Eric Brady’s real life wife!
Apparently when James Scott says “let alone Days of Our Lives”, that tells me that he did not have a very good relationship when he left the show with either the cast, the crew, or the writers. So that may be why he’s being very emphatic in saying that he’s not going back there anymore. And considering the bit of a shitshow that Days of Our Lives is in lately, it’s probably best they just let the character of EJ die off.
Given the way that Ken Corday treated KA, the rude and unprofessional way that they notified the actors who were affectionately called WilSon that they had been fired left a horrible taste in my mouth. I’m wondering now if NBC is going to give Days another year.
Perhaps, the show was smart enough to move on from the political crap that happened with Missy Reeves and permanently decided to do a complete recast with Cady McClain.
I am pretty sure that he hated the way EJ’s character was being written. From what I have read, James Scott absolutely DESPISED EJ’s affair with Abigail. Like he hated it. I dont think he liked that after EJ raped Sami, he was still considered a fan favorite.
I didn’t like EJ’s affair with Abigail either.
I didn’t like the affair either, and if you remember she wasn’t totally innocent in the whole thing.
Wow, good luck.
He was my favorite but happy for him
Beyond the Gates
53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Nominations Announced: ‘The Young and the Restless’ Tops With 18, ‘Beyond the Gates’ With 16
The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) today announced the full list of nominees for the upcoming 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, and it was CBS daytime’s The Young and the Restless and broadcast television newest soap opera, Beyond the Gates that racked up the most nominations with 18 and 16, respectively.
The full reveal on Tuesday follows the announcement of several major categories including Lead Actor and Actress on Monday via Extra and Entertainment Tonight and The View today revealing Daytime Drama Series and more.
The 53rd Annual Daytime Emmys ceremony is set to take place on Friday, October 30 at the historic Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood, California.
Photo: CBS
In a statement, Adam Sharp, President and CEO of NATAS expressed, “We’re proud to honor the extraordinary talent and creative teams whose work continues to define and elevate daytime television, As the Daytime landscape evolves and new forms of storytelling emerge, we remain committed to recognizing the innovation happening across the industry.”
“Each year, the Daytime Emmy Awards celebrate the creativity, passion, and dedication that drive this vibrant community of storytellers,” said Rachel Schwartz, Head of the Daytime Emmy Awards. “Congratulations to this year’s nominees, whose work continues to entertain, inspire and connect with audiences every day. We look forward to celebrating their remarkable achievements in Hollywood this October.”
The Daytime Emmy Awards have recognized outstanding achievement in television programming and crafts since 1974, honoring work in a variety of genres, including daytime dramas, talk series, entertainment news, culinary, adventure, instructional and legal/courtroom programming.
This year’s Lifetime Achievement Honoree, Gold & Silver Circle Inductees, and ceremony host will be announced at a later date.
Now below, check out the nominees in the daytime drama, talk show, entertainment news series and creative arts categories and congratulations to all!
Photo: JPI
Outstanding Daytime Drama Series
Beyond the Gates
Days of Our Lives
General Hospital
The Young and the Restless
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Daytime Drama Series
Stacy Haiduk (as Kristen DiMera), Days of Our Lives
Karla Mosley (as Dani Dupree), Beyond the Gates
Michelle Stafford (as Phyllis Summers), The Young and the Restless
Heather Tom (as Katie Logan), The Bold and the Beautiful
Tamara Tunie (as Anita Williams Dupree), Beyond the Gates
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Daytime Drama Series
Eric Braeden (as Victor Newman), The Young and the Restless
Steve Burton (as Jason Morgan), General Hospital
Scott Clifton (as Liam Spencer), The Bold and the Beautiful
Thorsten Kaye (as Ridge Forrester), The Bold and the Beautiful
Christian Jules Le Blanc (as Michael Baldwin), The Young and the Restless
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Daytime Drama Series
Linsey Godfrey (as Sarah Horton), Days of Our Lives
Camryn Grimes (as Mariah Copeland), The Young and the Restless
Beth Maitland (as Traci Abbott), The Young and the Restless
Trisha Mann-Grant (as Leslie Thomas), Beyond the Gates
Amanda Setton (as Brook Lynn Quartermaine), General Hospital
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Daytime Drama Series
Sean Dominic (as Nate Hastings), The Young and the Restless
Timon Kyle Durrett (as Bill Hamilton), Beyond the Gates
Michael Graziadei (as Daniel Romalotti), The Young and the Restless
Roger Howarth (as Matt Clark), The Young and the Restless
Mike Manning (as Bradley “Smitty” Smith), Beyond the Gates
Lawrence Saint-Victor (as Carter Walton), The Bold and the Beautiful
Outstanding Emerging Talent in a Daytime Drama Series
Braedyn Bruner (as Emma Scorpio-Drake), General Hospital
Al Calderon (as Javier Hernandez), Days of Our Lives
Alice Halsey (as Rachel Black), Days of Our Lives
Giovanni Mazza (as Gio Palmieri), General Hospital
Ambyr Michelle (as Eva Thomas), Beyond the Gates
Arielle Prepetit (as Naomi Hamilton Hawthorne), Beyond the Gates
Outstanding Guest Performance in a Daytime Drama Series
Jasmine Burke (as June Hughes), Beyond the Gates
Jeff Kober (as Cyrus Renault), General Hospital
Eva LaRue (as Natalia Rogers-Ramirez), General Hospital
Christopher Sean (as Paul Narita), Days of Our Lives
Ray Wise (as Ian Ward), The Young and the Restless
Outstanding Writing Team for a Daytime Drama Series
Beyond the Gates
The Bold and the Beautiful
Days of Our Lives
General Hospital
Outstanding Directing Team for a Daytime Drama Series
Days of Our Lives
General Hospital
The Young and the Restless
Outstanding Casting for a Daytime Program
Beyond the Gates
General Hospital
The Young and the Restless
Outstanding Daytime Talk Series
3rd Hour of TODAY
The Drew Barrymore Show
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Live With Kelly and Mark
TODAY With Jenna & Friends
The View
Outstanding Daytime Talk Series Host
Joy Behar, Whoopi Goldberg, Alyssa Farah Griffin, Sara Haines, Sunny Hostin & Ana Navarro, The View
Kelly Clarkson, The Kelly Clarkson Show
Tamron Hall, Tamron Hall
Jennifer Hudson, The Jennifer Hudson Show
Sherri Shepherd, Sherri
Outstanding Entertainment News Series
Access Hollywood
Entertainment Tonight
Extra
Outstanding Daytime Personality (Daily)
Mona Kosar Abdi, Derek Hough & Terri Seymour, Extra
Cassie DiLaura, Denny Directo, Kevin Frazier, Rachel Smith & Nischelle Turner, Entertainment Tonight
Scott Evans, Zuri Hall, Kit Hoover & Mario Lopez, Access Hollywood
Star Jones & Corey Jovan, Divorce Court
Outstanding Arts and Popular Culture Program
Beyond the Gates: Welcome to the Neighborhood — An Entertainment Tonight Special
Off Script With The Hollywood Reporter
Variety & CNN Actors on Actors
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
Working In the Theatre
Outstanding Music Direction and Composition for a Daytime
Beyond the Gates, Episode 103
Have Guitar Will Travel World
The Kelly Clarkson Show Episode 5033
Let Frankie Cook,” Getting the Band Back Together
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Outstanding Technical Direction and Video for a Daytime Program
Beyond the Gates, Episode 104
The Bold and the Beautiful,” Episode 9511
Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade”
The Jennifer Hudson Show, ” Episode 4041
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade”
Outstanding Hairstyling and Makeup for a Daytime Program
Beyond the Gates, Episode 103
General Hospital, Episode 15719
The Kelly Clarkson Show,” Episode 5033
The Young and the Restless,” Episode 13273
So, what do you think of the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy nominations? Who are you happy to see receive a nomination and who do you think was snubbed? Weigh-in via the comment section.
Monday on Entertainment Tonight, the second set of nominations for the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards were announced which included the highly-coveted Outstanding Lead Performance in a Daytime Drama Series – Actress and Outstanding Daytime Talk Series.
ET followed suit after Extra announced the nominees, as previously reported, in the Outstanding Lead Performance in a Daytime Drama Series – Actor and Outstanding Daytime Talk Host.
Now, five leading ladies of the soaps are vying for the gold for Lead Actress and the category marked the first-ever nominations for CBS daytime’s Beyond the Gates when two actresses made the final cut. Only General Hospital is not represented among the actresses this year after Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis Davis) took home the trophy last year.
Photo: NATAS
THE FIVE LEADING LADIES OF THE SOAPS ARE …
The 2026 Lead Actress nominees are: Stacy Haiduk (Kristen DiMera), Days of Our Lives, Karla Mosley (Dani Dupree), Beyond the Gates, Michelle Stafford (Phyllis Summers), The Young and the Restless, Heather Tom (Katie Logan), The Bold and the Beautiful, and Tamara Tunie (Anita Dupree), Beyond the Gates.
This marks the first Daytime Emmy nominations for Karla Mosley and Tamara Tunie. In addition, this marks the first-time in her career that Stacy Haiduk had received a Lead Actress nod after two Supporting Actress nominations.
Meanwhile, Michelle Stafford had previously won 3 Emmys – 2 for Lead Actress and 1 for Supporting, but this recognition makes it her 11th overall nomination.
Heather Tom currently is tied for the most all-time Daytime Emmy wins with One Life to Live alum and General Hospital guest star, Erika Slezak. The B&B star has 19 nominations throughout her career.
Photo: ABC
DAYTIME TALK SERIES
In the Outstanding Daytime Talk Series category, the nominees are: 3rd Hour of Today, The Drew Barrymore Show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, Live with Kelly and Mark, Today with Jenna and Friends and The View.
“We’re proud to honor the extraordinary talent and creative teams whose work continues to define and elevate daytime television,” NATAS president and CEO Adam Sharp said in a statement on the nominations. “As the Daytime landscape evolves and new forms of storytelling emerge, we remain committed to recognizing the innovation happening across the industry.”
The rest of the nominations will be revealed tomorrow on Tuesday July 14 starting on The View and then the full list of nominees in both the main and creative arts will be released by NATAS. The 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards are slated for October 30th in Hollywood, California.
So, what do you think about the women who are vying for the Lead Actress Daytime Emmy? Happy with who got in? Who do you feel got snubbed? What do you think of the nominees for Daytime Talk Series? Weigh-in via the comment section.
It’s Daytime Emmy nomination week, and as previously reported things kick-off on Monday, July 13 when Entertainment Tonight (7pm ET) will announce the nominees for Lead Actress category and Daytime Talk Series for the upcoming 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards. In addition on Monday, Extra (7pm ET) will reveal the nominees for Lead Actor and Daytime Talk Host.
On Tuesday, The View (11am ET) starts things off with their announcement of Daytime Drama, Entertainment News program and Outstanding Daytime Personality-Daily. That is followed by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) full reveal of all the categories beginning at 12noon ET/9am PT on their website and their official social handles on X and Instagram.
Then, Tuesday night at 8pm ET/5pm PT join Michael Fairman as he hosts his 12th annual Daytime Emmy Nominations Special 2026 live on You Tube’s Michael Fairman Channel where he will chat with some of the just announced nominees as we celebrate the hard work of the men and women in front of the camera who will be going for gold.
WHEN ARE THE DAYTIME EMMYS?
This year, the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards will be handed out on October 30 in ceremonies in Hollywood, California (Venue yet to be revealed). At that time, as like last year, both the major categories and creative arts will be presented. There is no word yet on a broadcast partner for the annual celebration of daytime programming, or if it will soley be streamed on NATAS’ watch.theemmys.tv and various apps and platforms.
WHO WILL BE APPEARING ON THE DAYTIME EMMY NOMINATIONS SPECIAL 2026?
Throughout Tuesday, keep an eye on Michael Fairman TV’s social media handles on X, Facebook and Instagram, for updates of who will be expected to appear on our live show.
If you have a question or comment for one of the nominees, or on the nominations, we can encourage you to join us in the live chat on Tuesday night.
So, who are you hoping lands a nomination from Beyond the Gates, General Hospital, Days of Our Lives, The Bay, The Bold and the Beautiful and The Young and the Restless? Let us know via the comment section. More Tuesday!
53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Nominations Announced: ‘The Young and the Restless’ Tops With 18, ‘Beyond the Gates’ With 16
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GENERAL HOSPITAL: Jason Reconnects with Danny; Tristan Roberts Arrives in Port Charles, Lots of Nods to #16
53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Nominations: Outstanding Lead Actress Drama Series
53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Nominations: Outstanding Lead Actor Drama Series
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GENERAL HOSPITAL Spoilers Promo: Jason’s Back, Drew Begins to Make His Move, Portia Goes Into a Labor
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