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John Aniston’s Final Days of our Lives Episode Reminds Us There Was Nothing Better Than His Delivery of Victor’s One-Liners

By Michael Fairman

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Cortesy/CordayProductions

Monday’s Christmas episode of Days of our Lives brought it with it plenty of laughter and plenty of tears as this would be the final appearance of John Aniston in his iconic role of Victor Kiriakis.

The Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award winner in 2022, passed away in November at the age of 89.  Aniston’s Victor had been a key character on the Salem canvas since he first appeared in the role back in 1985.

Courtesy/CordayProductions

So just how did Aniston’s final appearance stack up with how we love to see Victor?  IF YOU HAVE NOT WATCHED THE EPISODE YET, PLEASE NOTE THERE ARE SPOILERS BELOW.

As fate would have it, Victor’s final on-screen foil would be none other than Leo Stark (played to the hilt by Greg Rikaart).  In the Christmas set up, Leo stayed overnight at the Kiriakis mansion unbeknownst to Victor.  When Leo greets Victor on Christmas morning in his holiday jammies, he is not one bit amused.  Leo asks, “So when do we open the presents?” To which Victor replies, “About an hour after we throw you out on your sugar-plum ass.”  When Victor tells his longtime butler, Henderson to throw Leo out the front door, including demanding that Leo “scamper back to Whoville”, in walks Sonny (Zach Tinker).

Victor is horrified to learn that his nephew invited Leo to stay.  Then, Victor reads off a laundry list of Leo’s crimes to Sonny as only he can: “Have you completely lost your senses? The man blackmailed you into marriage … almost destroyed our company with a fraudulent lawsuit … it was just last year that he drugged you and took comprising pictures of you and then sold them to the tabloids … why in God’s name would you forgive this creep!?””

Eventually, Victor gives Sonny an ultimatum: either get rid of Leo or he would fire him from his job at Titan.  Sonny stands up to Victor!  Telling his Uncle that he forgave Leo for his past transgressions just like many people have forgiven Victor for his over the years.  Sonny goes on to say that he and Leo are starting over and that, in fact, he would call them “friends” to which Victor, in the best dead-pan delivery, says, “That is the stupidest thing I have ever heard.”

Soon after, Victor reneges and not only allows Leo to stay, but allows Sonny to keep his job, stating, “I changed my mind because I have a heart of gold.”  And, ain’t that the truth, that is why we have always loved Victor and John’s portrayal of the Greek tycoon.  Leo promises Victor he will not hurt Sonny ever again, to which Victor replies, “I don’t know how you expect me to take you seriously when you are sitting there in baby jam jams.”  In an ominous warning to Sonny and in Aniston’s last scene, Victor says, “Tell me Sonny, what does your husband think of your little sleep over party?”

Courtesy/CordayProductions

As the episode came to its conclusion, Days of our Lives included a heartfelt montage as a tribute to John and the complex character of Victor Kiriakis. From clips with Vic’s many wives including: Carly, Vivian, Kate, Nicole, Maggie, to his classic one-liners, to some of his most villainous turns, to illustrating that Victor at his core was an enduring family man, the series captured the essence of this one-of-a-kind actor.

In very moving fashion, the end of the montage featured a younger Victor sailing away on his yacht named, “Victor”.   No word yet on how and when DAYS will deal with the death of Aniston on-screen.

Aniston’s final scenes truly showcased all of his strengths, that classic delivery, his humor, his strength, and most of all his humanness.

To pay tribute to John throughout Monday on the Days of our Lives YouTube page and their social platforms, looks for special messages from the cast honoring the late actor’s memory and legacy.   You can check out one below from John’s on-screen son, Peter Reckell (Bo Brady).

So, what did you think of John Aniston’s final episode of Days of our Lives? The montage? Share your thoughts in the comment section.

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The tribute at the end was great. I loved seeing the Victor/Stephano scene. Joe and John at thier finest. Also, you can tell by on the tributes from different cast members what an impact he had on them personally. These tributes are truly heartfelt.

Honestly Michael, no wonder you don’t cover Days Of Our Lives much. 1 comment at the time of my writing! That’s ridiculous. Maybe we don’t deserve you.
The tribute today was perfect. I loved seeing Victor at sea on his boat. I’ll truly miss the character. His final jab at Sonny today about Will was flawless.

Thanks, Michael! I appreciate this review and your coverage of the DOOL.

It was a very nice episode! We will miss him greatly… love watching days on peacock and can’t wait to see what they do in February! Thank you Michael for your coverage! Sorry I read everything just don’t always comment I will try and do better!

Most of his scenes were in the first half of the show and I so wanted to see more of him in the second half. Still, it was vintage! I loved the tribute at the end. So much to cover. Well done!

I know a lot of people were so broken up about watching his last scenes. It makes me wonder where Victor was going to be for the next four or five months if they taped so far ahead and this was his last day of shooting before he passed.

He cannot be replaced; Victor cannot be recast. NO ONE could play Victor ever again.

I’m confident they’ll do a wonderful storyline to usher the character off to the great beyond.

John Aniston made DOOL worth watching

Though it was obvious the last couple of years that John wasn’t physically doing all that well (all his scenes were shot with him sitting) mentally, he never lost a step even up until his last day on the job, delivering those one liners, and I’d be willing to bet a few souls that some of those were ad-libbed. Why not? It’s not like anybody was going to cut them from the scenes, as great as they were.

Just as it was with Joe Mascolo before him, John leaves a hole in the Salem canvas that isn’t going to filled anytime soon. It was great to see them on screen together one last time, even if it was a flashback.

A Great Actor Period.

Hi Michael,
I thought the tributes to Mr. John Aniston were extremely moving and touching. He was such a presence that will be forever missed on Days. But Days honors their character’s so I am sure John and Victor will not be forgotten thankfully.
Just a note, that although I don’t comment a
lot, it does not mean that I, and I am sure many others, don’t appreciate all of your coverage, especially on Days. We do. Thank you for all the hard work you do.
Hope you are feeling better and wishing you a very happy, healthy,, and peaceful New Year. Sincerely, Iris

I wish they would air this on regular peacock just for this episode

Breaking News

53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards Presenters Announced

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Daytime Emmy Presenters

The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) revealed on Thursday, the lineup of presenters for 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards taking place on Friday, October 30, 2026, at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, California.

The ceremony will stream live on the NATAS YouTube channel at YouTube.com/@theemmys and watch.TheEmmys.tv.

Scheduled to present from the current soaps are: Katelyn MacMullen (Willow, General Hospital), Delon de Metz (Zende, The Bold and the Beautiful), James Preston (Nick, The Bay), Paul Telfer (Xander, Days of our Lives), Tamara Tunie (Anita, Beyond the Gates) and Susan Walters (Diane, The Young and the Restless).

Genie Francis

Photo: NATAS

In addition soap alums, Crystal Chappell, Lesli Kay, Joe Lando, Eva LaRue, who is also a nominee this year,  A Martinez, Juliet Mills, and Alicia Leigh Willis, will also be on hand to present.

The ceremony which celebrates nominated lifestyle programs and dramas will also include presenters: Eva zu Beck (Superskilled with Eva zu Beck), Danielle Chang (Lucky Chow), Sunny Hostin (The View), Derek Hough (Extra), Pati Jinich (Pati’s Mexican Table), Star Jones (Divorce Court), Michael Jr. (Stand Up and Do Something), Judge Greg Mathis (Mathis Court with Judge Mathis), Keke Palmer (Glam Through the Ages), Nischelle Turner (Entertainment Tonight), and Andrew Zimmern (Andrew Zimmern’s Wild Game Kitchen).

The 2026 Daytime Emmy Awards will bring together an exciting mix of presenters representing the full spectrum of daytime television,” said Adam Sharp, President & CEO of NATAS. “From familiar faces in daytime drama to the personalities and creative voices behind talk shows and lifestyle programming, this year’s lineup reflects the breadth of talent that makes daytime so special. We look forward to celebrating the people who continue to shape the genre.”

Matthew Hoffman (Love Island USA, Cheap A$$ Beach Houses) will serve as the ceremony’s Voice of God, bringing his signature comedic narration to the evening’s celebrations. As previously announced, Lifetime Achievement honoree Genie Francis (Laura, General Hospital) will be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award by her husband, Jonathan Frakes.

So, what do you think about the list of presenters for the 2026 Daytime Emmy Awards? Let us know who you are looking forward to seeing via the comment section below.

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Days Of Our Lives

‘Days of our Lives’ Reveals Kyle Pryor Cast as Dominic Marino

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Kyle Pryor

For months now, Days of our Lives has teased the character of Dominic Marino. In recent weeks, viewers learned that Marino is on the down low working with Sami Brady’s (Alison Sweeney) apparent fiancé ‘Dante Vitali (Franco LoPresti), and that he is the never-before-heard-of child of Stefano DiMera (the late Joseph Mascolo) and Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall)!

Up until now, the Peacock streaming soap opera has never revealed his face, but that all seemed to change on the Tuesday, October 2o episode of DAYS. In story, Dante met Sami’s parents for the first time, Roman (Josh Taylor) and Marlena.

He shows them a photo of Dominic, which he happened to have on his own phone and even commented he kind of looked like he could be Marlena’s son. The photo, which has quickly made it around Soap Twitter/X, revealed that British-born actor Kyle Pryor is the man in the photo and eagle-eyed viewers actually located said photo on Pryor’s Instagram.

Dominix

Photo: Peacock

Deadline revealed Pryor started taping at the end of 2025 and will first be seen in the role, on air Monday, November 2.  In addition, Days will celebrate its 61st Anniversary with two special episodes featuring Dominic’s arrival, as well the returns of Tony and Anna DiMera, played respectively by Thaao Penghlis and Leann Hunley, on Friday, November 6 and Monday, November 9.

Those in the know, are are that Pryor previously held series regular roles on Australia’s Home and Away, and the UK’s Hollyoaks and guest starred on Emmerdale. In an ironic twist, Pryor appeared in the series Spartacus: Blood and Sand which is the same action series his apparent TV brother, Dan Feuerriegel (EJ DiMera), once appeared in before coming to DAYS.

So excited to see Kyle Pryor take on the role of Dominic Marino as Days of our Lives sets its anniversary story to kick-off with is arrival in Salem? Share your thoughts in the comment section. And in case you missed our latest conversation with Conner Floyd (Chad DiMera) he weighs-in on how Dominic’s appearance will shake things up in Salem. You can check that out below.

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Days Of Our Lives

Days of our Lives’ Conner Floyd Talks Dominic Marino Mystery, Chad and Belle, and Susan Seaforth Hayes (Exclusive)

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Conner Floyd

Fasten your seat belts Days of our Lives fans, as the mystery of Dominic Marino continues to unravel on all-new episodes of the Peacock streaming soap opera. Last week, Chad DiMera (Conner Floyd) learned that he may have a half-brother, who may be the biological child of his father, the late Stefano DiMera (the late Joseph Mascolo) and Dr. Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall), giving him great pause, because he knows Stefano had kidnapped Marlena for four years back in the late 80s and early 90s.

Chad has already been hunting down clues with his current girlfriend Belle Black (Martha Madison) in Italy and Salem, which revealed a photo of a young boy with Stefano with the date 1992 on the back of it, hidden inside Stefano’s chess set. So, what’s next?

Conner Floyd chatted on the Michael Fairman Channel in a new virtual interview released on Sunday, October 18, where he spoke on what the new addition to the DiMera family could do to the already dangerous sibling rivalries, the state of Chad’s relationship with Belle and much more.

EJ and Chad

Photo: JPI

DIMERA RIVALRY

After finding out from EJ (Dan Feuerriegel) that Dominic Marino could be the never-before-heard-of child of Stefano and Marlena, Conner Floyd explained, “I think it blows Chad’s mind a little bit. I think there’s a lot of things working there with old Chad. Obviously, bringing in another DiMera could cause some noise and the whole situation with Marlena’s a little awkward as well because he’s dating Belle, so this could cause a little tiff there. I think his head’s spinning and he does not know what to expect, but I also think he kind of expects that from Stefano, for sure.”

As to how this will change and color Chad’s relationship with EJ, Floyd responded, “Chad knows EJ’s not happy about it and I think he’s going to be real upset if this gets in his way of doing what he wants to do with the DiMera legacy and all that. However, for Chad, I think he’s just going to keep a sharp eye, see what this guy’s about, see if he’s here to cause some trouble or here to be a friend and kinda play it by ear.”

Belle and Chad

Photo: JPI

BELLE OF MY HEART

With Chad and Belle already being sleuths, Floyd says, you can look for the duo to continue getting to the truth. “I think Chad and Belle are committed to this. They’re going full National Treasure, Nicolas Cage,” says Conner. “They’re going to follow the clues. They’re going to get some answers.”

Since beginning in the role of Chad in June of 2025 and debuting on-screen back in April of 2026, the former Y&R star (where he played Chance Chancellor), says it was Madison who helped him get comfortable in his new surroundings.

“Martha is phenomenal. I couldn’t have asked for a better person to get tagged up with when I started here, just because she knows everybody,” shares Floyd. “She knows where to go, who to talk to. She’ll get the tea if you want, and so it was kind of cool. Martha took me under her wing, showed me the ropes. She’s a sweetheart.  I love working with her too. She’s a great actress.”

But, is Chad in love with Belle after such a tortured past with his beloved Abigail Deveraux DiMera? Floyd thinks so! “I think he’s into it. They’re such good friends and they have such a rich history. I think he’s in for the ride. You know, it’s one of those things you probably overlook at first and then they reconnected, and it feels easy and they’re going on these fun adventures.”

MAKING CHAD HIS OWN

Conner had the arduous task of being the successor to Billy Flynn in the role of Chad.. Flynn had played the part for 12 years before deciding to exit and head to Y&R. So, how did Conner approach learning the ins and out of Chad? Floyd shared, “I really dove into Chad when I first got this job. I liked that he kind of walks this tightrope of DiMera and not DiMera, you know. He want to so honor his family roots and really do something for the DiMera family, but he doesn’t want to fall into that trap that all the other DiMera have found themselves in. Chad is a DiMera at heart. He’s got those demons, but he’s just trying to keep them contained.”

Susan Seaforth Hayes

Photo: JPI

ICONIC

When Floyd got to DAYS, it was none other than Susan Seaforth Hayes (Julie Williams) who most surprised him in the most delightful way, given that he knew Hayes was a Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award winner and the current longest-running cast member on the canvas.

“I love working with Susan Hayes! I love her. She’s a sweetheart. Susan is one of the nicest people there. I just thought she was cool and it’s Susan Hayes, you know?  We’ve had a lot of scenes together, which is nice,” explained Conner.

“We’ll go to her dressing room, we’ll run our scenes, and then we’ll spend about an hour just talking about life and she’ll tell me about a book she’s reading. She’s such a history buff, which blows my mind. She’ll start dropping all these historical facts on me. I learn something new by the time I walk out of her dressing room every time!”

Now below, check out the full conversation with Conner Floyd via the Michael Fairman Channel.

Weigh-in: Do you like Chad and Belle as couple? Do you think Chad will get to the bottom of the Dominic Marino mystery? If so, do you think Dominic is truly Stefano and Marlena’s son … and what about Rita (Maggie Carney) in all this? Let us know your theories in the comment section.

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