Emmy Winner Eileen Davidson Returns to ‘Days of Our Lives’
Exclusive
She’s back, presumably with a vengeance. TV Insider can exclusively report that Emmy winner Eileen Davidson is returning to NBC’s Days of Our Lives. A rep for the soap says Davidson began filming June 5, and will be seen on-air during November sweeps. (Yes, Days shoots that far in advance!). The gig will not affect Davidson’s ongoing role as Ashley Abbott on CBS’s The Young and the Restless.
Days fans will likely assume that Davidson—also a regular on Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills—will once again play that deliciously wicked whackjob Kristen DiMera, the role that brought her a Daytime Emmy in 2014. But not so fast! The Days rep tells us that “the exact role—or roles—Eileen will be playing this time around is strictly under wraps. It’s all a big surprise for the audience.”
Hmm…might that mean Davidson will be adding to her phenomenal roster of Salem characters? In addition to playing the priest-raping, embryo-snatching Kristen, she’s also been seen on Days as Kristen’s dippy doppelganger Susan Banks, as well as Susan’s three siblings—Thomas, Penelope and Sister Mary Moira.
What isn’t a surprise is that Days’ new head writer Ron Carlivati—acclaimed for his maverick work on One Life to Live and General Hospital—would want to write for a nervy, wildly versatile star like Davidson. This is a match made in Heaven…and by that we mean Hell!
Like Sands Through the Hourglass…
Get absolutely everything about Days of our Lives in your inbox!
Conversation29 Comments
Please read the TV Insider Community Guidelines.
Comments are closed on this story.
-
C
Well, well. Days gets rid of Higley and Griffith and now all their popular stars (Sweeney, Massey and now Davidson) are returning back to the cast. I couldn't be happier. No matter what ED plays I'm sure she'll deliver. If it is Kristen I'm fine too because the Dimeras have been so boring and they need the Dimeras to be more formidable and interesting again.
4
-
B
I am so excited that we're getting at least TWO of Eileen's characters back!!! I didn't watch her previous returns under TomSell because they only focused on Kristen, and I don't care about Kristen. I did tune in for the three episodes with Susan in 2014, though, and I was impressed with the writing for her.
My favourite Eileen role is Susan Banks, so I am extremely excited to see her again. I would also love to see Sister Mary Moira. She is hysterical! Penelope Kent could appear as a ghost, and as I said before, Ron could write a timely story with Thomas Banks revealed to be a transgender man.
Hopefully if Kristen returns, we'll get a doppelganger story where she switches places with Susan or perhaps Sister Mary Moira this time. This is the kind of Days story that I love.
Susan is my favourite Days character of all time. I stopped watching Days full time in 2012 when they killed off Jack Deveraux, but I will certainly tune in for Eileen's storyarc this November.
2
-
B
OMG! Ron is totally going to write Thomas Banks as a trans man!!!
2
-
C
Ron C is the greatest things that has happened to Days in a LONG time! He has brought back actors I didn't think would come back to Days. I hope she's playing Kristen and Susan at least. I can't wait to start watching Days again when Ron's stories start in a few months.
1
-
R
Hooray! Hoping for Kristen.
1
-
O
I would be glad she is back no matter who she is.
1
-
B
So happy she is back show been rubbish without Sami and Kristen but one thing don't recast EJ it has to be James Scott or keep him dead James was the most leading male on Days by far from 2006 to 2014 he was part of Ejami they had so many fans even Sony still saying how missed Ejami are in a recent survey so how they recast EJ no Ejami fan will acept a EJ recast we want James back.
1
-
B
Speak for yourself. I stopped watching in 2006, but when I started again in 2011, my leading men were Austin, John, Jack, and Lucas.
I am a Susan Banks fan so I want EJ alive for her sake, whether it's James or a recast.
1
-
O
I agree, it has to be James Scott or forget bringing back EJ. The chemistry between Scott and Sweeney was amazing, and that is too difficult to duplicate with a recast.
-
-
B
With Eileen returning, this would be a great opportunity to bring back Lisa Rinna and cash in on some Real Housewives cross promotion.
Ron is off to a good start. I hope it lasts. First Susan/Kristen...I hope Carrie, Austin, Jack, Billie, and Celeste are next!
1
-
P
Had a feeling that once Ron took claim as head writer, he would find a way to make Eileen's deal with Sony Pictures Television work. I'm sure people know that when Eileen re-signed with THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS back in 2014, there was a clause that allowed her to appear on both Y&R and DAYS OF OUR LIVES, to avoid the pull that resulted in her 2012 firing.
I am hoping she is reprising her portrayal of Kristen DiMera, as the return of Sami and Will is said to also be in-conjunction with a recast EJ, so it would make sense for Kristen to make herself a presence in the resurgence of the DiMera family. Though, I would not object to a Susan appearance, as well. What I am [most] excited about is that she won't be leaving the role of Ashley. I'm very happy with seeing Eileen as Ashley, a character I've watched her as since I was little.
1
-
B
If EJ is indeed recast, it makes total sense that we'd see Susan (and perhaps the other Banks siblings as well).
I'm still convinced it was Susan disguised as Kristen who injected EJ with the cure for death. Eileen has a very specific appearance and way of acting when she is playing Susan impersonating Kristen (and vice versa), and I got "Susan-as-Kristen" vibes from that scene.
-
P
Camila Banus kind of spilled the beans that "he" was coming back, but would not confirm who the "he" was. So, from that kind of unintentional tidbit, I'm assuming it is EJ coming back.
-
B
I hope it's Jack Deveraux. He's my favourite male Days character, and if all these other dead characters are returning, Jack should be brought back as well.
I don't care for EJ but I love Susan, so I want him alive for his mama's sake. He's her only child. I could accept a recast as I never felt strongly about James Scott one way or the other. -
P
The only way I could accept Jack Deveraux is if it's someone who is not Matthew Ashford. I've never been compelled by his casting or his take on the character. I feel like both Mark Valley and Steve Wilder gave better performances in the role.
As for an EJ recast, I'm torn. On one had, I do like James Scott as an actor; on the flip side, I am aware he was not yearning to return to daytime when he left, and was looking towards other projects and avenues.
-
B
How do you not like Matthew Ashford? He was the reason Jack and Jennifer were the show's most popular supercouple in the early 90s.
Valley and Wilder? Seriously??
You're trolling me.
-
P
I love Matt Ashford! He is one of my favorites, and can be hysterically funny. Never cared for Mark and Steve. Never cared much for EJ but wouldn't mind if he came back.
1
-
P
No; I'm not trolling you. I've never been a fan of Ashford nor his portrayal of Jack. Besides, I don't even see the need for Jack to come back.
1
-
B
You don't see the need? He's Jennifer's soulmate, and as I said, they are one of Days' most popular supercouples. If Patch and Kayla and John and Marlena can be together, Jack and Jennifer should be together as well.
-
O
Jennifer has never had the chemistry with another man like she had with Jack. Not even Frankie.
1
-
P
There are other pairing that Jennifer has been in that I would honestly rather see re-visited than the continued stalemate that is Jen and Jack.
-
B
Jennifer has been in a series of failed pairings (Emilio, Peter, Colin, Brandon, Daniel, etc...). Jack is her soulmate. Again, they are a legendary supercouple. Let that sink in: SUPERCOUPLE. Jack makes Jennifer interesting. He's the only man for her.
I've never talked to someone who doesn't like Matthew Ashford. It's like you're from outer space or something. Hopefully you'll see the light. -
O
Of the ones you listed, Peter was the best, but a lot of that had to do with his sister Kristen and the DiMeras in general.
I liked Franky, but Jack is and always will be the best for Jennifer.
Jack is also important for his brother and sister, Steve and Adrienne, as well as his daughter and son, Abby and JJ.
A Jack return would be most welcome. I never understood why Jack had to hit the road while played by Matthew Ashford and it seemed to be a strong message sent when Jack last "died." He got the shaft!
Of course, DOOL was open for his return, but only in dreams, but that's a step in the right direction that could lead to a Jack in-the-flesh return. If it's not MA, they shouldn't bother.
-
B
Peter was never a legitimate love interest, though. He was the evil DiMera trying to come between Jack and Jenn. I agree with your other points.
1
-
P
It's called having different likes; no need for me to see any kind of light.
-
B
You have bad taste. You should be a Matthew Ashford fan. I don't get why you're not. Oh well. I'll just ignore you and your hate from now on.
-
P
I'm not *hating* on him at all; I've said nothing nasty concerning him. All I have said I that I am not a fan of his acting in the role of Jack. That is hardly hate; now had I said he effing sucks and is a horrible actor, THAT would be HATE. And, then, because of this, I have "bad taste". Hardly so, sir/ma'am!
-
-
P
Can't wait for Eileen to come back! Yaaaayyy. This is how to explain her last very strangely appearance. It wasn't Kristen. Instead it was yet another sister to Susan Banks. Kristen wasn't that looney toons. In fact she might even have seen the error of her ways, and become a "good guy" this time. However, lurking around the corner ... is lots of ideas for how to do this!
-
B
Kristen was totally bonkers. Remember the horrible things she did in the 90s?
-
Watchlist Easy access to only the shows you care about — all in one simple place
Alerts Only important notifications — when a show is returning, when it becomes available to stream, and more.
Special Offers Exclusive products we release related to your favorite shows and streaming services