Days of our Lives Casting Update: Jay Kenneth Johnson, Louise Sorel Return

Over the weekend, Days of our Lives released their exciting summer promo. In addition to showing where some of the current stories are headed, it revealed Louise Sorel and Jay Kenneth Johnson returning to the Salem scene.

Welcome Back Louise Sorel and Jay Kenneth Johnson

It looks like Gabi (Camila Banus) won’t be the only one who is rooting for Jake (Brandon Barash) to turn out to be Stefan O. DiMera. The possibly “deceased” man’s homicidal mama will be back, and needless to say, Vivian will be over the moon when she lays eyes on that particular familiar face.

When last seen, Vivian was played by soap veteran Robin Strasser (ex-Dorian, One Life to Live) but now the woman who originated the character is back. As Soap Hub revealed last December, the actress had to miss a Santa Barbara reunion cruise (she played Augusta Lockridge on the now-defunct NBC show) because she was too busy shooting at Days of Our Lives — according to her former SB co-star, Nicolas Coster (ex-Lionel Lockridge).

Exactly how long she will be back is unknown (remember, Lani was set to arrest Vivian when she accidentally shot and “killed” Stefan), but life is certainly never boring with Vivian around. It also looks like things will heat up at the Kiriakis household.

Vivian isn’t the only familiar face. Victor Kiriakis’s (John Aniston) youngest son Philip will be returning to the dysfunctional household as well. And just like the Strasser switch, it will be Jay Kenneth Johnson assuming the role he originated back from its most recent portrayer, John-Paul Lavoisier, whose version left Salem back in 2016.

In the interim, Johnson had reclaimed his role on the Days of our Lives App series, Last Blast Reunion, which debuted November 29 of last year. Considering his ex, Belle (Martha Madison) and her longtime love Shawn (Brandon Beemer) will be back to tend to daughter Claire (Olivia Rose Keegan), the stage is set for things to get scorching during the summer.

Let’s also not forget that Vivian is the one who gave birth to Philip when she stole Victor and Kate’s embryo and had it implanted in herself. Days of our Lives (DOOL) airs weekdays on NBC. Check your local listings for airtimes.