Salem is saying goodbye to one of its own as Emily O’Brien exits Days of Our Lives following her character Theresa Donovan’s arrest at the end of July 2024.
The actress confirmed her departure in an interview with Soap Opera Digest, sharing that her time playing Theresa had officially come to an end. It was further confirmed in the August 8th episode, streaming on Peacock, as it was revealed Theresa was sent to Statesville prison, where she’ll likely spend a lengthy sentence for her crimes.
Among her criminal exploits, Theresa had just come clean to kidnapping baby Victoria and defrauding Alex and Xander as well as conspiring with Konstantin to steal the Kiriakis fortune. While Theresa’s imprisonment isn’t something that would usually raise alarm bells among fans as characters have been known to make appearances in their prison duds, O’Brien’s exit from the series may come as a bigger surprise.
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In the interview, O’Brien revealed, “I wasn’t supposed to be on the show for as long as I was. I never thought that daytime would be something that was accessible to me again,” she admitted to the outlet, acknowledging her previous role as Jana on The Young and the Restless.
O’Brien recalled her emotional exit behind the scenes as she said, “I was in tears, and I faced everybody on stage and I looked at the cameras. Then I just told everyone how incredibly lucky I am.”
Overall, O’Brien expressed appreciation for her experience, as she added, “I not only got to play one amazing role, but I played two amazing roles.” As fans of Days will recall, O’Brien debuted in her role as Theresa in October 2023. But she spent more than two years playing schemer Gwen Rizczech.
Ultimately, O’Brien really enjoyed her time playing Theresa as she continued. “I ended up falling in love with Theresa and who she is and the circle that she’s involved in. The fact that [team] put their trust in me to play both of these roles… I just feel so grateful for that experience.”
While O’Brien’s exit may be long-term, when asked about whether she’d ever reprise her Days roles, she noted, “You never know.”
What do you think of Emily’s exit? Let us know in the comments section, below and catch Days of Our Lives when it streams on Peacock.
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