Few cast members of Days of our Lives have gone through what Emily O’Brien and Rob Scott Wilson have since they started the long-running soap drama.
Rob had played Ben Weston before being written off the page and then back on as Alex Kiriakis, a new character. Emily appeared in the same scene as the recast of Jen Lilley’s character Theresa Donovan after having played the troublemaking part of Gwen Rizczech in the previous one.
So, what has it been like taking on new characters, while still mourning not playing your former alter-ego, and trying to make the audience go along for the ride with you? Both Emily and Rob weighed-in during the Michael Fairman Channel’s recent sit-down conversation with the duo at Day of Days 2023.
Emily revealed if she was ready to say goodbye to Gwen when she found about her role switch, admitting, “No, I wasn’t really ready. But this happens all the time. They’re circulating through characters. Characters come and go. And so you as an actor, you’re always thinking, this could be the time, you know? But, at that moment, I wasn’t expecting it just because I thought that there was more to flesh out with that storyline. What was a bigger shock was when they called and said, ‘Would you like to play the role of Theresa?’ It’s been a journey and one that I’m actually enjoying now. I wasn’t sure how to feel about it because I didn’t know how I would fit in in this role. I feel so fortunate to be working with Eric Martsolf (Brady), and Rob, and Jamie Mann (Tate) who is now playing my son. I get to work with all these new actors and kind of stretch my legs somewhere else now. It feels really good.”
Recently, viewers learned that Alex is supposedly the biological son of Victor Kiriakis (the late John Aniston) and not the son of Justin Kiriakis (Wally Kurth). Rob weighed-in on the whole story twist: “The only thing that would’ve made it better was if John was around to be a part of it, you know? t’s been amazing. It was a bittersweet thing. He’s (Alex) going to question him himself and question his family, his friends, his relationships. You know, it was almost like a lot of his life was a lie. But with that, you know, he’s the CEO of Titan. He’s the heir of the Kiriakis fortune, and we’ll see how long it lasts.” And it may not last long, if the Days of our Lives extended winter promo, which dropped during the Day of Days 2023 fan fest, is correct! In it, a stunning revelation seems to occur, which names Xander (Paul Telfer) aactually Victor’s bio-son, not Alex! Stay tuned.
Emily said, “There’s a lot to come, It’s a ride,” when asked what fans should expect as she delves more into Theresa’s skin. It was difficult at first, but I made a sincere effort to just focus on my work and do it to the best of my abilities. I’ve always focused on the statement, “They’ve given you this opportunity.” There’s a reason they trust you. Though it would not make sense at the moment, I believe fans would be taken aback. I’m wishing. I feel like I’ve finally found my footing, and everyone has been so encouraging.”
Rob continued, saying, “I am incredibly grateful to be working with my newest scene partner. We had a brief conversation about it with Gwen and Alex, and there was just a click between Emily and me. She’s a fantastic person in addition to being a superb actor. We try our hardest to practice and come in well-prepared, but the wonderful part is that we’re always learning something new. That is her availability. Subsequently, everything that transpired with Theresa was well-planned, allowing us to carry on with our newfound personalities.
Just a few months back, when Days of our Lives viewers saw the scene where a stunned Justin tells Alex that he is not his father, both Rob and Wally Kurth brought their A-game. Wilson commented on the emotional moment: “Ultimately, working with Wally he cares about the work and he’s just a pro. Wally’s a legend. So, we have a good dynamic and good chemistry So, for that moment to happen, we just wanted to do it justice.”