Alison Sweeney is back filming as Sami Brady on Days of our Lives
for episodes that will stream on Peacock starting in 2025.
“I was thrilled to be invited to return,” Sweeney enthuses.
“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.”
Sweeney made her daytime debut in 1993 as the teenage daughter of Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall) and Roman Brady (now played by Josh Taylor) and quickly became one of the genre’s most popular stars. She enjoyed a 21-year run before leaving to focus on other projects, including her numerous Hallmark series. The actress has made multiple visits to the soap since her exit 10 years ago and was happy this one lined up with her current filming schedule.
Evans Vestal Ward/Peacock/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images
“I am working on another movie I co-wrote and executive produced for Hallmark,” Sweeney reports. “I can’t wait to share with everyone the concept. But that will be later this year. I’m really proud of this movie.”
It’s been two years since Sweeney last appeared on Days, and she’s ready to pick up where she left off. “We were all trying to figure out how long it’s been; no one could remember!” she says with a laugh. “I remembered Sami’s grand exit storming out of the DiMera mansion. I was interested to hear how and why they were bringing Sami back to town. With Sami it could be anything.”
Though Days is not new territory for her, the actress admits she had some jitters before her first day. “I definitely get nervous every time,” she confides. “I always wonder if I can still memorize all these lines. I mean, when I’m doing the movies for Hallmark, we film eight or nine pages at most. Today I have 30-plus pages. It definitely pulls on different skills. And everyone at Days is used to doing it every day. I don’t want to be the one they’re waiting for.”
But she quickly got back in the groove, especially being in such familiar surroundings. “It does feel like a time capsule in some ways,” Sweeney muses. “The dressing rooms, the photos in the hallway, the make-up room is essentially the same as when I started in 1993. And many of the same people still work there. We can joke about things that happened 20 years ago. It’s very nostalgic for me. So many memories.”
One of the high points of being back is reconnecting with her co-stars, Sweeney shares. “Mary Beth Evans [Kayla Brady] was in the make-up room when I walked in,” she relays. “It was so fun to catch up with her, like no time has passed. We had a great chat, and it was so nice to see her.”
Since drama tends to follow Sami wherever she goes, Sweeney is excited about what she’ll be doing during her run. “Well, it was definitely an unexpected storyline they pitched me,” she teases. “I have to tell you, of all the ideas, I was pretty shocked.”
And she always appreciates the opportunity to play a character who is close to her heart. “I am so glad that Sami is still such a part of the town,” she smiles. “It’s fun for me.”
