This year, Days of Our Lives star Eric Martsolf racked up his fifth Daytime Emmy nomination. So far, he has one win under his belt, from 2014, and was a nominee in 2019, 2022, and 2024. The soap vet is currently nominated in the Lead Actor category for playing Brady Black.
Key Takeaways
- Eric Martsolf scored his fifth Daytime Emmy nomination for his gripping portrayal of Brady Black.
- His 2024 storyline showcased Brady’s heartbreaking spiral — addiction, guilt, and redemption.
- Martsolf’s emotional range makes him a strong contender as he competes with top soap veterans this year.
Brady Black Circa 2024
Today’s Brady Black (Eric Martsolf, who reflects on 18 years of DAYS) is a little lost. He’s at a crossroads in his life. He’s single (which doesn’t happen to him a lot). And he’s concentrating on being a good dad to Rachel (Alice Halsey) and Tate (Leo Howard), who are each experiencing their own dramas. He’s considering a potential career pivot, even though he loves Basic Black because it reminds him of his late father. But at some point, he may have to find a new purpose.
Back in 2024, Brady was a mess. He was in full addiction mode and fighting some serious demons. He was off the wagon and sleeping with Xander’s alcoholic mom, Fiona (Serena Scott Thomas). Kristen (Stacy Haiduk) had full custody of Rachel (then Finley Rose Slater), and he was angry about it (rightfully so). And during a particularly sloppy evening, a drunk Fiona hit Sarah (Linsey Godfrey), the love of Xander’s life. And as a result, Sarah became paralyzed. But Fiona didn’t take the blame. She allowed the world to believe that Brady was responsible. He believed he had committed the crime and even confessed to it.
So that year Brady drowned in guilt, self-pity, and vodka, depending on the day. This is also the time when Xander (Paul Telfer) confronted Brady with a bat and hired someone to drug Brady so he could easily dispose of him and make it look like he did it to himself. No punishment was too great for the man who caused Sarah to lose her ability to walk.
Emmy Material
Needless to say, Martsolf had plenty of material to submit for Emmy consideration. DAYS called on him to play a wide range of emotions, which he did beautifully. There were brutal benders and heated confrontations with Kristen, who went over the top to try to save Brady from going to prison. And there were those heartbreaking moments where he had to look his kids in the eye, knowing what he had done (or what he thought he had done).
Martsolf, once again, proved why he is a Daytime Emmy winner and is always in the conversation for another. He revealed in an interview with the Michael Fairman Channel that he put together a reel of moments for this year’s submission. He included a scene with Deidre Hall’s Marlena and one where his character screamed at Haiduk’s Kristen.
However, he said that his favorite part of the reel occurred in the Salem PD interrogation room, where Brady had to face his son, Tate. “It’s when I have to shamefully tell him that I think I hit somebody while I was drunk and drove away,” Martsolf stated. At the time, Howard was fairly new to the soap, and Brady had to figure out how to explain his behavior and make him understand that what he did could change their lives forever. “He’s literally putting it on the line with his kid and saying, ‘I hope you don’t hate me, cause I’m ashamed of myself.'”
Martsolf is a 2025 Daytime Emmy Nominee
The thing that makes Martsolf an even stronger contender is that the first time he won the Emmy, back in 2014, he powerfully played Brady’s addiction storyline. And here he is again with his character, dealing with some of the same elements and themes.
His competition in the Lead Performance in a Daytime Series: Actor category are fellow DAYS co-stars Paul Telfer (Xander) and Greg Rikaart (Leo), as well as General Hospital’s Dominic Zamprogna (Dante) and The Young and the Restless‘s Peter Bergman (Jack).
The 52nd Daytime Emmy Awards are set to livestream on Friday, October 17. Here’s what you need to know about the event.
