DAYS Star Deidre Hall Would Like to See This Happen to Marlena

As Dr. Marlena Evans on Days of our Lives, Deidre Hall has been making the folks in Salem feel better about their mental health for years. Her role as a psychiatrist has led to many storylines but now, Hall is speaking out on what medical tale she’d like to see Marlena tackle next!

Physician, Heal Thyself

Sure, Marlena spent plenty of time in bed when she was possessed by the devil and there’s been a coma here and there but for the most part, the show’s writers haven’t prescribed a physical malady storyline for the good doctor.

“Marlena has never had a serious illness,” Hall recently told People. The actress went on to point out that she’d be able to bring a skill to a storyline involving a deaf patient or character.

“I know sign language,” she says. “If we ever have a moment or if she has a deaf client or we need an interpretation, that might be kind of fun. That doesn’t happen every time in the daytime.”

The actress would be okay if the show ever introduced its own version of All My Children‘s Glamorama beauty salon set. “I’m a frustrated hairdresser at heart, so you can find me in the makeup room helping Eric Martsolf [Brady] blow out his hair or trim those sides,” she says. “I can’t stop myself. You can’t stop what’s inside.”

Ironically, Hall didn’t set out to become an actress. She was studying, coincidentally, psychology, and did modeling jobs to help make ends meet. Her agent urged her to try commercials, which led to acting and some background roles. She then put herself in acting class with legendary acting coach Stella Adler. “And if you think there’s anything on stage that can scare you, try getting up on stage in front of Stella Adler,” she says.

Recently, COZI TV ran a marathon of Hall’s non-Marlena roles including episodes of Emergency and Columbo. Check out our story on that here.

Despite being a soap opera icon, Hall is still grateful to come to work at DAYS every day. “I’m always a little relieved that the gate opens over at [the DAYS studio],” the actress says. “So being invited back is always a great compliment and a bit of a relief, because it’s such a joy to do what we do… I think 2% of the Screen Actors Guild makes a living being on camera. So to have that be a part of my every day and every week for years and years and years is just such a joy and such a pleasure, and I’m beyond grateful for it.”