Days of Our Lives fans last saw Emily O’Brien this winter when she made a brief visit to the Peacock soap opera as Theresa Donovan. Now, the actress will be returning to the series once again later this year in her original role as Gwen Rizczech.
O’Brien filmed her return to the soap last year, with Soap Opera Digestconfirming that the character will return to the screen beginning July 7.
O’Brien joined Days of Our Lives in 2020 in the role of Gwen, which she portrayed until 2023. Gwen was quickly revealed to be the daughter of Jack Deveraux (Matthew Ashford) and Tiffany Rizczech (Emily O’Brien in flashbacks). The character had a major rivalry with her on-screen half-sister Abby DiMera (Marci Miller). She quickly became best friends with Leo Stark (Greg Rikaart). The best friends had a major falling out when Leo fell in love with Gwen’s husband Dimitri Von Leuschner (Peter Porte). Heartbroken, Gwen left town with the Von Leuschner fortune, but not before confirming that this wasn’t goodbye forever, and that she would one day return to Salem.
O’Brien then took over the role of Theresa Donovan from actress Jen Lilly. The switch took place on her last episode as Gwen on October 6, 2023. As Gwen boarded an airplane out of Salem, O’Brien’s version of Theresa was disembarking from one in Salem. O’Brien would continue to play the role off and on until this past March.
O’Brien is not the only return coming this year. Some of the confirmed familiar names returning to the show include: Gwen’s father, Jack Deveraux (Matthew Ashford), and his wife Jennifer Deveraux (Melissa Reeves). Twins Sami Brady (Alison Sweeney) and Eric Brady (Greg Vaughan), Sami’s son, Will Horton (Chandler Massey), and his daughter and Sami’s granddaughter, Arianna Horton (Marissa Reye). The highly anticipated return of Bo Brady (Peter Reckell) and Hope Williams Brady (Kristian Alfonso) is also confirmed. Additional returns include that of Tony DiMera (Thaao Penghlis), and his wife Anna DiMera (Leann Hunley).
O’Brien’s also appeared on fellow Sony produced soap opera, The Young and the Restless, as Jana Hawkins, where she also played opposite Greg Rikaart.
Days of Our Lives streams weekdays on Peacock.
