When it comes to daytime television, the name Deidre Hall is synonymous with the genre. After all, she’s an icon in the business and has spent more than 50 years entertaining soap fans. This month, Hall celebrates a major milestone: 50 years of playing the iconic Dr. Marlena Evans on Days of Our Lives.
To mark the occasion, Hall has been making the rounds and reflecting on her incredible career. During a recent appearance on TODAY with Craig Melvin, she even ended up slapping the host.
Don’t worry, it was all in good fun.
Key Takeaways
- Deidre Hall shows Craig Melvin how soap slaps are done.
- Hall shows appreciation for Ryan Gosling’s comments about her work on the show.
- She also reveals she initially turned down the role of Marlena.
Deidre Hall Almost Passed on Days of Our Lives
During the interview, Hall looked back on her original audition for Days of Our Lives in 1976.
She revealed that she initially passed on the script because she mistakenly believed she was the producers’ last choice for the role.
However, her agent quickly cleared up the misunderstanding.
“I thought I was their last choice,” Hall recalled.
However, she soon heard the words: “You were their first choice.”
Her response?
“Tell them I’ll be there.”
The rest is television history.
From Possession to Resurrections
Over the years, Hall has been at the center of some of the most memorable storylines in soap opera history, including Marlena’s infamous devil possession storyline, not once but twice.
Looking back on some of the show’s wildest twists, Hall laughed about the many things that can happen to a soap character.
“They would kill you off, you’d come back, you’d be in a coma, you’d come back,” she said. “I mean, it’s amazing. It’s a life, what can I say?”
Ryan Gosling Calls Deidre Hall His Inspiration
Hall also reacted to learning that actor Ryan Gosling has described her as his original acting inspiration.
“I was stunned,” Hall admitted.
She went on to praise Gosling’s work, saying she was honored by the compliment.
“His work is so impeccable, and he’s so honest and so clean. I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, what is he seeing?’ But what a lovely gesture. I’m beyond flattered.”
The Art of the Soap Slap
Of course, no conversation about Marlena Evans would be complete without mentioning soap opera slaps.
Hall has delivered plenty of them over the years.
During the segment, she gave Craig Melvin a quick lesson on how to pull off a convincing soap slap. She explained that the key is snapping your head back at just the right moment.
The two then acted it out, creating a fun moment that had the studio crew laughing.
No Retirement Plans Anytime Soon
As for retirement, Hall says fans shouldn’t expect her to leave Salem anytime soon.
“As long as my key card opens the gate, I’m there,” Hall said. “It’s my family. I love that place. I couldn’t resist.”
After 50 years as Marlena Evans, it sounds like Deidre Hall is exactly where she wants to be.
You can watch the full TODAY segment below to see Hall’s hilarious soap slap demonstration with Craig Melvin.
Follow Soap Opera News on Google News to stay up to date with all the latest news, spoilers, recaps, interviews, and more.
Leave a Reply