Days Of Our Lives
John-Paul Lavoisier on his Return to Days of our Lives: “I Was Incredibly Shocked and Flattered … Because the Last Time I Was There They Let Me Go”
Soap fans first got acquainted with John-Paul Lavoisier when he portrayed Rex Balsom on One Life to Live; a role he played from 2002 till the show last aired in early 2012.
Several years later, Lavoisier returned to the world of daytime drama when he was a recast in the role of Kate Roberts (Lauren Koslow) and Victor Kiriakis’ (the late John Aniston) son, Phillip Kiriakis. JP initially took on the role of DAYS Phillip from 2015-2016. When the show brought back the character the next time in 2020-2021, it was played by Jay Kenneth Johnson, who was best-known in the role. Now in 2023, it’s Lavoisier who makes a comeback in a limited run beginning the week of August 28th on the Peacock streaming soap opera.
Speaking with Soap Opera Digest (in their latest edition on newsstands now), John-Paul shared a few of his reactions to learning Phillip’s latest back-story (as his character returns Salem at pivotal time for Victor’s memorial), and his thoughts on getting the call to reprise the part in the first place; especially when DAYS let him go during his first run with the series.
Photo: JPI
Lavosier noted on learning the Phillip has been faking his own death and framed Brady (Eric Martsolf) for murder, “I have to say I was shocked. I was like, ‘Oh, my God. This is crazy. This is wild. This is unforgivable.’ But as an actor you have to commit to this, you have to fall in love with it, and it’s real.”
After receiving several messages from the Days of our Lives brass attempting to track him down to reprise Phillip, it truly caught Lavoisier off-guard: “I was incredibly shocked and flattered that I was being considered to be an employee of the show again, because the last time I was there they let me go. I kind of felt they had me there, they were done with me, the end.”
According to Lavosier, he taped 13 episodes of Days of our Lives during this most-recent return.
So, looking forward to seeing John-Paul as Phillip Kiriakis, and how his arrival might shake up the canvas? Comment below.
I am so looking forward to seeing John-Paul on screen again!
I am sooooooo far behind on Days. Recorded the show; have to check if months and months of it were saved. I always loved him John-Paul as Rex on OLTL; haven’t seen him since. I guess if I catch up on DAYS I will. They should find him a spot on GH, have him come back as Lucky.
He’s much better suited to play Dillon than Lucky. Can bring back the quirkiness the character had when Scott Clifton played Dillon.
The character grew up; Scott Clifton’s Dillon was the sweet, geeky, adorable, kid. I don’t think Dillon was intrinsically quirky. And, as I mentioned, I haven’t seen John-Paul in anything since OLTL so I still remember the younger, blonder, actor. I could see him as Lucky now, older, having been hard hit by life, drug addiction, loss, ex-cop, absent father…
But I’d be open to them casting him as Dillon, too. Who the heck knows who Dillon would be, personality-wise, with these current and/or temp writers. Drew is nothing like his “former self,” lol. And they’ve made Nikolas a horrific father who in Spencer’s recollection was never there for him, when in fact Nikolas was devoted to Spencer, and never would have let him think he was dead for three years…. (not talking about this time which is out of Nikolas’s control).
I’d be open to him being cast as Dillon; I think it’d be amazing opposite Jane Elliot & Wally Kurth, however, I would much prefer Scott Clifton and/or Robert Palmer Watkins return to the role.
This guy would make either a great Lucky or Dillon on GH!!
Not sure why GH does not recast and place Lucky at forefront of story. It’d been so do.long, the character would be welcomed and fresh. Laura without her children seems dumb to me. Lavoisier would be very good in the role.
GH has attempted two Lucky recasts. The first one was awful. Greg Vaughan was OK, but he made “Lucky” an unrecognizable character that didn’t seem at all like Luke & Laura’s kid.
I doubt they would try another recast. Though I do wish the real Lucky would show up at least once in a while. It was ridiculous that we didn’t see him when his father supposedly “died” (even though we all know better) And as the only one of Laura’s children who is currently NOT a vegetable, he should spend a little time with his mom now and then.
Was not a huge fan of him during the [very brief] time I watched One Life to Live, but I have to say: his take on Philip Kiriakis was amazing, and it’s sad it was very short-lived. Looking forward to this.
I’m so excited to see JP on screen again. I love him as an actor and as a person. He’s amazing!!
Really looking forward to seeing him on DAYS again!
He’s sooooo much better as Phillip! Love seeing him on screen again. Was he in anything else?
He is our “Favorite”! He really looks like Victor. And his humor was so real and down to earth! It’s about time the Day’s Brass realized his worth! I had stopped watching Day’s but this will bring me back! Plz stay Phillip (JL) YES…….
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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