Deidre Hall feels honored to have spent 50 years with Days of our Lives. Surprisingly, her role was intended to last only 13 weeks. But she was able to tell Marlena’s story in a plethora of ways due to the popularity of her alter ego.
Key Takeaways
- Hall is celebrating her 50-year run with the daytime soap.
- She recalled some of her most iconic storylines.
- Hall admitted that she initially signed a 13-week contract, which is typical for the industry.
From Short Stint to Lasting Legacy
In an interview with TV Insider, Hall is grateful for her 50-year legacy with DAYS. She also gets to celebrate the soap’s 60th anniversary. When she first appeared on the soap, she signed a 13-week contract, which was standard in the soap industry.
“There are no guarantees. You start with a 13-week contract. Back then, magazines had popularity polls, and I thought, ‘You like me? You really like me? Oh wow. That’s nice,’” Hall recalled.
The soap viewers wanted to see more of Marlena on the screen. After being in Salem for 50 years, Hall gets her inspiration and motivation from the passionate viewers.
“It’s been 50 years, it’s new every day, and I couldn’t be happier. Sixty years is such a really good thing to celebrate,” the soap legend noted.
Earlier in the interview, Hall admitted that her casting was the game-changer. At the time, she appeared on The Young and the Restless as Barbara Anderson. That’s when she realized she wanted to remain in the soap genre. She loved the camaraderie among the cast behind the scenes. They went on to become friends and would often travel together.
Her agent mentioned a role on Days of Our Lives, and the rest is history. “I knew I’d found a place that was always going to feel like home,” Hall noted.
Memorable Moments
DAYS fans might have various opinions on Marlena’s most iconic storylines. As for Hall, she loved working with her twin sister, Andrea Hall, who played Marlena’s twin sister, Samantha Evans.
The storyline started with a simple question by the show’s former head writer, Anne Marcus. “‘What is a storyline you’ve always wanted to do but haven’t?’” Hall recalled.
She mentioned that she wanted to film a storyline with her twin sister. Marcus was shocked to learn about Hall’s twin sister and wanted to know more.
Her sister didn’t have formal training. However, she didn’t let that stop her from pursuing the role. She exuded confidence and the ability to cry on the spot, which inspired Hall. “So that’s a twinship — if she can do it, I can do it,” Hall said.
