Kristian Alfonso Is Leaving ‘Days of Our Lives’ After 37 Years
The end of an era! Kristian Alfonso announced her departure from Days of Our Lives after more than three decades on the show.
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“Days of Our Lives has been a vital part of both my personal and professional journey,” Alfonso, 56, said in a statement on Monday, July 6, 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, who made her debut as Hope Williams Brady on the daytime soap opera in 1983, thanked her costars and everyone involved with the long-running series.
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“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 Falcon Crest alum added that it’s “now time for me to write my next chapter.”
Alfonso explained that she has already filmed her final episode and once the series resumes production in September, she will no longer be a part of the cast.
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“To the incredibly loyal fans of Days, many of you have been with me on this journey from the beginning,” the Daytime Emmy winner concluded. “I cannot thank you enough for your generosity, love and support. I could not have done it without YOU!!!”
She joined the show in season 19, with two short breaks in 1987 and 1990. Alfonso returned to the series in 1994, after a storyline left fans thinking she had died.
Her character is best known for her romance with Bo Brady, played by Peter Reckell. She eventually became a prominent detective with the Salem Police Department and killed Stefano DiMera (Joseph Mascolo).
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Days of Our Lives’ production was postponed, like many other shows, due to the coronavirus pandemic in March. Alfonso’s final episodes, however, were shot before the halt happened.
The soap is set to resume filming in the fall after being renewed for season 56 in January.
