Days Of Our Lives
John-Paul Lavoisier Done at Days of our Lives!
Courtesy/IMDB
Another more recent casting acquisition is exiting Days of our Lives.
According to Soap Opera Digest on Tuesday, former One Life to Live star John-Paul Lavoisier, who returned to daytime as a recast Phillip Kiriakis of Salem, is leaving the long-running NBC soap opera.
According to SOD, Lavoisier will finish taping this month and exit on-screen towards the end of the year. JP debuted on DAYS back in 2015, and first aired in December of that year.
Just what this means for the role of Phillip remains to be seen. Is a DAYS recast forthcoming? Could Jay Kenneth Johnson come back to reprise the role? Will the role just be written off the canvas?
Lavosier spent almost 11 years on One Life to Live as pivotal character Rex Balsom. Prior to his latest gig at DAYS he was featured in two online soap series: Winterthorne and Beacon Hill.
So, what do you think of the exit of Lavoisier? Did he never catch fire as Phillip? What do you think DAYS should do next with the role of Phillp? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
Seems like all dool does is stunt casting but they don’t ever back it up long term
WHY…oh why….does this show…and others….keep hiring A List soap stars, ad wastig them????????
I love John Paul Lavoisier!
I never really cared much for the actor when on OLTL, or on DOOL. On OLTL, I thought his character was very immature and annoying. On DOOL, I think he was miscast. Best of luck to him; but, DOOL needs to clean-out Salem-starting with the teen scene. I stopped DVR-ing the show. It’s just been awful.
Agree re Lavoisier. You said it perfectly.
Agree,he has never been a actor more of an ego; and with a number of unemployed former soap actors that could do justice to the role they should be able to recast.
Agree!
“Days of our Lives” is just a revolving door these days. Another dumb casting decision.
This was one of the worst casting decisions, IMO. I watched the Chloe & Phillip scenes today (Wednesday) and the character was totally miscast.
Sadly this is typical of Days at this point. I feel sorry for these actors who are seduced and abandoned by the show. If he didn’t catch fire as Phillip it’s because the writers never struck a match and gave him anything much to do. All that Days is doing at this point is training viewers not to invest an their characters. It’s here today, gone six months from now. I thought he was great in the role. As much as I want to like Days it is becoming increasingly unwatchable, at times literally – turn on some lights so I can see what isn’t happening!
I agree! I’ve been watching on and off for approx. 30+ years. Just when the cast someone with potential and chemistry, they divert the storyline and then write-off the character.
Fans are going to burn-out from the rapid turn-over. Sign actor and develop stories – quit jerking us around!
Me too
I get that people come in and out of our lives for brief periods at a time in real life but on my soaps, I want them to be consistently there for me. I’m getting whiplash trying to keep up with who’s there, who’s returning and who’s leaving. It’s so confusing. JPL was an tremendous talent to have on DAYS. He and so many others who are leaving will be missed.
& why have a character return in a recast? Makes it even more confusing to me.
Whiplash is a good word for it, Rodd! Hey DAYS, stop the stunt casting and really focus on the characters that matter. And when making decisions, commit to them. It is difficult to commit and to invest in the show when so many come and go, and when favorite talent is announced with fanfare, only to soon be relegated to sorry plots and quick exits. Make it work, DAYS! You have too strong and storied a legacy to let slip away.
Sounds like I’m in the minority but I really liked his portrayal of Phillip. Hate to see him go
The character should be written off. There is nowhere for him to go at this point. The cast is way too big to begin with… though I would welcome Kassim DePaiva as Eve back full time anyday!
I hear she’s coming back. Her airdate starts in November.
Phillip was never given a story to catch fire…
AGREE. The writing has been beyond horrible. Did he have a storyline? No, he didn’t. No one does.
The pacing is horrible. I watched two characters deliver the one scene three times in an episode. It’s the same scene they did last week and the week before.
He’s a talented actor in a role with ties to two families and a fair amount of history. So where’s the story? We got the Belle Phillip Sean triangle. Again. Well, two decades later and that teen era storyline has zero gas in the tank. Quelle surprise.
As for there being too many characters I respectfully disagree. At thirty minutes and twice the cast Coronation Street achieves in every regard. They’d never have Theresa and Brady do the same scene three times in one episode and then repeat that for three weeks running. (Same with Abby – same scene for three weeks. Same with Hope Aiden… etc.) Corrie keeps more characters on the canvas and everything keeps moving. Am I fan of all those characters and stories? No. But I also don’t have tear my hair out watching Abby ‘go crazy’ for four months. (The actors deserved better.)
Buona Fortuna, JPL
Well said.
Exactly!
Coronation Street is my favorite soap….
I really thought he was a very good Phillip—I hope he lands something else soon. It was great seeing someone from OLTL get a gig on another soap. I miss all those actors but at least I have seen some of them move on to other things.
Sorry to hear this. I don’t watch Days but I like this actor very much. I hope he lands on his feet in another role soon.
I’m just … wow. Shawn, Belle, Phillip – all characters that work when in the hands of a writer that has at least some imagination. And yet, all three have been in B-stories (at best) since being brought back to the canvas. And instead of finding something compelling for them to do, they write them in stories that see little time, are inadequately fleshed out, and then – they get written off.
DAYS is making some terrible casting decisions lately. I’m not a fan of this at all. JPL is a great actor and fits the role of Philip really well. I think it’s a mistake letting him go, just as it was a mistake to fire Brandon Beemer and Martha Madison. Shawn, Belle and Philip are important characters to the Salem canvas and I see no reason why the shouldn’t stick around.
Actors are lucky to get an acting gig lasting an entire season but only some can say they’ve got jobs that kept them afloat for nearly a year or longer and an even rarer few who have got acting gigs that lasted nearly an entire lifetime . Sad to see John Paul go but I wish him the best of luck.
I’ve only seen glimpses of him as Philip and while I’m a fan of his previous Rex Balsom role in OLTL, I don’t think he was able to grow into the role in the time he was able to portray him, at least based on some of the pas episodes I’ve seen of him.
And I found an erratum, by the way:: It’s “JAY Kenneth Johnson”, not Philip Kenneth Johnson. 🙂
He was awful on DAYS and looked tired. There was no chemistry at all with sour faced Belle. Sorry that an actor has to lose a source of steady income but there is a LONG list of actors on DAYS who need to hit the road Jack.
I agree.. def not a good casting role for him. He is talented but just not the right role for him.
LOL, Mateo. For the longest time I could not put a name on Belle. You did it !!!!!! Yes, she always looks like she has eaten lemons.
I feel badly for John-Paul. I loved him on OLTL, always bringing humor and a sense of joie de vivre on the table.
Days is walking on shaky legs. How long before it needs a wheelchair?
I agree he was not a good fit. I felt like I watching Rex Balsom from OLTL instead of Phillip Kiriakis. He played the role in the same manner as he would Rex it did not work for me. I hate to see anyone lose their job,and I wish him the best. I just hope his next role is a better fit.
I agree about Belle, she does not possess anything magnetic or even interesting – get rid of her – write her out and send her Ex boring husband with her and Phillip too LoL –
Sorry, My apologies to long time fans but the show STINKS right now – it is an exercise in tedium just to endure.
@Tim Clarke.
Sadly, Tim, I cannot disagree with you. You speak the truth.
He was NEVER right for the role, and I never quite got used to him as Philip. Too much goofiness, weird facial expressions and overacting. However, I’d rather have Philip on-screen than not. I’ll hold out hope that they are recasting until I hear otherwise. Shawn/Belle/Philip is the only reason I’ve watched the last few months. HUGE mistake if they are getting rid of all three permanently. (Still hoping that bringing back Shawn & Belle was the SOD blind item from a couple of months ago.)
Another wasted talent. Talk about DOOL tossing actors around. What is being done to John-Paul was done to Melissa Archer, Kassie DePaiva and so many more outstanding actors who have earned their status on these soaps.
I don’t think John-Paul ‘caught fire’ as Phillip because of the insipid storylines given him, which, may I add, were going nowhere.
Gimme a break!!!! Not happy.
Thank you Celia for mentioning Melissa Archer and Kassie DePaiva. You are so right. I’m glad I’m not the only viewer who sees a pattern here.
That’s how I see it, Llannviewer. It’s pathetic!!!! It’s as if ALL the OLTL actors are jinxed.
Nothing can replace OLTL and its cast for me. Glad we share the same thought.
Again, would love to see Melissa Archer on GH. This needs to happen!
Agreed. Wonderful actors. Personally would love to see Melissa Archer on GH.
Celia…I get what you’re saying here. I really do. Yet, I look at it like this: This is DOOL…not ‘DOOL Meets OLTL’. Just saying……….
Later, my friend.
I really liked him in this part. Brought a very unique “vibe” to the show. I wish he wasn’t leaving. Really good actor.
Is Days ‘ intention to be cancelled, they have the absolute worst decision makes ever. They didn’t even write decent story for him to begin with.
He was miscast as Phillip, loved him as Rex on OLTL. Days is in serious trouble. The ratings are falling to all time lows. They need to make more changes. Bring back Vivian, Ivan, Anna Dimera and Calliope Jones. Bring back the original Phillip, Kenneth Johnson.
He has not had a chance to catch fire! What a waste. Very disappointed in Days. JPL is amazing!
He showed promise when he first came on but Deimos stole his thunder and his Philip did not make the impact i had hoped he would-i blame the writing!!!
100% agree. He had no pages. What he did have was awful. Not drunk driving former priest awful but perilously close
So typical of DOOL. Bring these established actors on with such fan-fare and in no time at all they are shown the door. So sad.
Agreed, what is disguised as casting designed to keep viewers involved seems actually to be sabotage. Or, perhaps, more generously, writers and producers who really don’t care much about the product, and are just phoning in their participation. In my opinion, DOOL would benefit from an experiment in hiring involved fans and giving them some real input. There are more good ideas and perceptive insights in fan commentary than in the current scripting. Of course, this isn’t a complete novelty, given the soap’s history. In my decades of intermittent following of this show, I have often given up and later my interest was rekindled. There have been death knells before, but who knows?, this round sadly may be the last.
Send him to Y&R and send Jason Thompson back to GH!
I thought the same thing. I don’t watch DAYS and know very little about this actor. However, he has more of the “Billy Abbott look” (as established by the prior actors in the role) than Jason Thompson.
I’m not buying Thompson at all as Billy. He might have made a good Adam as he has dark looks similar to Victor but Billy he ain’t.
Jason is a great actor and I had faith in him based off that BUT, time is up, its a bust!
PS: Speaking of Billy Abbott look-a-likes, PLEASE drop Travis! He is awful with Vicki!
@Barbara – In my opinion Young and Restless changed Billy Abbott’s look because they wanted to change the character completely. Before the accident, that almost took his life, Billy would never have thought of having an affair with his brother’s wife. I bet there is a lot more Billy is going to do next. So I doubt that Jason is leaving. However, I want Travis gone asap. That Travis is up to something and it’s not good. One day Victoria is going to wake up to discover the damage that man has down to her life and to her father’s company. Travis is on someone’s pay roll and I would like to know whose. Time for Natalie and Kevin to use their computer skills to deal with Travis.
Thank you, Barbara. I have been lamenting this litany from day one. Jason Thompson does not know Billy Abbott. He has not figured him out. While Billy Abbott ‘walked’ around with a devil-may-care attitude; he was never the arrogant, dog in the manger, spoiled brat , ” I-wanna-rearrange-your-face” kind of guy. Jason has no allure/charisma.
I must disagree with Susan……Billy did have an affair with his brother’s wife before the accident. Her name is Sharon.
Nonetheless, Barbara. I never would have thought of it….But, yes, I can see how John-Paul could have fit into Billy’s Mercury ‘winged’ shoes like a glove.
JPL would make a good Billy Abbott
He looks like a cross between Miller and Thompson!
Send Jason Thompson ANYWHERE AT ALL, I agree, just away from Genoa City. But do NOT send JPL to Y&R, unless he’s getting a job in janitorial or food service. NOT on screen. Please, God….
I disagree!. JPL is a very good at what he does. It’s not his fault that the writers on DOOL had no idea what they were doing. An actor is only as good as the script he is given. And the writing for Philip was terrible. DOOL brings in great talented actors and thens wastes the opportunity in a hurry. JPL was wonderful on OLTL because the writers there knew what they were doing.
I’m not surprised. They never did anything with him. Having enjoyed his performance on One Life to Live, I was looking forward having John-Paul on Days. I’ve been totally disappointed with the material he was given. From where I sat, Phillip was a peripheral character reacting to the Victor/Deimos feud and to, another wasted character, Belle. Why does DOOL hire these experienced, known actors and then do nothing with them?
I’m sorry to see John-Paul go because he is a talented actor. But, he’s probably better off if he wants to do anything with his talent. I wish him nothing but the best in his future.
Good bye and good luck to this guy, he added zippo to an already weak show.
Also, I can’t stand the character of Belle, and her with Phillip plus her ex-husband, it all adds up to = who the heck cares.
Days doesn’t seem to know how to leverage it’s named casting. They bring these well named stars from other soaps but then either don’t use them or get rid of them. Previously working on OLTL seems to be the kiss of death on Days.
I am so tired of this **** What is the problem? Dena needs to get a drink of water and sit down somewhere. Her writing has been proven to be bipolar at best. I need some answers. Why is Days of Our Lives having so many problem with retaining writers and then hire back the ones who throw it in the toilet to begin with. When is the Days going back to its traditional filming? Do us all a favor and take your medication and sit down somewhere and write relevant stories. Where is William Bell when you need him?????
JP did not catch fire as Philip. I like him, but this was not a good fit for him.
If Jay returns as Philip, okay. Otherwise maybe leave Philip off. I would like Philip and Victor to reconnect.
I thought Chloe and Philip were going to reconnect so don’t know what this means for Chloe’s story.
JPL was totally miscast as Philip Kiriakis just like KDP was miscast as Eve Donovan.
John-Paul Lavoisier is the poor man’s Dennis Cole. I never cared for Kassie DePaiva as Eve [Charlotte Ross will always be Eve to me but she has moved on to bigger–if not better, like marrying & raising a family out of the spotlight] things…but then again, I still remember Kassie in her first daytime role when she went by her maiden name, Kassie Wesley, as GUIDING LIGHT’s Chelsea Marie Reardon, in 1986.
Wow! Never thought of it–but you are right–he DOES look like Dennis Cole!
@LujackLvr – who is Dennis Cole?
Susan, Dennis Cole was a big TV actor in the 1970s. He starred on THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS as Lance Prentiss in the late ’70s [before or after John McCook, it does not say–but if memory serves me correctly, Dennis was the second Lance[?] before the Brooks/Prentiss families were wiped out of Genoa City to make room for the Abbott & Newman families that still populate the show today. Dennis was also married to Jaclyn Smith for about three years during her CHARLIE’S ANGELS run as Kelly Garrett & I remember him guest-starring on that show once or twice during their marriage as the requisite villain. The son of alcoholics, Dennis Cole died at age 69 in a Fort Lauderdale, Florida hospital on November 15, 2009.
Thank God he was the worse Philip ever. I wish soaps would stop trying to cast big names, and start casting for the actor that actually fits the role– if the original actor is unavailable, then recast, but try to at least match the age and personality and keep the history of show in mind when recasting– just because someone was popular on another soap and role that doesn’t mean they are right for every role
Good point.
I don’t think the character caught on. Terrible storyline. Another wasted talented being let go.
Another wasted talent being let go.
The actor, no offense to his talent, didn’t connect with the audience and I’m not exactly sure why except that the writing has been absolutely atrocious. Every time he tries to smooth things over with Victor, I never feel a sense of connectivity between them, and Jon Aniston is a great actor so it can’t be that.
He just didn’t gel in the role of Philip K as well as the cast of characters of days, they wrote his Philip K role very bad to where nothing he did not said made any sense at all and his hair style they had for his role of Philip K didn’t help him nor the character. Best of luck to you and I wish you the best in your future, sorry days did not work out but they at days are on a slow sinking ship.
no wonder jason cook never conyinued on a shawn.
he has behind the scenes experience and he saw the writing on the wall with this clown troupe thats the days executives. no vision. no story. ….and a year ago corday was promising big things. wat a load of shit. days is directionless.
something major behind the scenes has to happen to get it back on track or bye bye days
The release of JPL could actually indicate direction, damien. DAYS could’ve decided to do away with Shawn, Belle and Philip in order to focus on Sonny, Paul and possibly Will. Also Jay Kenneth Johnson may be returning as Philip. Most viewers seem to want JKJ back.
I forgot to agree with you though, damien. It does seem directionless with all the changes.
seems most of the OLTL actors are free again….maybe it’s time for OLTL V3 !
Oh, how I wish that would happen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I second that emotion – bring back One Life to Live or All My Children or both in a combination. Please do something, this show is so lackluster I could fall asleep.
Also, I am not enthralled at all by Deimos, the younger brother of Victor. The storyline of his taking over Victor’s house and being involved with Nicole (because she resembles his old flame) just isn’t going anywhere. What was the point of him being rescued by Chloe?
Now that I could go for times 100!
Seriously. Just bring back OLTL! JPL was amazing as Rex Balsam.
I suggest they utilize this great guy on #Gh and make him the new Lucky!!!!!! He is a great actor and could pull Lucky off!
Only if they decide to cast him as Lucky’s corpse – and even then I doubt if this ham could keep from mugging it up.
He should be practicing “Do you want fries with that”. He’s the OLTL equivalent of Cameron Matheson, thong and all.
NO, NO, and NO! Not as Lucky! PLEASE!
I like John-Paul too and had we didn’t already have a fantastic Dylan on GH (I’m blanking out can’t remember his name but I love this actor) I could see John-Paul more as Dylan than Lucky.
had should be if
JPL hasn’t been on long enough or in a big enough storyline for me to decide if I like him or not.
It’s hard to imagine Jay Kenneth Johnson returning as Philip because it was said that he is living like a caveman. He weighs 300 lbs and has long hair and a beard like ZZ Top! I guess ZZ Top is better than Zzzzzzzzz, LOL!
🙂
He is a great actor. They’ve let go of a lot of great actors to focus on young actors who can’t act and characters nobody cares about. The 6month lead time does nothing to help the situation by the time a character catches on they are gone. I would love to see him show up on GH.
Note to all ex-OLTL actors: Stay away from this show!!
LOL – honestly that is good, solid advice – and please extend the warning to ex cast members of All My Children.
I wish JP all the best!
People are coming and going on that show like paper work.Never seen it so much.What is going on?
A talented actor terribly miscast.
Days just needs to retire. She’s at the point of Peapack, NJ Guiding Light and Goutman As The World Turns.
I look at it like this: John-Paul Lavoisier was the W-O-R-S-T Phillip Kiriakis EVER!!!!! Oh..and ENOUGH ALREADY with the re-casting of the PK character!!!!! DOOL needs to FINALLY write out the character altogether!!!!!
Just saying……….
NO! DOL needs to hire better writers who know and understand the history of the characters they are dealing with. Days brings in talented actors and then wastes their talent almost as quickly as they appear on scene. The writers did to JPL the exact same thing they did to KD. If I could, I would grab hold of Vincent Irizarry and tell him to run away from DOOL ASAP before the writers also destroy the character of Demios.
Days has used him badly and didn’t seem to have a coherent idea of what to even use Philip for. All Show has him do is moon over Belle, get drunk and imitate Veronica Lake with all his hair tosses.
Plus, JPL just isn’t a good actor. His acting tics which were bad enough on OLTL have only gotten worse. He’s not leading man material. He would be best used as an infrequent background character, brought out every now and then for comic relief.
they should bring back Jay Kenneth Johnson I liked him as Philip as a matter of fact I miss him. so I do hope they do bring him back.
After watching the terrible job the writers are doing on DOL why would Jay Kenneth Johnson ever consider returning to DOOL?
How is that JPL got fired for not being a good fit for the role, but the horrible so called actors that play Joey and Ciara are considered good fits for their roles and are still on the show?
I could not agree more. It’s painful to watch the Ciara character deliver lines. Which she cannot. The Joey character is marginally better.
Yesterday was very painful as Ciara had a lot of scenes. Why was she smiling when Chad went off on her?
I fast forwarded through Jade/Joey. Wish they’d stayed in CA off-screen.
I don’t see where it says he wasn’t a good fit, Tad. He could’ve been let go for the return of Jay Kenneth Johnson.
The Joey and Ciara performers may have been let go. Some exits are kept secret longer than others.
Agree! JPL is so much better than the teens! I can’t even watch them.
@ Tad – JPL got fired because DOL decided he wasn’t right for the role? Well how about firing the writers who didn’t know how to write for the character of Philip.
He was great on OLTL, & if he is looking for work GH should hire him . He & Bree can catch up
So true! The history of these characters and being part of main families is infuriating that they can’t write better story lines for them! Why bring Aiden back if you can’t let him and Hope find their way back to being in love. Rafe and Hope have no chemistry! Fast forward those scenes!! Hate that they’re writing Ciara as a manipulative tramp! What girl that’s been raped a few months ago is going to start daydreaming about any guy, especially a married man at least 10 yrs her senior!
And who is married to her cousin!!!
Wow….your too kind. Don’t hold back.
Days is starting to concern me. All shows hit lulls but when is someone going to say enough is enough and do a serious restructuring of this show. I really think Ron Carlivati could turn DOOL around to the couldn’t-miss-an-episode days of the 90s
Drake, I am so with you!! I agree, Ron C will help this show big time by shifting its mood from gloom and doom to over the top melodrama, romance and comedy relief!! And bring back some core characters killed off by the last couple of head writers who have destroyed this show!
They tried to make him Phillip rather than let him recreate Phillip and it did not work. If they had let him infuse the character with some of his personality he would have caught on.
Rodd, I LOVE your comment! The very fact that there is no security in real life, that people we get close to come and go for various reasons, is part of the allure of soaps. Familiar faces who never leave. People we invest in who are always there. That’s why the sudden disappearance of the soaps that were abruptly canceled left such a gap. On another note, I’m a fan of John-Paul.
The June 22 episode of Days of Our Lives reminded us all of why Deidre Hall is iconic in the role of Dr. Marlena Evans. Here we are 50 years later, and Marlena is still the heroine of the long-running soap opera, and Deidre remains one of the most most recognizable names in the history of soaps.
To pay tribute, and to look back at the life and times of Marlena, the story starts with Marlena flipping through a photo album of her with John (the late Drake Hogestyn) over the years. As she misses him dearly, she gets a knock on the door and its none other than John’s son, Paul Narita (Christopher Sean).
With Andrew (Colton Little) in Salem working on a case, he sits down with Marlena, who says she can’t believe its been fifty years since she first arrived in Salem! Cue: Deidre’s first scenes on DAYS when she finds Mickey Horton (the late John Clarke) playing chess against himself inside the mental institution she worked.
Courtesy/Peacock
THE FLASHBACKS OF MARLENA’S LIFE
From there, viewers definitely got the cliff notes version of the history of Marlena and entrenched within them, some of the biggest moments in Deidre’s enduring run.
Paul thinks he is looking at 70s, and early 80s Marlena while going through her scrapbook, but he is actually looking at her twin, Samantha (Andrea Hall). Cue: when Marlena confronted Samantha about impersonating her, and then later getting a call on her radio show from the Salem Strangler (Jack Coleman as Jake Kostichek) who killed Samantha thinking it was Marlena.
In the present, Belle (Martha Madison) has arrived at this time to meet up with Paul, unaware of this trip down memory lane. She wants to go over the findings in the chess board mystery Stefano willed to Marlena and John, in private with him, since Marlena previously said she wanted nothing to do with it.
Back to the history lesson, Marlena speaks highly of Don Craig and even though their marriage didn’t work out, she could find a path forward with the new love her life, Roman Brady. (Wayne Northrop however is never shown, possibly to keep the story focused on John as Roman for confusion sakes?)
Paul sees a photo of a young Carrie (Christie Clark) in the album and Marlena says she was such a godsend after losing her baby. In fact, Marlena says caring for Carrie prepared her for her having and raising her own twins, Eric and Sami. Cue: The twin visiting Marlena in the hospital.
JOHN AND MARLENA’S LOVE CONQUERED ALL
Then, in a way to get through and incorporate the wild storylines only Marlena could have been in, she tells Belle and Paul, she has been through so much in her life, how lucky she was to find John, and some of the most unbelievable experiences no one could imagine. Cue: Marlena possessed by the devil and levitating from the bed. Next, John confronting Marlena being the Salem Stalker, where she admits she killed Alice Horton, pretends she needs help, then pulls a gun on her beloved John!
The comment is made by Paul and Marlena, that she literally has been to hell and back and she could not have survived were it not for her beloved John. Cue the big emotional highpoint clips; The Pier Scene! Marlena steps out of the fog when John sees her from a distance. After believing she was dead for four years, here she was before him in one of the greatest reunions in a soap opera love story in history. What followed were other times of the life of times of Jarlena.
Courtesy/Peacock
MARLENA’S ‘GIFT’ FROM STEFANO HAS A NEW CLUE
When Marlena makes a brief exit to the other room, Belle fills in Paul on the chess set Stefano left her mother and the photo of the Lire. Paul said he will investigate. Marlena comes back into the room and overhears, and says to promise her if things get dangerous he will back off, she does not want anyone hurt by Stefano’s games.
As the episode comes to a conclusion, it’s just Belle and Marlena going through the photo album giggling about 70s hairstyles and all the memories. Belle speaks on the impact Marlena has had in everyone’s lives, and that she is both the heart of their family and the heart of Salem.
An end card comes up acknowledging Deidre Hall’s 50th anniversary as Marlena, and we fade to black.
So, what did you think of Marlena’s walk down memory lane? Were you happy to see the flashback clips utilized throughout? Were you touched by the scenes and the performance of Deidre Hall? Let us know what you thought of Deidre’s 50th anniversary episode via the comment section below.
If you have ever tuned-in to the soap opera genre over the last 50 years, and witnessed some of the greatest romances, drama, classic and outlandish storylines of all-time, you would have seen Deidre Hall smack dab in the middle of it as longtime Salem heroine, Dr. Marlena Evans.
It was 50 years on this date, June 21, 1976 that Hall first appeared on DAYS on NBC which was its home for 57 years before it moved to its current streaming platform on Peacock in September of 2022.
In Hall’s first episode she was introduced as a psychiatrist treating Mickey Horton (John Clarke) at Bayview Sanitarium after he suffered a complete mental breakdown. Mickey learned that his brother Bill Horton (Edward Mallory) was the biological son of Mike Horton (Wesley Eure) with his wife Laura (Susan Flannery) and that he had been lied to for years and years. From that moment on, the rest is television and soap opera history. Days of Our Lives put Hall front and center.
Photo: NBC
There were so many heartbreaking and shocking story twists involving the beloved Marlena. One of the first was the historic crib death of baby DJ (Don Jr.) in 1980, Marlena’s infant son with Don Craig (Jed Allan). The story had never been told on daytime television and Hall’s performances received accolades from TV critics to fans when Deidre received thousands of letters from grieving mothers who had gone through the same thing in their own lives.
DAYS also brought Deidre’s twin sister, Andrea Hall Lovell to the show as her on-screen sister Samantha, who had a grudge and even locked Marlena up in a sanitarium and took her place! Fast-forward and in 1982, DAYS launched the Salem Strangler story where everyone believed Marlena was his next victim, only it turned out to be Samatha. Jake Kositchek (played by Jack Coleman) was revealed to be the actual serial killer.
Later, Deidre would assume the role of Marlena’s look-alike, Hattie Adams in 2004, once played by her sister, Andrea. Over the years, Hattie has come back to Salem and caused trouble giving Hall a chance to play a different type of character, then the always upstanding Marlena.
Photo: JPI
THE LOVES OF MARLENA
Deidre Hall struck gold with all her leading men: from the late Jed Allan, to Wayne Northrop as Roman Brady, and of course, her enduring love story with the late John Black played by the iconic Drake Hogestyn. In fact, Marlena’s 1986 wedding to John (who was believed to be Roman at the time) remains a favorite of fans to this day.
TOP MARLENA STORYLINES OF ALL-TIME
While the list is long, here are several that were some of the memorable during Deidre’s five decades in Salem!
The Possession (1994- 1995)
Considered one of the most ambiguous, outlandish and unforgettable story arcs in soap opera history, then Days of Our Lives head writer, James Reilly went there! Marlena was possessed by the devil! That included; the demonic eyes, hissing at father John (Black) the priest, morphing into creatures, and the classic levitating in her bed! It became a cultural phenomenon and cemented Deidre Hall’s status as a daytime television legend. Just ask Ryan Gosling!
Photo:JPI
The Affair with John Black (1993)
John and Marlena’s forbidden love could not be denied and they had passionate affair, while she was still married to the real Roman. Problem was her daughter, Sami (Alison Sweeney) caught her mother having sex with John on a desk that changed Sami forever.
The Salem Stalker Mystery (2003-2004)
In a shocker, Marlena was revealed to be a serial killer who bumped off several Salem favorites residents who were all alive on the island of Melaswen (spelled “New Salem” backward). Turns out, she was manipulated and gaslighted by Andre DiMera (Thaao Penghlis) to do the “killings” and had no memory of her actions.
The Pier Scene (1991)
This remains Michael Fairman TV’s all-time favorite Deidre Hall moment, which featured some of the best acting in the storied careers of both Hall and Drake Hogestyn.
In the story, a presumed-dead Marlena returns after four years. One foggy night on the pier, John is alone, and Marlena steps out of the fog to reveal herself, and is reunited with the love of her life. You can watch it any year, any decade, and in any moment, and it will have you reaching for the hankies again and again. (best music score fo a soap scene of all-time too!)
Photo: NBC
Kristen’s Secret Room Reveal (1997)
Marlena was caught in Kristen Blake’s (Eileen Davidson) elaborate web of lies, when she was held hostage in a secret wine cellar/room until John managed to track her down, leading to an iconic on-screen reunion. The classic catfight between Hall and Eileen Davidson was one for the ages.
It should be noted that Maison Blanche, Queen of the Night, Possession, Aremid and Lady in a Cage were all a part of classic DAYS storyline and all featured Hall at the epicenter of it from 1993-1996.
THE RECENT YEARS OF MARLENA
In recent years, DAYS brought back the possession 2.0 storyline under then head writer Ron Carlivati in 2021 where the devil leapt back in Marlena after taking advantage of a frail Doug Williams (the late Bill Hayes)
In 2025, viewers watched the end of the love story of John and Marlena, as John succumbed to injuries sustained in an explosion saving a vial of medication needed to bring Bo (Peter Reckell) back to life. Marlena has been a widow on-screen since June of 2025 as Hall as portrayed the good doctor struggling with her grief and to move on with her life since his death.
Photo: JPI
One story that never goes away is Stefano DiMera’s (the late Joe Mascolo) obsession with Marlena, his “Queen of the Night.” Even in death, Stefano is toying with her from the great beyond with the mysterious chess set and the missing “pawn,” that he had gifted John and Marlena in his will. The mystery is currently unfolding on all-new episodes of Days of Our Lives.
Tune-in to Days of our Lives on the Monday, June 22 episode as Marlena looks back at her 50 years in Salem.
Share your congratulations to Deidre Hall for this incredible 50-year milestone as Dr. Marlena Evans on Days of Our Lives in the comment section. Then let us know, what is your all-time favorite storyline or moment in the life of Marlena over the past 5 decades? And, just for kicks, and to celebrate this amazing milestone, here is Marlena levitating below circa Christmas Eve 1994.
Days Of Our Lives
Al Calderon Reflects on ‘Major Chapters’ Coming to an End on ‘Days of Our Lives’ and ‘Brilliant Minds’
It’s been a bittersweet time for Al Calderon. The talented actor/singer/songwriter has watched from his vantage point to roles he loved so much come to their conclusion for different reasons.
In a heartfelt message posted to his Instagram story on Saturday, Calderon took a moment to share how grateful he was for the opportunity to play Javi Hernandez on Days of Our Lives, and nurse Nico Silva this year on NBC’s second season of Brilliant Minds. Currently, Brilliant Minds has two more episodes that will air on June 24 and the series finale on July 1.
Calderon expressed, “As I sit here reflecting on this lovely Saturday afternoon over the last two years of my life, I have two major chapters closing that have been part of my life every day for the last two years. We have Brilliant Minds. Our last episodes are wrapping up, and then my last scenes aired yesterday as me as Javi on Days of Our Lives.
Photo: JPI
“I’m just unbelievably grateful for the chance and the opportunity to be a part of something so much larger than me,” continued Al. “I (will) love Days of Our Lives forever, my family. Thank you for supporting me and supporting my decision to take the leap of faith and believe in myself and, and tell other stories. You know, it’s never goodbye. It’s always ‘see you later’ to me and just leaving with love and leading with love.”
Al concluded with a special mention to some very important people, the fans: “Thank you to the fans and the support from everyone, the lovely messages. So this next chapter, hopefully it’s not a dragon, hopefully it’s a gold coin.”
Photo: NBC
Calderon’s journey on-screen on Days of Our Lives began in October of 2024 and concluded this month. In one of his last appearances Javi was asking a favor from Gabi (Cherie Jimenez) before bumping into his ex, Leo (Greg Rikaart). In story, Javi has a new romance with Gus (Michael Ocampo), while fighting his feelings for Leo. The role of Javi will be played starting on June 30 by Jacob Martinez who takes over the role.
NBC decided to cancel the Brilliant Minds, after it split up the airing of its second season which began in the fall of September of 2025 and the back-half started airing after a long break this past May. Calderon joined the medical drama staring Zachary Quinto for the new season, which sadly was its last.
So, will you miss Al on Days of Our Lives and Brilliant Minds as his time on-screen has come to an end? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.
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