Daytime TV Performer of the Week: ‘DAYS’ Star Paul Telfer Delivers Agonizing Performance as Xander Confesses to Attacking Philip

Anyone who saw Paul Telfer‘s win as Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his performance as Xander Kiriakis at the Daytime Emmys last week and was tempted to tune into Days of our Lives this week saw just why the deserving performer won the accolade.

For his performance as a tortured man who confessed to his wife, the brutal beating of his brother – and subsequent lying – TV Insider bestows Performer of the Week honors on the Daytime Emmy-winning Telfer.

Xander confessed to having beaten up Philip (John-Paul Lavoisier), but he professed to his wife (for now) Sarah (Linsey Godfrey) that he had changed. On one hand, Xander’s heartfelt plea appeared 100% genuine. On the other, Sarah can’t see past her husband’s wicked ways.

“At least let me try to explain,” Xander begged as he tentatively took steps towards his wife. “It was a horrible mistake that I will regret for the rest of my life!”

When Sarah informed her hubby that this time they were truly done, the look on Xander’s face was palpable. Telfer realized that it Sarah wasn’t going to forgive him. This time, it wasn’t just about beating Philip to within an inch of his wife. It was about the lying.

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“You can’t mean that,” Xander begged Sarah after she told him that this time their split was for good. He pointed out that he’d gone into therapy with Dr. Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall), but his words fell upon deaf ears. A dejected Xander left, knowing a reconciliation wasn’t going to happen.

Ironically, with nowhere else to go, Xander showed up at the hotel room of his brother Philip, the man he beat up. Philip tried to console his brother, telling him he’d been here before with Sarah. Telfer played it from deep within Xander’s gut that this time was different as he saw that hate in Sarah’s eyes — a hate that he had caused.

“I should not have come here,” Xander sighed. “You have every right to dance on my proverbial grave.” Philip tried to get his brother not to be hard on himself.

“How is it that the only friend that I have left in the whole world is the brother I almost killed,” Xander rhetorically lamented with a tone of tragedy normally reserved for actors performing Shakespeare.

Philip said if he could forgive Xander then Sarah would, too, eventually. “Sarah holds me to a different standard than you do,” Xander told Philip.

Philip told his brother not to take offense at what he was about to say when he pointed out that he wasn’t in love with him. “Neither is she,” replied a resigned Xander as the realization he’d lost everything continued to sink in. “Not anymore.”

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Alone, a devastated Xander picked up a glass vase and started to throw it, which would have smashed it into smithereens – much like Philip’s bones nearly were when he brutally attacked him. But then, he caught himself, took a deep breath, and put the intact vase back where he got it. Why continue the behavior that cost you everything? Whether the decision not to smash the vase was scripted or a choice that Telfer or the director made, the performer nailed it! There didn’t need to be cut glass all over the floor for Xander’s pain to be evident.

Xander chose to refrain from acting out in anger with the vase, but ironically, it’s too late to regain Sarah’s trust. Bravo to Telfer for a delivering another powerhouse performance that is award-worthy.

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