Leading ladies come and go on daytime. One minute their characters are basking in romance or stirring up trouble. The next, they’re abruptly leaving town or, worse yet, find themselves six feet under. Here’s a list of four standout actresses Salem fans have been missing, and we’d love to see back on Days of our Lives.
The last actress to play Abigail, Marci Miller, is a formidable talent. Nominated for three Outstanding Lead Actress Daytime Emmy Awards during her run on DAYS, she played Abigail with the perfect blend of sweetness and strength, whether she was loving on Chad (Billy Flynn), tracking down a story for The Spectator, or going head-to-head with Gwen (Emily O’Brien). The character’s death left a huge void on the soap. Surely, Dr. Rolf could work his magic and resurrect her, but first, the powers-that-be would have to lure Miller back to daytime.
Before Miller took over as Abigail, Kate Mansi shined in the pivotal role, snagging Daytime Emmy gold for Outstanding Supporting Actress in 2017. She was the girl in the middle of the riveting Chad/Abigail/Ben triangle, and had impeccable chemistry with both Flynn and Robert Scott Wilson. Plus, she played the character’s mental breakdown with precision and guile. If Miller’s not up to resurrecting Abby, Mansi surely could without missing a beat.
After starting out as a troublemaker, Melanie transformed into a heroine to root for in the capable hands of Molly Burnett. Navigating her share of tangled relationships, from Nick (Blake Berris) all the way to Philip (Jay Kenneth Johnson), she found stability via her bond with her grandma, Maggie (Suzanne Rogers). Although Melanie ultimately found love with Brady (Eric Martsolf), Theresa (Jen Lilley) blackmailed her into breaking up with him and leaving town or vowed not to let him see their son, Tate. With Theresa long gone and Brady in the midst of major love woes with Chloe (Nadia Bjorlin), the timing for Burnett’s return as Melanie would be perfect. She must get downtime from Law & Order: SVU during their hiatus, right?
Nobody added spice to Salem better than Tionne Watkins as Sheila. A former con and Eli’s (Lamon Archey) childhood pal, Sheila was a master at stirring the pot, and Watkins made every scene she was in a must-watch. She left DAYS in 2019, after the show forged a quirky yet delightful friendship between Sheila and Abe (James Reynolds). Now that he’s happily married to Paulina (Jackée Harry), bringing Sheila into the mix would be interesting. The two women could easily become adversaries or close friends. Either way, it would be fun to watch.
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