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THE ARIANNE ZUKER INTERVIEW – DAYS OF OUR LIVES

By Michael Fairman

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Ariane-main11.jpg

She is in a front burner storyline that is getting rave reviews from soap fans and critics alike, as Nicole on “DAYS”. This week her storyline heats up as Nicole finally comes across a very pregnant Sami, which sets a whole chain of events in motion. Actress, Arianne Zuker, sat down with me to discuss Nicole’s machinations, and the final goodbyes to Deidre Hall and Drake Hogestyn. She also spoke about her winning performance in the online soap, “Life in General”, in which she has been recently nominated for a TV Guide Canada, “Soap Opera Spirit Award”.

However, this Saturday January 24th, Arianne is taking on yet another challenge. She is performing for the first time live on stage with the famed ACME Comedy Theatre Group. Sitting backstage with Ari on her first day of rehearsal, we chatted about working in “Sketch comedy” and all the latest developments in Nicole’s
baby drama.

If you are in the Los Angeles area, and would like to see Arianne live, go to https://www.acmecomedy.com for ticket and show information. It should be a hilarious and fun show.

Listen to the audio:

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MICHAEL:

This Saturday, you have decided to perform in the live sketch comedy show at the very famous ACME theatre here in Los Angeles. Why the decision?

ARIANNE:

By force, and my arm being twisted behind my back! Pain made me do it. Just kidding! I saw Bryan Dattilo (Lucas) do the show and it’s the equivalent of Saturday Night Live, which is hysterical. I was asked if I would consider doing it and I said, “Absolutely,” because I don’t get to do enough comedy on “DAYS”, and certainly not lately. Prior to me leaving the show the first time, I got a chance to do it.

MICHAEL:

So I am doing this interview with you backstage before you find out what the sketches will be for the performance. Can you veto anything and do a soap “Diva” trip on the cast?

ACME.jpgARIANNE:

I have to tell you, I have never been to a sketch meeting before, but I am looking forward to what they throw in front of me.

MICHAEL:

So, you will play many roles in the show that evening?

ARIANNE:

Yes, it could be anything. It will all be one big surprise.

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MICHAEL:

Are you a nervous wreck about the improv aspect of this kind of live comedy?

ARIANNE:

Not when it comes to humiliating myself. I don’t wear contacts, so I can’t read the Teleprompters. Of course, it will all come from memorization unless I wear my glasses. It should be really exciting, because I won’t be able to see that. Oh, well, whatever! It will be fun. (She laughs)

MICHAEL:

Who would you like to be in the audience to witness this?

ARIANNE:

I made sure that our “DAYS” PR office invited everyone from the show. I would love everyone to come out and see me and the theatre itself. It’s so much fun to see it live. I had done a workshop improv class for two years, the two years I was off “DAYS.” I did that, which may be why I feel comfortable doing this. Here at least, I get scripts as opposed to pure improv.

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MICHAEL:

Who would you want to be with in a sketch comedy show, if it was an all-star “DAYS” cast?

eric.jpgARIANNE:

I would have Eric Martsolf (Brady), because we have a great relationship outside the show. He is very funny and hysterical. I tell you; whenever we run our lines I have to get all the laughter out before we do our scenes. He’s got this quirky, dry sense of humor with this smirk on his face, all the time.

MICHAEL:

You are so heavy in story on “DAYS” right now, and currently the most compelling actress and, in the most compelling story on the show. Are you enjoying carrying the main storyline?

ARIANNE:

Yeah. I love my job and love the storyline right now. It’s definitely meaty. I am always usually the sidekick, but now I have hearty storyline, and I appreciate it very much.

MICHAEL:

So much has been written about you from all of us covering the soap genre, that you have really been amazing and risen to the top of the soap actors on TV.

ARIANNE:

It’s a team effort. When I came back to the show, I came back a bit of a different actress. I would like to give the writers credit, that they allowed me to take the storyline to a different place, as well. I could not do it by myself.

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MICHAEL:

This week in major desperation and determination, Nicole comes face-to-face with Sami!

sami.jpgARIANNE:

Chloe tells me where Sami is. You know, it’s funny knowing that Sami is involved in anything to do with her. First, she is going to lose it and get pissed off, and then come up with something or some plan. Interestingly enough, the whole story is not about finding out Sami’s pregnant. It’s an idea that Nicole gets concerning Sami’s baby. Maybe when we are in the storyline together, you will see that old relationship
come back.

MICHAEL:

We all see a ‘baby switch’ coming. Do you like the idea?

ARIANNE:

It’s written differently than your typical ‘baby switches’ that have happened in the past, at least on our show. I like how they are writing the character; very carefully.

MICHAEL:

You almost feel bad for Nicole, in a way. She is so desperate to hold on to EJ. Why?

ARIANNE:

He represents the child that she had. He represents that she fell in love again. I think Eric Brady was her first love, and she messed that up, again. The baby is half the reason EJ and Nicole fell in love in the first place. In Nicole’s eyes, she probably feels she could not have had EJ unless she was pregnant. I feel that is the whole reason she is doing this; to have a real family, and trying to escape her past that she can’t get out of. Even though everything she is doing is somehow related to her past, she is not trying to hurt anyone this time.

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MICHAEL:

Coming up in February, what can we say to “DAYS” fans about the on-going baby saga?

ari-james.jpgARIANNE:

Let’s just say, Nicole is not in the clear. I think with all the baby stuff happening, and the baby being born, let’s just say, I will get one. I think you will see more twists and surprises that I am happy about. There will be a little Melanie action, because she is working with EJ.

MICHAEL:

Now let’s discuss the pregnancy ‘padding’ you have been wearing. Ah, how dumb is EJ?

ARIANNE:

The great thing was, they kept EJ busy so he could never really touch me. There’s dedication for a guy. For someone so smart, he sure was stupid. (She laughs)

MICHAEL:

Couples and pairings have been changing on “DAYS” in recent months so quickly at times, it is jolting the fans. Do you think that is a good thing for the show, or a bad thing?

ARIANNE:

You know, I think that soaps the way they use to be, and the way they need to be now, are different. They need to move a little faster with the age of the Internet; even the promos are so fast now. People who watch the soaps are used to it one way. I think you have to test things, and if you don’t test, you don’t know what’s going to work. I love working with a variety of people, and our ratings have gone up. It is a good story with the constant cattiness between Sami and Nicole. Now with Alison coming back, it will get really interesting!

MICHAEL:

Alison Sweeney, (Sami) just gave birth last week to a baby girl. When can we expect her back on the canvas to ‘duke it out’ with Nicole?

Sweeny.jpgARIANNE:

Alison had her baby last Monday, and she will soon be coming back to the grind. I think she only took two weeks off, so it will be exciting.

MICHAEL:

What do you hope to feel when you come off the stage on Saturday night?

ARIANNE:

Laughter! Making people laugh, and coming on the heels of Tuesday’s presidential inauguration, there is a lot of positivity right now. I think laughter is the best medicine for everything. If I get my lines out right, it will be a success!

MICHAEL:

Speaking of lines, you have so much to memorize on “DAYS”. Do you ever check
out and say, “Enough,
I can’t anymore?”

ARIANNE:

By the end of the week, your brain gets a little mushy. I find that I have to work and prepare either right after I get off work, or stay at work and learn my lines, or at least the majority of them, or I have to get up at five in the morning. After dinner time, I am useless when it comes to memorization. It works out well, and boy are we working fast! Between getting my hair and make-up done at 6:15AM, and getting ready before we get on stage, I barely run my lines with my co-stars. That’s why I feel doing stuff like the ACME theatre will be really fun. I have a week or at least four days to rehearse my lines!

MICHAEL:

How is working with devious Dr. Baker, played by soap vet, John Callahan? Don’t you guys break up in laughter sometimes?

john.jpgARIANNE:

He cracks me up. We try to get the laughter out beforehand. Some of the lines coming up with the whole Sami situation are so funny coming from him. We get a kick out of the story. He is enjoying himself.

MICHAEL:

This is the week of the final performances of Deidre Hall and Drake Hogestyn. (Marlena and John) Were you on the set for their
goodbyes?

ARIANNE:

I was at the studio, and they did not want a big final ‘ta-do’. I watched them on the show as a ‘tween’ in summers with my cousin, and its nuts, but they have their reasons. I am sad to see them go. I don’t know if they are gone for good or who knows, but stranger things have happened on the soaps.

MICHAEL:

Did you set any New Year’s resolutions for 2009?

ARIANNE:

I set goals, like my grocery list, and they happen when they happen. I try to manifest everything I want in my life. New Year’s resolutions to me are like Valentine’s Day, and Valentines Day should be all the time.

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MICHAEL:

Now, I have to talk to you about my other favorite performance of the year. That is of you as the head writer on the online soap, “Life in General”. What if you win the Soap Opera Spirit Award on Wednesday? How do you feel about the project?

Ariane11.jpgARIANNE:

That would be so exciting to win! I really hope “Life in General” goes. I love Karen Harris. She is wonderful! Basically, I played Karen Harris, I think. I came across this role through my old producer on “DAYS”, Roy Steinberg, who was working on it. The heart behind the show is: no one is making any money and it’s a really great project, and a great idea. I am sure many people thought of the idea, but Karen pushed it through. It’s two shows in one. It’s clever and obviously has great actors (She laughs referring to herself) I mean, Jobeth Williams from “Poltergeist”, which was my favorite movie, was in it. I had to hold my self back and not say, “I am your biggest fan!”

MICHAEL:

During my “Life in General” interviews, I spoke with Brynn Thayer, and she also told me how much she loved working with you.

ARIANNE:

I tried to get Brynn as my mother on “DAYS”, so we will see if that happens. I would love to see the show move. It’s gotten great reviews. It’s just a matter of time before this whole internet thing is huge. I would love to see it go, and I would play that and do Nicole.

Ari-outside.jpgMICHAEL:

Then you must be a workaholic, right?

ARIANNE:

I love working, and when you are an actor you just eat it up. I would rather be exhausted from doing what I love to do, than anything else.

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go get EJ Nicole,he is so bad. LOL

Days Of Our Lives

DAYS OF OUR LIVES: Marlena Looks Back at 50 Years in Salem

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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.

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Days Of Our Lives

Deidre Hall Marks 50 Years as ‘Days of Our Lives’ Dr. Marlena Evans

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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.

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Days Of Our Lives

Al Calderon Reflects on ‘Major Chapters’ Coming to an End on ‘Days of Our Lives’ and ‘Brilliant Minds’

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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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