Casting Coup: How Victoria Konefal Has Revitalized Ciara on Daysof Our Lives

Remember the bland, brooding monotone Ciara on Days of Our Lives (DOOL)?

Well, that girl’s a part of the past thanks to Victoria Konefal, who’s totally revitalized the character. The newcomer’s feisty spirit, coupled with the writers’ total reinterpretation of Bo and Hope’s (Kristian Alfonso) daughter, has finally made Ciara a vibrant force to be reckoned with.

New Girl
From the moment Konafel’s Ciara arrived home and rode into the town square on daddy Bo’s motorcycle, it was clear she had undergone a major metamorphosis.

No longer was the character boring and lackluster. She was now fun and fiery; a spirited young woman with a vibrant personality who was ready to stir the action in Salem, instead of watching from the sidelines.

Bickering Babes
The talented Konefal is the perfect foil for Olivia Rose Keegan’s Claire, DAYS’ other young female powerhouse.

The two gals are perfect opposing forces who can spat it out with the best of them – be it about boys, family, or anything teen.

How fun was it watching them bicker and smash each other’s ornaments during the annual Horton Christmas tree decorating party? And their rivalry over Theo (Kyler Pettis) is both heartfelt and hilarious, as they both try to stake their claim to the sensitive hunk.

Mama’s Little Maverick
The new Ciara is also giving mom Hope (Kristian Alfonso) a few more headaches, not to mention her fiancé Rafe (Galen Gering), a man she long thought of as a second father.

After accidentally overhearing Rafe and Sami (Alison Sweeney) discussing their one-night tryst, Ciara’s been battling with what to do with the information and causing havoc as she tries to figure it out.

Her drunken antics on New Year’s Eve displayed what a troublemaker she can be, as Konefal rose to the challenge, depicting Ciara’s boisterous bratty side, as well as that of an extremely sensitive and hurt young woman.

The Teen Scene
Best of all, Konafel has helped round out DAYS’ emerging younger set. Between her, Keegan, and Lucas Adams (Tripp), the soap finally has the makings of a strong young core that can really go places, plot-wise.

They’re three characters tied to major Salem families who viewers can really care about and root for. It’s been decades since DAYS hit pay dirt in that department, dating back to Kirsten Storms (ex-Belle), Jason Cook (ex-Shawn), Jay Kenneth Johnson (ex-Philip) and Nadia Bjorlin (Chloe) of the early 2000s.

Days of our Lives (DOOL) airs weekdays on NBC. Check your local listings for air times.