Soap Vet Linda Dano Taking Over As Vivian Alamain on Days of our Lives

It looks like Jake will get the opportunity to bond more with his mother, Vivian, on Days of our Lives, but she won’t be looking the same as Linda Dano takes over the role from its originator, Louise Sorel.

Linda Dano Steps In

According to another actress who has portrayed the Salem villainess, Robin Strasser, Dano has been tapped to step in this time for Sorel. The legendary daytime star shared the news with her followers on Twitter Friday.

“BELOVED Soap Diva #LindaDano who joined up with beloved #AlisonSweeney in 2018 will in 2021 be joining the cast of beloved long-running #DaysOfOurLives as the new VIVIAN,” reveals Strasser. “Linda has timeless energy-pizzazz-& marketing skills in addition to her acting sizzle.”

Dano got her daytime start on As the World Turns back in 1981 as Cynthia Haines, which she played until 1982. But it was the role she won in 1983, as romance novelist Felicia Gallant, that won her the hearts of soap opera fans everywhere. Felicia was a mix of the outrageous coupled with a tendency in later years to be a hot mess as addiction plagued her. It earned Dano a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in 1993.

As for what could be in store for her as Vivian, the character is capable of just about anything and has evaded death a few times while trying to cause it for others (namely Kate, played by Lauren Koslow, and Carly, played by Crystal Chappell). Will she be as lethal this time around or will she have her newfound son Jake’s (Brandon Barash) best interest in mind?

While it might be nice to think she wants to spend her Salem time bonding, Vivian is usually ruled by her thirst for revenge. Will someone new be her target this time? Stay tuned to find out! Days of our Lives (DOOL) airs weekdays on NBC. Check your local listings for airtimes.