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Judith Chapman Dishes On Diana On All-New Episode Of “Inside Salem: Days of our Lives Podcast”

By Michael Fairman

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Photo/NBC

Oh, the mother from hell has certainly come to NBC’s Days of our LivesĀ ,now that it has been revealed that Diana Cooper is in actuality none other than Diana Colville, who shared a romantic past with John Black (Drake Hogestyn), and is Leo aka Matthew’s (Greg Rikaart) worst nightmare!

Daytime fan favorite, Judith Chapman is back on Days of our Lives in this delicious new take on Diana, and on the latest installment of Inside Salem: Days of our Lives Podcast.

During her interview with host Michael Fairman, Judith talks about how she was asked to take on the role, and found herself reunited with her former on-screen son from Y&R, Greg Rikaart.Ā  She also teases what is to come in this twisted mother and son relationship, reveals what it has been like working with Deidre Hall and Drake Hogestyn, and talks about her former soap opera roles that included: Natalie Bannon on As the World Turns, Ginny Blake, General Hospital, Charlotte Greer on Ryan’s Hope, Angelica Deveraux on Days and Gloria Fisher Bardwell on Y&R- quite the resume.Ā  Ā When not on TV, Judith can be found in the theatre, where she is currently starring asĀ Tallulah BankheadĀ in the show, Looped now through February 10th in Palm Springs, California.

Later in the podcast, John Aniston (Victor) stops by Suzanne RogersĀ  (Maggie) dressing room, where the duo talk about how they work together running scenes, and going through a tape day, and some fun historicalĀ anecdotes from Salem, and more.

To get the extended version of this interview with Judith, make sure to download it via iTunes and all major pod platforms.Ā  To listen to the NBC.com version make sure to click here and enjoy.

Let us know what was your favorite part of our chat with Judith and if you are loving her thus far as Diana on DAYS via the comment section below.

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OH My God… with respect to the higher up

crĆØme de la crĆØme ALIVE ! this is maddening how MUSTER FEAST!

Judith Chapman : for the ages

^^^ “what a resume ” you want to partay .. wine bubbly splash something ON

can’t wait for this weekend ( to listen )

one of – OUR – Grand Dame un momento

OH, yeah, Patrick—a gem has walked onto Salem’s soil….Miss Judith is the femme fatale, shrew, calamity personified–can’t tear myself away….
I didn’t know you spoke Italian, Patrick?!?!?!LOL…. un momento…..
Aside: Why can’t Abbi put two and two together and figure out Jordan took the baby? Ben will find Charlotte and Ciera–
But, will Ciera be lucid enough to defend Ben, once he is accused of the crime?
Furthermore, Patrick….What in Hades are the PTB doing? Why make Jordan nuts? Is it to prove a family trait? Jordan was always the good guy, who cared for her little brother.
Everything was going so well with Days…..I beg ‘ye gods’ not to turn it into mush. ā¤ļø

Celia…youre breakin’ my heart…You obviously know very little of Ron C’s writing. And if I am wrong there, I apologize. He will ruin ANY character….overlook any detail…rewrite anything from the past…as long as it helps him in his ultimate goal of pushing and pimping his “redeemed” bad guys, psychos, and murderers. Any day now, I expect Xander to have blinding headaches and a brain tumour, have it redeemed, and he will be all sunshine and rainbows, rather than the sleazy rapist and murderer he is.

Lets get one thing straight! I love Judith Chapman! Having said that, I now feel compelled to talk about how Ron Carlivati is now pulling the same crap he pulled at GH that led to that show having ALL TIME RECORD LOW RATINGS!! I will start with this Diana debacle and hopefully touch on other areas.

If you never watched Days circa 1987- 1989, you wouldnt know the character of Diana. She was a spunky spitfire 25 year old journalist with a loving heart and a passion for the truth. She was a college friend of Mike Horton’s, and became love interest to John Black, who thought he was Roman at the time.

Fast forward to today…and the character is harsh, bitter, vindictive, and cruel. She is psychotically obsessed with “getting” John. The problem is in the writing, the rewriting of history, and the acting.

Chapman is a fantastic actress, but I always KNOW she is acting. She is a very campy and theatrical actress from the old school of stage and screen. Genie, on the other hand, is a very low key, heartfelt performer who brings a natural and realistic element to her role even if it something outlandish like freezing the world. As a recast, this fails on every level. Chapman is also 11 years older than Francis, and in this particular instance, the age gap is very gaping and apparent. There is absolutely no similarity whatsoever between the two actresses, which makes for a very jarring recast.

Next is the writing, or rather rewriting. This absolutely reeks of a last minute decision!!! I can actually almost hear Ron C. flustered, wondering to himself “How can I weave my sleazy new gay creation Leo more into the canvas and fabric of the show?? I have to look back into history and find a character who could be his parent! It would be great if Judith Chapman could play the part, because they played mother and son on Y and R!” So, he settled on Diana, and has gone about completely trashing and destroying the memory of what was a very enjoyable and pleasant love story. Diana was a character viewers cared about. She was not a one-note, cartoonish, plot twist villainess as she is being rewritten by Ron.

I have ALWAYS hated when soaps bring back a formerly good character as a bad or evil one. It rarely makes sense in the narrative, there is never a good enough reason to justify the drastic change, and it completely ruins the enjoyment and any memories of a good character.

You read it here….this casting decision and future storyline has ALEX NORTH written ALL over it!! Nuff said there!

Much has been said about Greg Rikaart’s character, and how funny and entertaining he is. I find him to be neither! He is a disgusting sexual predator and rapist! He is an annoying little gnat that Victor Kiriakis would have squashed like a bug about 5 seconds after he pranced into the mansion!! He is able to bring mafia don Victor and family to knees because he has pictures of Will and Sonny carrying a rug???? Please!!Greg is playing it WAY over the top. There is nothing funny about a man blackmailing straight men into unwanted sexual relations, and there is nothing funny about grabbing people and pulling them into unwanted kisses. If this was a male character doing this to a female, there would be outrage and outcry. But because its a male doing it to another male and played as comedy, it seems to be all right. Its disgusting and disturbing on many levels!!

I have a feeling they are going to make Leo into John’s son. If so…all I can ask is…is Ron THAT bereft and devoid of creativity??? John JUST found a long lost gay son 5 years ago!! Recycling plots from that recently is not a good sign!! On the other hand, I suspect they might make him Mike Horton’s son…which would unfortunately forever link this completely unnecessary character to the core family and fabric of the show!

This entire story, from creation to casting to concept has seriously ruined my ability to enjoy Days, a show I normally love. At GH, Ron completely gutted the heart and soul out of the show and replaced it with newbies and villains, leaving the show with no one to root for. He is slowly doing the same thing at Days! He brought back serial killer Ben tryong to redeem him as a leading man. Let me ask…would there be any chance of redemption if Ben didnt look like Robert Scott Wilson??

Same thing with Xander. This is a murderer and woman abuser! He takes glee in torturing, tormenting, and abusing women! (Serena, Theresa, Nicole, Sara etc). Just because he looks like Paul Telfer and is good at quippy, witty one liners, doesnt mean he should be more imbedded into the show. Ron LOVES to write for evil characters at the expense of beloved ones we know and root for and care about.

Ted and Hope? For real???? Kristian Alfonso deserves SO much better. For starters, a screen partner who can act!

And what is up with this Sheila character??? She wore out her welcome after about 2 minutes!!! Someone trying to turn her life around and get another chance would NOT have that much attitude and only spew trash talk out of her filthy mouth!! Get a haircut, get an attitude adjustment, and get a muzzle! Then we will talk!!

I was guardedly optimistic when Ron took over writing at Days. I LOATHED his work at GH beyond belief!! His rk is often eerily and disturbingly similar to James Reilly’s, which is a BIG no-no in my books!! Since he took over…there have been moments of brilliance (Theo’s shooting, Marlena’s living will story). But there have also been dreadful, awful, embarrassing stories that just give soaps a bad name (Bonnie and Hattie)!!

It is sad that Ron writes many of his women characters as obsessive, psychotic lunatics who have no other purpose than “getting” a man. Most women are self aware enough to know when a guy just isnt that into them. It does not make for good story when a woman psychotically chases a man who is CLEARLY not interested! It is the most old fashioned, lazy, uninspired, sexist type of writing imaginable! And it is a Ron C staple!!

Theres my rant. Given the completely wrong casting choice, the drastic rewriting of history, the last minute nature of the plot twist, and virtually NO redeemable qualities, this story has already qualified for Worst Recast of 2019, Worst Story, Worst Use of History and several other Worsts!!!

Judith Chapman is doing a WONDERFUL job as Diana on Days. Her Diana and son Leo/Matthew give me life, classic soap acting/delivery!

I am LIVING for Judith Chapman’s appearances on DOOL. I am so glad she has a role she can run with. She is soap opera royalty and we are lucky to watch her brilliance.

I like Chapman very much and appreciate the interview. However, the article employs a HORRIBLE photo of the actress. I’ve always thought Chapman looked good and “holds” her years well until I saw this picture. That photo does her no favors.

I have to listen to this.

Diana is certainly no Gloria. Wow! I wouldn’t want to get on her bad side. Something must have happened to her after she left Salem because I don’t remember her being this bitchy. I guess having a sociopath for a son can change you!

Judith is analogous to the giving tree—–better and better with each scene!! She superseded my expectations….donna magnifica!!

Breaking News

‘One Life to Live’ and ‘General Hospital’ Actress Bree Williamson Mourns the Loss of Husband Michael John Roberts

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In heartbreaking news, Bree Williamson (ex-Jessica Buchanan, One Life to Live, ex- Claudette Beaulieu, General Hospital) is mourning the loss of her husband Michael John Roberts who passed away after his battle with glioblastoma om Wednesday, November 11 and at just 48-years-old.

The Hollywood Reporter initially reported Roberts death sharing he died after a brief battle and was surrounded by loved ones and died peacefully at his home in Los Angeles.

Michael was a well-known animator and director behind Comedy Central’s Trip Tank and Netflix’s BoJack Horseman among others.. He also created the YouTube Red series Dallas & Robo, starring John Cena and Kat Dennings.

Taking to her Instagram following the news of Michael’s passing, Bree Williamson expressed, ā€œThank you to everyone that has reached out. We are heartbroken and taking some time.” Bree and Michael share a son McGreggor, who is 16-years-old.

Photo: JPI

OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT FROM ONE LIFE TO LIVE CO-STARS

Williamson received an outpouring of love and support from many of her One Life to Live co-stars below:

Tuc Watkins (ex-David Vickers): ā€œMichael Roberts. Words are clumsy. I watched the ways he was kind, and I admired him. I love him and his family, individually and collectively. He was so many things. He did so much. There would have been more.ā€

Kristen Alderson (ex-Starr Manning): “Beyond tragic,Ā He was so kind, I only remember him with that exact smile every time I saw him. I remember when we met him & just knew you found the best partner. So deeply sorry Bree. We love you so much.ā€

Eddie Alderson (ex-Matthew Buchanan), “Sending you infinite amounts of love. He was so fantastic. He’ll be very missed by all who knew him.”

Others who sent messages included: Laura Wright (Carly, GH) and Finola Hughes (Anna, GH) and Martha Madison (Belle, DAYS).

MICHAEL JOHN ROBERTS INCREDIBLE TALENT REMEMBERED

The family shared a statement via an obituary that read, in part, on the gifted artist that Michael was and his remarkable gifts:

ā€œMichael saw the world a little differently. A gifted artist with an extraordinary talent, he could find something worth exploring in what others might overlook. His creativity was not limited to what he put on paper; it shaped the way he thought, questioned, and understood the world around him.ā€

FAMILY STATEMENT ON THE LOVE MICHAEL HAD FOR BREE AND MCGREGGOR

The obituary also spoke on Michael’s family, love of Bree and their son McGreggor:

“Above all, Michael cherished the family he had built. His wife, Bree (Williamson), was his beloved partner, and the person he was so proud to have beside him. He treasured their shared journey, their everyday moments, and the simple privilege of walking through the world together. His son, McGreggor, was a source of immense pride. Michael wanted nothing but the best for him, and saw in the young man he was becoming, possibilities greater than he could ever have imagined for himself. He was already deeply proud of the life his son was building, and eager for all that lay ahead of him.”

It concluded with, “Although his illness came suddenly and the time that followed was heartbreakingly short, it cannot define the man he was. His life is better remembered through what he created, the conversations he inspired, the friendships he nurtured, and the love he gave so freely to those closest to him.”

Michael is survived by Bree, their teenage son, McGreggor; sister, Jane; niece, Gwen and nephew, Vaughan. He was also close with his cousin Hrothgar, whom he saw as a brother, and his wife, Emily, and their children, Evie and Lili.

Our heartfelt condolences go out to Bree Williamson and McGreggor at this time on such a devastating loss of such an exceptionally talented man and beloved husband and father. Share your thoughts for Bree on the loss of Michael John Roberts in the comment section below.

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‘Days of our Lives’ Veteran James Reynolds Reveals Parkinson’s Diagnosis

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James Reynolds

Days of our Lives long-running cast member James Reynolds revealed on the November 10 edition of Entertainment Tonight that he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and his character of Abe Carver will now be going through an on-screen Parkinson’s battle as well.

Speaking with ET’s Nischelle Turner, the 80-year-old actor and Daytime Emmy winner shared how he attempted to hide the warning signs dating back to 15-20 years ago when he would have, “What they call the hallucinations. My wife (Lissa) would say, ā€˜You were hitting me last night in bed,’ and I would say, ā€˜What?!’ I was having these really horrible dreams.ā€ Reynolds also added that he realized falling out of bed was an early symptom of Parkinson’s too.

Discussing the on-going tremors that have become more noticeable over time especially in hands, James shared that when he finally told the Days of our Lives cast they were nothing but ā€œextraordinarily helpful and supportive.”

Photo: ET

SCREEN LIFE TO MIRROR REAL LIFE

Now with DAYS about to launch into Abe’s Parkinson’s storyline, Reynolds hopes that he can turn his experience into something positive by encouraging others facing the disease to keep fighting. During the sit-down, Reynolds co-star JackĆ©e Harry (Paulina Price) recalls her reaction to learning of Reynolds’ real-life diagnosis and how she has continued to search for new treatments to inform James about.

Although Parkinson’s disease currently has no cure, there are medications and treatments can help those manage symptoms and improve quality of life. The condition progresses at a different pace from individual to individual.

As discussed in his conversation with ET, Reynolds cited Michael J. Fox and Alan Alda as two high-profile celebrities who have brought awareness to the disease.

Abe

Photo: JPI

In story on DAYS, Abe in recent weeks had been experiencing tremors which led to seek help and a diagnosis Dr. Kayla Johnson (Mary Beth Evans). Soon Abe and others will find out of his battle with Parkinson’s. Although on the promo for this week’s DAYS, Abe is seen telling Kayla, that he will do something, ā€œwhen the time is right.ā€

James Reynolds is one of the most prolific performers, being the longest-running Black Actor in a role on a television series, not to mention his aforementioned Lead Actor Daytime Emmy win in 2018, and being inducted in 2025 into the Daytime Emmy Gold and Silver Society of honorees.

You can check out James’ in-depth conversation on his Parkinson’s diagnosis below.

Share your thoughts for James after learning of his health battle, and what do you think of Days of our Lives incorporating the disease into Abe Carver’s Salem storyline? Let us know in the comment section.

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Beyond the Gates

2026 Daytime Emmys Red Carpet: Men Duded Up – Who’s Got the Look? (Photos)

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The 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards red carpet arrivals featured many a leading man from your favorite soaps, plus the younger stars and veteran actors you’ve come to love.

The gents were definitely about the bowties this year, plus fashion-forward trends, classic suit and tux looks, or sport jacket and no tie. There were a myriad of fashion choices on display from the one thing the soaps are usually known for, ‘hot’ guys.

This year for the first time the red carpet featured the cast of Beyond the Gates who were eligible for Daytime Emmy competition for the first time in their young history, bringing fresh faces and new vibes to the festivities.

LEADING MEN, VETERAN STARS AND NEWCOMERS STRIKE A POSE

Many of this year’s nominees who went on to become eventual winners, previous Emmy winners, and more, took to the carpet to strike a pose for the paparazzi in attendance.

Some of the standout looks came from (pictured above): Steve Burton (Jason Morgan, General Hospital) in traditional black tux with a sheen, Lawrence Saint-Victor (Carter Walton, The Bold and the Beautiful), Giovanni Mazza (Gio Palmieri), Jibre Hordges (Jacob Hawthorne, Beyond the Gates) and Michael GraziadeiĀ  (Daniel Romalotti, The Young and the Restless), all wearing tuxes, suits or sportcoat and trousers with a bowtie, plus now two-time Daytime Emmy winner, Roger Howarth (Matt Clark, The Young and the Restless) who gave us that stellar jacket and more relaxed vibe for the carpet.

Now below, check out the other actors who made an impression with red carpet fashion at the Daytime Emmy Awards this past Friday night.

Al Calderon Daytime Emmys Red Carpet

Photo: NATAS

Days of our Lives and Brilliant Minds alum, Al Calderon (ex-Javi Hernandez), a Daytime Emmy nominee in light green suit.

Jaden Lucas Miller Daytime Emmys Red Carpet 2026

Photo: NATAS

Beyond the Gates’ Jaden Lucas Miller (Tyrell Richardson) had it put together from head to toe making his first appearance at a Daytime Emmy red carpet.

Eric Braeden Daytime Emmys red carpet

Photo: NATAS

The icon, Y&R’s Eric Braeden, a nominee this year for Lead Actor for his performances as Victor Newman took to the red carpet alongside his granddaughter, but took a moment to pose solo for the cameras.

Alex Cheeks

Photo: NATAS

Alex Cheeks who plays Donnell McBride on Beyond the Gates took to the carpet in this blue suit with brooch.

Dominic Zamprogna Daytime Emmy Awards 2026

Photo: NATAS

General Hospital’s Dominic Zamprogna (Dante Falconeri) entering the red carpet from the street stylin’ in blue jacket and white sneakers.

Harrison Cone Daytime Emmy Awards Red Carpet

Photo: NATAS

The Bold and the Beautiful’s Harrison Cone (Deke Sharpe) bringing the on-trend fashion to the Emmys, as well as he would as the young fashion designer at Logan!

Sawandi Wilson 2026 Daytime Emmy Awards

Photo: NATAS

General Hospital’s Sawandi Wilson (Dr. Isaiah Gannon) in velvet red tuxedo stood out on the red carpet.

Paul Telfer 2026 Daytime Emmy Awards

Photo: JPI

Last year’s Lead Actor Daytime Emmy winner, Paul Telfer (Xander Kiriakis, Days of our Lives) returned this year to present several awards on-stage and hit the red carpet in very stylish black kilt.

Kyle Pryor

Photo: NATAS

Days of our Lives’ newest leading man, Kyle Pryor made his debut on the Daytime Emmy red carpet. He premieres tomorrow on the November 2nd episode of the Peacock streaming soap operas as Dominik Marino.

Sean Freeman - Daytime Emmys Red Carpet

Photo: NATAS

Beyond the Gates star, Sean Freeman (Andre Richardson) always looks super cool. This time in white jacket and packets making a fashion statement on his first Daytime Emmys red carpet.

Crew Morrow

Photo: HutchinsPhoto

The Bold and the Beautiful’s Crew Morrow (Will Spencer) opted for a jean jacket and black sheen jeans to take to the carpet, but still bringing the swag.

Christopher Sean Daytime Emmys Red Carpet 2026

Photo: HutchinsPhoto

Days of our Lives alum Christopher Sean (Paul Narita), a nominee for Guest Performer in a Daytime Drama Series took to the red carpet in beautiful blue.

So, which men do you think were looking good? Did the actors bring it to the red carpet? Let us know your thoughts and picks via the comment section below.

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