Days of Our Lives' Camila Banus Seemingly Shades Former Costars' 'Behavior'
One year after announcing her exit from Days of Our Lives, actress Camila Banus shared a cryptic message about her relationship with her former costars.
“I will never understand all the people at my previous place of employment that are friends with snakes,” Banus, 33, wrote in a recent Instagram Story, according to Soaps.com. “Just know this. I remember all, I will continue to remember how those snakes treated me and how others allowed and perpetuated their behavior.”
She continued: “I remember times where everyone just stayed quiet, knowing what was happening was wrong. Men and women.” The message reportedly included teapot and cup of tea emojis.
Banus ended her 13-year run playing Gabi Hernandez on the long-running series in November 2023. Six months prior, she explained in an interview with The Wrap that the show’s move from NBC to Peacock played a large role in her decision to exit the series.
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“Although it’s been wonderful and we’ve had a super great reception, for me, I felt like that was kind of like the initial start for changes happening in general,” she told the outlet in May 2023. “And I kind of just saw that as a sign for me to start the next chapter in my life.”
She also noted that there were failed negotiations between her and producers about adjusting her schedule to allow “more time off,” explaining, “[I said], ‘I need to slow down. And part of that is you guys accepting this shooting schedule for me, and you won’t. So I have to respectfully bow out and say thank you.’ That’s all I can do.”
Not long after her exit announcement, news broke that the show’s director and co-executive producer Albert Alarr was the subject of an internal investigation into on-set misconduct allegations. Deadline reported in July 2023 that Alarr allegedly groped cast members and once kissed a cast member without her consent. The investigation was launched after an employee filed a complaint claiming female employees were more impacted by a round of layoffs than men.
Alarr denied the allegations, but multiple cast members signed a petition asking for Alarr to be replaced. He ultimately parted ways with Days in August 2023.
Earlier this year, former Days star Arianne Zucker filed a lawsuit against the show’s production company and executive producer Ken Corday for harassment, retaliation, discrimination and wrongful termination, claiming she and multiple women were sexually harassed on set. Zucker, 49, also claimed that Corday, 73, was aware of Alarr’s alleged misconduct.
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“Alarr, Corday [Production Inc.] and Ken Corday treated female employees disproportionately than male employees,” Zucker alleged in court documents obtained by Us Weekly in February. “Female hair and makeup employees and female actresses were often berated and given tasks that were purposefully impossible to perform within the given time frame. Alarr often yelled at female employees, in the presence of Plaintiff, bringing them to tears. Alarr did not yell or berate the male employees. A female actress complained to Alarr that she was morally uncomfortable about a certain scene, and was subsequently fired by Corday and Ken Corday.”
A spokesperson for Days denied the lawsuit’s claims in a statement to Us at the time. “Corday Productions offered to renew Ms. Zucker’s contract including offering her a pay increase. Rejecting Ms. Zucker’s counteroffer does not constitute retaliation,” the rep stated. “Complaints about Mr. Alarr’s on-set behavior were promptly investigated. Corday Productions fully cooperated with the impartial investigation and subsequently terminated Mr. Alarr.”
