Days of Our Lives News (Page 6)

Dena Higley has officially been named the head writer of Days of Our Lives.

Higley's reinstatement as head writer ends a three-year absence from the show. She joined the Days of Our Lives in 1985.

As Soap Central reports, in early 2003, Higley presented Days of Our Lives executive producer Ken Corday with a detailed, long-term story outline. Corday liked the pitch so much that he hired Higley as the show's head writer. Her stay at the top, however, was short-lived, as Highley was demoted in May 2003, just three months after having been named to the position.

In September 2004, Dena agreed to take over the head writing duties at One Life to Live. However, she was not well-received by One Life to Live fans, many of whom accused the scribe of penning story for just a handful of her favorite characters.

Higley was relieved of her One Life to Live duties in June 2007. Now, she's come full circle.

Ross Matthews (better known as “Ross the Intern” on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno) will appear on the May 14 episode of Days of Our Lives.

This funny man will guest star as a patron at the Salem Health Club. He'll portray Chris, a man that befriends Sami Brady (Alison Sweeney), as she attempts to ignore the fact that she's jealous of husband EJ DiMera’s (James Scott) flirtations with Nicole Walker (Arianne Zucker).

Follow all that? If not, tune in to Days of Our Lives on May 14 and watch it all unfold.

We know this week isn't over yet, but readers are constantly clamoring for new Days of Our Lives spoilers. Here they are:

• Marlena (Deidre Hall) kisses John!

• Stephanie (Shelley Hennig, pictured) is kidnapped!

• Chloe and Nicole are kicked out of the mansion.

• Steve tries to make a deal with Ava (Tamara Braun).

Tamara Braun recently spoke with TV Guide Canada.

Having played complex anti-heroine Carly Corinthos on General Hospital for four years (2001-2005), Braun is now seducing millions of viewers as gun-toting whack job Ava Vitali on Days of Our Lives. Needless to say, we love her.

Here are highlights from the aforementioned interview:

TVGuide.ca: How is life in Salem?
Tamara Braun: I’m enjoying it! Everyone’s so nice over there. It’s great to go into work and enjoy the people I act with.

TVG: Days just cast Ava’s father, Martino Vitali with prime-time vet, Joe Penny. Do you know anything more than we do about Ava? Have you created a back story for her?
TB: I always create a back story for every character I play. Generally, I like to keep that to myself – especially on a soap – because they’ll write what they want to write and sometimes it doesn’t always mesh with what’s in my head.

And to share that would be a disservice to the audience. In a film or in a play with a beginning, middle and end, it’s safer as an actor to share your views on the character because it’s already on the page.

TVG: Your arrival also coincided with a new era at Days of Our Lives. How is the mood on the set. From my couch, it looks like everyone’s having a great time!
TB: That’s great to know. I have nothing to compare to it, because as I said I didn’t watch Days before. Ed Scott’s been fantastic — and he really cares about the show, cast and crew. That always makes for a healthy working environment.

James Scott portrays EJ Wells on Days of Our Lives. How does he feel about this character? That's what our friends at BuddyTV asked the actor:

You've gotten to play a lot of different types of characters within the character of EJ Wells – a good guy, a very bad guy – and what do you like playing more?
I prefer to play a bad guy. It's a lot more interesting. You can have a lot more fun, I think. Good guys, their role is pretty clean cut. They turn up, they say the right thing and, generally speaking, they end up running in circles looking like idiots, for the most part. Bad guys always tend to be smarter than that.

Where do you get the inspiration to be a bad guy?
I am not a very nice person, myself, which I find helps a lot. [laughs] I don't know. I don't know where I get the inspiration from. I've kind of been able to play with a lot of different characters, and I find that it doesn't come too hard to be able to do that. I think everybody has sides of them that are dark, and if you have experience as an actor and able to tap into those things, then it's not too hard to bring them to the surface.

Read the full interview with Scott now.

It looks to be an exciting upcoming week of episodes on Days of Our Lives. Here are a few spoilers for the show...

• Nicole wants EJ to be her new lawyer.

• Chelsea (Rachel Melvin, pictured) passes out.

• Bo and Kayla (Mary Beth Evans) sneak into the Vitali estate and attempt to rescue Patch and Hope.

• Phil (Jay Kenneth Johnson) tries to kick Nicole out of the Kiriakis mansion.

Joe Penny has been cast in the role of Martino Vitali on Days of Our Lives. He starts on the show on May 2.

Penny has starred in shows such as Riptide, Jake and the Fatman. The veteran actor has also made memorable guest starring appearances in a long list of TV shows including, CSI and The Sopranos.

All we know about Martino is that he conducts shady business, keeps a tight grip on his daughter and doesn't much like Steve. That's enough to get us intrigued!

Here's what viewers can look forward to on Days of Our Lives next week...

• Philip wines and dines Nicole. But what is his motive?

• EJ and Sami discuss Lucas (Bryan Dattilo, pictured).

• Steve and Hope (Kristian Alfonso) are recaptured.

• John wants Marlena to hypnotize him.

On the next few episodes of Days of Our Lives, here's what viewers can expect...

• John goes to war against the Kiriakis empire.

• Morgan flirts with Nick (Blake Berris, pictured).

• Sami and EJ lie to immigration officials in order for EJ to maintain his American residence.

• Ava cries when she visits her dad's grave and speaks with Max (Darin Brooks).

Here's an early look at what viewers can look forward to on Days of Our Lives next week...

• Belle and Shawn leave Salem with Claire. Their destination? A sailing trip around the world.

• Ava kidnaps Hope.

• Chloe (Nadia Bjorlin) tries to get a job with an opera company in Salem.

• John surprised Marlena (Deidre Hall, pictured) with a romantic evening.