She's back! (Read 327 times)

[André DiMera]

www.soapoperadigest.com/content/alison-sweeney-returns-to-days-of-our-lives-as-sami-brady/

Days of Our Lives superstar Alison Sweeney is headed back to Salem as Sami Brady and will first air in 2025. TV Insider was the first to report the news.

In her exclusive interview with TV Insider, Sweeney exulted, “I was thrilled to be invited to return. I love playing Sami and I am always happy for the chance to come back. We always have to figure out scheduling and such, but if at all possible, I’m so glad to make it happen.”

As for what brings Sami back into the DAYS mix, the actress teased that it “was definitely an unexpected storyline they pitched me” and that “all the ideas, I was pretty shocked.”

The actress assumed the role of Marlena (Deidre Hall) and Roman’s (Josh Taylor) daughter back in 1993 and remained with the show until 2014. Over the course of that 21-year run, Sweeney became one of DAYS’s most popular players, anchoring memorable storylines and romantic pairings and earning multiple Soap Opera Digest Awards (Best Young Actress in 1994 and 1997, Outstanding Villainess in 1996, 1998 and 1999).

In 2022, Digest readers voted Sweeney’s Sami as the best soap opera bad girl of all time. Among the character’s most pot-stirring actions, she kidnapped her baby half sister, Belle, and doctored the tot’s paternity test; she drugged Austin and had sex with him, then lied about Will’s paternity; she faked amnesia to hold on to Austin; she sold drugs to John while posing as “Stan”; she conspired with Kate and Gabi to cover up Nick’s murder; and she partnererd with Kate to take over DiMera as revenge against EJ. But the character also had a softer side, which were on display in her couplings with Lucas, Rafe and EJ, and in her mama-bear protectiveness of her kids, Will, Allie, Johnny and Sydney.

When Sweeney ended her original run, she told Digest that she had been pondering the decision for some time, both in light of her desire to spend more time with her family (husband Dave Sanov, son Ben and daughter Megan) and her increasing involvement with outside projects. “It’s definitely been something that I have thought about seriously for a long time, in terms of figuring out how to manage my time the best that I possibly can,” she explained. “My passion for working at DAYS has kept me there, obviously, for 21 years. I love Sami and I love Salem and I love the people I work with, so it was a really, really hard decision to walk away.”

Whenever possible, the show has welcomed her home for visits, and Sweeney reprised Sami in 2015, 2017,2018, 2019, 2020-21 and 2022.

When she wrapped her 2021 stint, Sweeney told Digest that she was open to further appearances. “Of course,” she said. “There’s always a chance. In fact, I would love to do more… I would always want to come home to Salem.”

She was true to her word, as she came back the next year. Upon that exit, Sweeney reiterated her hope for more Sami returns, telling Digest, “I’m always open to it. [Never] say never about what could happen next. I always love visiting Salem.”

Outside of the DAYS universe, Sweeney has become a fixture in the Hallmark universe, not only as an actress, but as a writer and producer. Her most recent project for the network, One Bad Apple: A Hannah Swensen Mystery, was released this past April.

[doolfan4life]

I know many aren’t happy about this but I am
I love Alison Sweeney and I love Sami faults and all

[André DiMera]

I'm with you, doolfan4life. I love Sami! This should be right around the time of the writing change, as well, so maybe she'll come with a good storyline.

[Kpatch]

Thanks for the info André DiMera. I hope her stint is short. I can't stand her and had to put up with her for more than 20 painful years.

[horizon]

Aug 6, 2024 11:26:29 GMT -5 Kpatch said:

Thanks for the info André DiMera . I hope her stint is short. I can't stand her and had to put up with her for more than 20 painful years.

This post made me laugh.

Without Nicole around who will she have fisticuffs with?

[Kpatch]

Aug 6, 2024 20:43:09 GMT -5 horizon said:

Aug 6, 2024 11:26:29 GMT -5 Kpatch said:

Thanks for the info André DiMera . I hope her stint is short. I can't stand her and had to put up with her for more than 20 painful years.

This post made me laugh.

Without Nicole around who will she have fisticuffs with?

Gabi? Belle if she comes back. Ava? I don't think Sami will have any trouble finding people to fight with. It's her default.

[mae00]

Sami's been gone for a while now so I'll give it a shot. Most of the other females have been boring as all get out.

Is she coming to rekindle the flame with EJ? Is she coming in to support Rafe or yell at him for sleeping on the job for so long?

Since Johnny will be producing/writing for Body and Soul, will she be coming in to take over a role on that?

As for who she can fight with - Kristen is still in town and there is no love lost there. Then there's Theresa for "causing Brady to relapse" or even Xander's mom for enabling him. There's Jada for not finding who has put Rafe in a coma yet, and of course there is Kate. All those two need to do is look at each other and they are fighting.

[doolfan4life]

I doubt she’ll get with ej as he wronged her saintly brother
I’d be interested to see her bond with Chanel over the loss of her baby
I find Chanel’s mom way more annoying tbh

[Trey]

Aug 6, 2024 11:26:29 GMT -5 Kpatch said:

Thanks for the info André DiMera. I hope her stint is short. I can't stand her and had to put up with her for more than 20 painful years.

Exactly! I like her small brief visits. I hope this one is short. Sami is one of my least favorite and over used characters. I still have PTSD from watching her front and center for so long.

Hopefully they don't try to pair her with EJ again.

[fluffysmom]

I'll be glad to see Sami. After all I do have a daughter named for her.

I'm sure her return won't be too long.

[gapeach]

I will also be glad to see Sami return but ONLY if they give her a decent storyline.