Happy birthday, Jay Kenneth Johnson.
It’s been a while since Jay Kenneth Johnson has portrayed Philip Kiriakis on Days of our Lives. Now, the DAYS alum has a big reason to celebrate.
And that’s because he was born on February 24, 1977, in Springfield, Missouri, which means that this much-beloved performer is turning 47 years old today! In his youth, Johnson vacillated between wanting to become a professional athlete and pursuing an acting career.
After attending Missouri State University, Johnson decided that an actor’s life was for him, so he relocated to Los Angeles, much to the chagrin of his parents. Soon after his move, Johnson landed a recurring role on The Young and the Restless.
He then auditioned for both DAYS and General Hospital. In the former soap, he read for the part of Brady Black; in the latter, he hoped to replace the outgoing Jonathan Jackson, who played Lucky Spencer. DAYS was the first to offer him a contract, so Johnson made his debut as Philip Kiriakis, a character who viewers had seen born on screen a mere four years previous!
Johnson made an instant and long-lasting impression on the show’s fans with his portrayal of the brooding, overly-indulged Philip…so much so that upon his exit in 2002 (following a three-year tenure), they hired a plane trailing a “Good Luck” banner to fly over the studio.
Johnson eventually returned to DAYS — first, between 2007 and 2011, and then again starting on August 18, 2020, for about a year — but in the interim, he appeared in the likes of Aaron Spelling’s Hotel (a prestigious made-for-TV movie, which also served as a pilot for an unrealized series), The O.C., North Shore, CSI: NY, Charmed, and Melissa & Joey.
Jay Kenneth Johnson also had a recurring role on the popular sitcom Scrubs, and in 2019, he played Philip in the web-exclusive series Last Blast Reunion.
Soap Hub would like to wish the actor a very happy birthday and many more. Also, share your favorite memory of his work or if you’ve met him personally in the comments section.
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