Deidre Hall Looks Back on Some of Her Favorite (and One Least Favorite) Things on Days of Our Lives
Step behind the curtain, dear viewer, into a world where fiction bleeds into reality, where the lines between performance and truth blur in the most unexpected ways. What you are about to hear is not a scripted scene — it is the confession of someone who lived through decades of drama, both on screen and off.
Let us begin with a startling admission — one that cuts straight to the bone.
There was a dark thrill in playing the villain. The actress admits it with a wry smile: killing people on the show was, in her own words, “a change of pace.” Fun, even. A dark playground where the rules of morality were suspended, and chaos reigned supreme. Imagine stepping into the shoes of someone who could do the unthinkable — and savoring every moment of it. That was the gift she gave herself when she took on those sinister roles.
But there was another role she cherished even more — the role of a sister. Not a fictional one, but her real twin, brought into the very heart of the story.
Her twin sister stepped onto the soundstage like a whirlwind of talent. First, she embodied Samantha — evil, cunning, dripping with malice. The audience hated her, which meant she was doing everything right. But then came Hattie. And Hattie was something else entirely — hilarious, unpredictable, unforgettable. The twin sister stole scenes with ease, weaving through plot twists that would make even the most seasoned actor dizzy. Watching her, the actress couldn’t help but think: She had the best job on the entire show.
The jealousy was playful, but the admiration was real.
Then there were the rare encounters with a legend. John Aniston — a name that carried the weight of decades, a man who walked onto the set with an air of dignity that demanded respect. He was always prepared. Always polished. But what most people didn’t know was the heart of a comedian beating beneath that dignified exterior. Every day with John felt like waiting for the punchline. He didn’t just tell jokes — he curated them. Original jokes. The best jokes. The kind that made you forget you were working and remember you were alive. The actress laughs, suggesting he should have been renamed “Did You Hear The One About?” Because with John, you always did — and you were always grateful for it.
And then came Ann Marcus.
A name that might not echo through the halls of casual viewers, but for those who knew the golden era of television, she was a titan. Fresh off the brilliance of Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman, Ann arrived on the show as a writer unlike any other. She was a visionary. An innovator. And, perhaps most importantly, a true daredevil. She didn’t play it safe. She didn’t follow the formula. She tore up the rulebook and wrote her own story.
When Ann called for a meeting with five or six actors before officially starting, the actress knew something extraordinary was about to happen. What she didn’t expect was a single question that would change everything.
“What’s the storyline you’ve always wanted to do but never have?”
Let that sink in. Not “Here’s what we’re doing.” Not “Here’s your character arc.” But a genuine, open-ended invitation to dream. It was genius. Strategic. Because Ann understood something that few writers ever grasp: when you give an actor the story they’ve always wanted to play, they will pour every ounce of their being into it. They will bleed for it. They will make it unforgettable.
The actress didn’t hesitate. The answer had been buried in her heart for years.
“I’d like to work with my twin sister.”
She watched Ann’s eyes widen. “You have a twin sister?”
And then — without another word — Ann stood up and left the room.
The actress smiled, knowing exactly what was happening. Ann was making phone calls. Pulling strings. Moving mountains. And within a breathtakingly short time, the twin sister was on a plane to California, bound for the set, ready to bring evil Samantha to life.
It was a dream realized. A collaboration born from a single question. And it worked brilliantly.
But not every behind-the-scenes story has such a happy ending.
There was Kellum Chandler. The character was fine — serviceable, even. And the actor who played him? Perfectly professional. Skilled. Not a single thing wrong with his performance. But here is where human nature takes an ugly turn. The actor bore an unfortunate resemblance to someone from the actress’s past — someone she held an enormous, burning dislike for.
Every scene they shared became a silent battle. Not because of anything he did. But because his face was a mirror reflecting someone she couldn’t stand. The work was never easy. The chemistry was never natural. And every take was a tightrope walk between professionalism and pure, irrational frustration.
Such is the secret life of an actor: playing love, hate, fear, and longing — while hiding your own heart beating just beneath the surface.
The cameras roll. The audience watches. And the truth stays hidden, waiting for a moment like this to finally be told.
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