If there’s one thing long-time Days of our Lives viewers can agree on, it’s that Paul Telfer has never once phoned it in. Since arriving in Salem back in 2015, the Scottish-born actor has turned Xander Kiriakis into one of the most complicated and fascinating characters on the canvas. He took what started out as a short-term villain role and transformed it into something greater. His charm stood strong amidst the chaos, and he showed a surprising amount of heart for a character who was used to using brawn instead of brains to solve a problem. Somewhere along the way, Telfer made Xander impossible to root against, even when he was at his absolute worst.
Key Takeaways
- Paul Telfer joined Days of our Lives in 2015 and transformed Xander Kiriakis from a short-term villain into a complex fan favorite.
- Telfer first earned Daytime Emmy recognition in 2020 for his heartbreaking work in the baby-switch storyline.
- His 2025 nomination for Lead Actor marks a career milestone after a year of emotionally charged material.
A Career Defining Year
This isn’t Telfer’s first time catching Emmy attention. The actor earned his first Daytime Emmy nomination in 2020 in the Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Drama Series category for the baby-switch storyline opposite Linsey Godfrey’s Sarah. In the scenes where the truth about baby Mickey came out, imploding Xander’s world, Telfer radiated regret and desperation.
While it didn’t garner him a win that year, he definitely moved up to being one of daytime’s most underrated heavy hitters. Fast forward to 2025 where Telfer officially leveled up. His latest Daytime Emmy nomination in the Lead Actor category recognizes a year that was emotionally grueling, raw, and incredibly rewarding to watch.
A Journey Built on Versatility and Heart
Between pushing beyond his criminal past to remarry Sarah to dealing with his unpredictable mother, Telfer delivered performances that were both larger-than-life and quietly devastating. He had a knack for grounding Xander no matter how wild the stories got.
Whether or not this is finally his year to win, Telfer’s evolution from one-off bad guy to bona fide leading man has been one of the most satisfying arcs DOOL has produced in years.
