Soap Hub Performer Of The Week For Days of our Lives: Leann Hunley

Newer viewers of Days of our Lives may not realize that actress Leann Hunley has been wowing fans of Salem with her take on Roman’s ex-wife and the love of Tony’s life, Anna, on and off since 1982. While this may be daytime drama (and Anna has had her share of that), it’s her kooky style that has endeared her to generations of fans over the years.

Leann Hunley — Performer of the Week

Anna’s (and Hunley’s) presence during a turbulent week of unceasing drama that included Brady (Eric Martsolf) getting shot, Kristen (Stacy Haiduk) taking Tony (Thaao Penghlis) hostage at gunpoint, and poor Allie (in a fabulous job herself by recent POW winner Lindsay Arnold) reliving her rape, thrilled us with her comedic flair. That is why Soap Hub is bestowing Hunley with the honor of Performer of the Week.

Do not ever mistake Anna’s flair for both wardrobe and the dramatic to make you think she’s not smart because she is certainly is (perhaps all those years with BFF Calliope) and had Gwen’s (Emily O’Brien) number immediately. So when she tried to reason with Abigail (Marci Miller) to perhaps cut Chad (Billy Flynn) some slack for having fallen prey to plot and sleeping with the schemer, Soap Hub was here for it!

But first Abigail had to update Anna on the very latest because she was dying to know why Gwen did what she did. But nothing prepared her for the news that the devilish interloper into their family home turned out to actually be family — at least Abby’s. “Say what now?” asked Anna incredulous. After hearing the whole sordid tale, Anna tried to be the voice of reason — which is rather ironic for Anna.

She was quick to point out that “that creepy woman targeted you and stalked you for years so she knew exactly what to do to get you to trust her” — and therefore Abby falling for her tale was understandable. But in the same breath, she should understand the same happened to Chad.

Then Anna gave her best advice ever, pretty much giving voice to what everyone at home watching wanted to pound into Abby — that if she gives up on her husband, then Gwen wins! It’s not often that Anna makes sense but time will tell if her wise words will resonate enough for Abby to forgive Chad.

Even better, when reunited with Tony, she caught him up on Gwen with a drink in her hand and finally noticed he was bursting to say something. She asked how his visit with his sister went. When he took and downed her entire drink, her delivery of, “That good?” was simply perfection.

While these scenes mostly served to catch up the audience on what happened in the Gwen-centric storyline, in the able hands of a pro like Hunley, seeing her take in all the “new information” drew viewers in even more — a brilliant move that simply has us wondering why Salem ever has to do without the marvelous Leann Hunley and hoping we never have to again. Days of our Lives (DOOL) airs weekdays on NBC. Check your local listings for airtimes.