Kristian Alfonso quits ‘Days Of Our Lives’ after 37 years on NBC show: 'Time for me to write my next chapter'
After more than three decades, Kristian Alfonso has finally announced her departure from Days of Our Lives -- marking the end of an era. “Days of Our Lives has been a vital part of both my personal and professional journey,” the 56-year-old actress said in a statement on Monday via Instagram. “I am forever grateful to NBC and the late [producer] Betty Corday, who took a chance on me many years ago and changed my life.”
The Massachusetts native played Hope Williams Brady on the daytime soap opera, debuting in 1983. Alfonso thanked her co-stars and all those associated with the decades-long series. “I have built some lifelong friendships with my extraordinarily talented castmates. Days has one of the hardest working crews in all of television, many of whom have become part of my extended family,’ she continued. “I feel blessed and honored to have been invited into people’s homes for over three decades.”
The former figure skater and fashion model said it was “now time for me to write my next chapter.” Alfonso revealed that she has already fined her final episode on the series, which resumed production in September. “To the incredibly loyal fans of Days, many of you have been with me on this journey from the beginning,” the Falcon Crest alum concluded. “I cannot thank you enough for your generosity, love, and support. I could not have done it without YOU!!!”
Alfonso's character Hope Williams fell in love with Bo Brady (played by Peter Reckell. The actress took a two-year hiatus in 1987 before returning briefly from April to July 1990 -- when the entire town of Salem was shown to believe Hope had died. In 1994, Alfonso returned to the show as Gina, an amnesiac who looked just like Hope. A detailed storyline followed featuring the ill-intentioned Stefano DiMera (played by Joseph Mascolo) who convinced Gina that she was Princess Gina Von Amberg, but she eventually turns out to be Hope. Stefano is finally killed by Hope, a high ranking detective in the Salem Police Department. She is haunted by her decision to kill Stefano for many years.
Like several other shows, the production for Days of Our Lives was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic in March. Alfonso's final episodes were reportedly shot before the hiatus. The soap is now set to resume filming in the fall for season 56 that premieres January. In November last year, the cast of 'Days of Our Lives' spoke to DailyMail TV and denied rumors that the show was canceled. Alfonso told TV Line at the time: "It's totally wrong, we're still here. It's totally wrong. I'm sitting in my dressing room right now. We would love to know where this is from. The head writer just went upstairs to do a long-term story meeting. It's insane, it's crazy."
Camila Banus, who plays Gabi Hernandez on the soap opera, added, "There's not much to clear up. We're in negotiations and nothing has been set so that's just false information, that's it. It's just our regular hiatus."