Days of our Lives Casting Cuts: Galen Gering Out?

With Days of our Lives stars back on set this week after being released from their contracts last fall, many have wondered who will be asked back and who will be a casualty as the show tightens its budget and its cast. Now, it looks like Galen Gering may be one of the actors to exit.

Galen Gering Leaving Salem?

The actor, who joined DAYS in 2008 as Rafe Hernandez, was a guest on The Cliff Dorman Show. During the two-part podcast interview, he was asked what was going on with DAYS now that the show is coming back.

“The fact of the matter is, I might as well say it, I don’t know how much longer I’m going to be on the show,” Gering revealed, referring to his status with DAYS. Gering says he’ll be shooting new episodes at DAYS, but not for very long. “I’m definitely going back for a bit,” he says.

Gering has been working mostly non-stop in soaps for over 20 years. An original cast member of Passions, Gering joined the daytime world in 1999 as Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald. After that series concluded, he was scooped up by DAYS to play FBI agent Rafe Hernandez and was paired with Alison Sweeney’s Sami.

Earlier this week, Sweeney announced on social media that she was back taping at DAYS. Could Sami’s return have something to do with Gering’s upcoming exit? One thing’s for sure, Rafe will remain part of the show’s canvas until at least September, given DAYS’ advanced taping schedule.

Gering said on the podcast that he’s feeling a myriad of emotions about entering a new chapter of his life. The primary one is excitement. “I’m going to go back [to DAYS] and then, I’m going to spread my wings.” He says taking on new roles is “the actor’s job. Being on a show where you go in for that long and you’re working so much, [it] becomes the ‘golden handcuffs.’ What happens is you become so comfortable in [your] character. This will be a whole new chapter. It’s a whole gamut of emotions — more than I could put into words.”

Soap Hub will continue to bring updates on DAYS casting news as they develop. Days of our Lives airs weekdays on NBC. Check local listings for air times.