Belle Black Brady, played by Daytime Emmy-nominee Martha Madison, endured much when the Devil briefly possessed her on Days of our Lives. But it’s Satan’s time glamming up Jan Spears’s body to look like Belle that really is going to have some lasting effects for Belle and Shawn Brady. As viewers saw, Jan, aided by the Devil, morphed into Belle and seduced Shawn!
Martha Madison Talks Jan, Chemistry with EJ, and Justice!
As viewers saw in today’s show, Jan (Heather Lindell) is now pregnant with Shawn’s (Brandon Beemer) baby! How does Belle feel about all this? Soap Hub chatted with Madison, who plays the savvy attorney, about her current storyline, which is heating up this week.
Soap Hub: Daytime fans will follow characters anywhere if it means great conflict. So, if they need to believe that the Devil helped Jan morph into Belle and seduce Shawn — so be it!
Martha Madison: (Laughs) Our fans are willing to follow us. It makes it so much fun!
Soap Hub: You’ve always championed Heather to be back on the show. What was it like reconnecting with her on the Days of our Lives app series Last Blast Reunion?
Martha Madison: We never really fell out of touch. Heather, like me, juggles multiple roles. She works in real estate and is raising two kids. Our husbands are both in the food and beverage industry. We have a lot in common. Of course, any chance I got I’d drop her name I would! ‘We should get Jan back.’ I was thrilled when we got to do Last Blast Reunion series. It was a fun way to bring Heather back and wake Jan up from that coma she’d been in! She’s so talented and brings so much playfulness to that ‘villainess’ thing she brings to the show. Working with her is a great way to not only have my friend back here but also a way to have a great co-star with whom I can do scenes.
Soap Hub: Oddly, I see Belle and Jan as two women who have similarities. They’re both myopic in their own way. When Belle walks into a legal situation, she’s like ‘Well, the D.A. messed up and my client’s walking.’ She says things like that so easily, I believe her!
Martha Madison: Belle and Jan are both strong, intelligent women who know what they each want. It’s a duel of emotions between them. Emotion, from Jan. Intelligence, from Belle. That is the fight.
Soap Hub: How fun was it getting to play Jan “playing” Belle and having a romp with Shawn?
Martha Madison: It was so fun. I always say you’re not a true soap star until you get to play your own twin. I got pretty close. When I learned that I was going to get to do this, I was so excited. The night before we shot the show in which ‘Belle’ was ripping Shawn’s clothes off, I FaceTimed with Heather. I knew how I wanted to play it, but I wanted to hear how she would have done it to see if I could pick up any mannerisms and hear any lines she might particularly punch. That was really, really helpful.
Soap Hub: Belle lost the case, but how did you like getting back in the courtroom for Belle’s defense of EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel)?
Martha Madison: That was so fun. Belle is a lawyer. She’s there for all the misdeeds of the Salem residents. We don’t get to often do a full trial, but the show built this beautiful set. I love the intensity of the content we were doing. I love working with both Dan and Tina [Huang, District Attorney Melinda Trask] and hanging out with them. Our cast is so talented.
Soap Hub: There was some chemistry between Belle and EJ during the trial…thoughts?
Martha Madison: I’ve heard that from some people. It’s really interesting.
Soap Hub: If the show were to go there, the conflict between Belle, EJ, and Sami Brady (Alison Sweeney) would be off the charts. I can hear Sami now — ‘I should have sold you when I had the chance!’
Martha Madison: It would certainly bring even more soapy drama to the show [smiles], but I’ll leave the writing to the writers.
Soap Hub: Belle probably has enough drama with Jan’s pregnancy to complicate matters.
Martha Madison: There’s been a lot of shock and awe for Belle to absorb. I don’t think she expected this to be the outcome. It throws a wrench into things. The ripple effects will be fun to play.
Soap Hub: Back to the trial — Belle losing EJ’s case wasn’t her fault. But it’s still a tough blow.
Martha Madison: Yes. I think this is the first case – that I know of – that Belle has ever lost. For anyone who’s an achiever — like Belle is — it would certainly bother her. Regardless of EJ’s background and his past, he’s still her brother-in-law. There’s a family connection. She also truly believes in his innocence. She’s a warrior for justice.
Days of our Lives (DOOL) airs weekdays on NBC. Check your local listings for airtimes. For more about what’s coming up in Salem, check out all the latest that’s been posted on DAYS spoilers, and for an in-depth look at the show’s history, click here.
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