Stacy Haiduk has played more than her share of complicated women, but Kristen’s latest Days of Our Lives story gave her something especially rich to work with. After Rachel shot EJ and Kristen took the blame, Haiduk got to dig into the love, fear, and desperation behind a mother protecting her daughter. That material helped earn her a Daytime Emmy nomination, and Haiduk made it clear she appreciated every difficult moment.
Key Takeaways
- Stacy Haiduk earned a Daytime Emmy nomination for Kristen’s emotional mother-daughter storyline with Rachel.
- Haiduk submitted scenes in which Kristen takes the blame for Rachel shooting EJ and going to prison.
- Haiduk was thrilled that Alice Halsey also received an Emmy nomination for playing Rachel.
- Haiduk nearly missed the nomination news because she thought the calls were spam.
Kristen’s Story Gave Haiduk Plenty to Play
Haiduk spoke to TV Insider about the scenes she submitted, which focused on Kristen taking responsibility for Rachel’s (then-Alice Halsey) crime and going to prison. “I got a wonderful gift of having a mother-daughter story,” she explained. For an actor who enjoys exploring Kristen’s emotional extremes, the storyline offered far more than another round of DiMera plotting.
Haiduk said she threw herself into the material because the writers allowed Kristen to show strength, sadness, frustration, and love. “I think Kristen is an amazing character,” she said. “I feel like the writers did her justice with this storyline, and they gave Kristen that depth.”
She also praised Halsey, who earned her own Emmy nomination for playing Rachel. Haiduk said she never doubted the young actress would be recognized and was thrilled when it happened. Kristen may cause headaches across Salem, but the bond between mother and daughter gave both performers something real to hold onto.
The Emmy News Nearly Went Unanswered
Haiduk was not waiting beside the phone when her nomination arrived. She was working out. In fact, she ignored several calls because she assumed they were spam, and only discovered the truth after receiving a text from the show’s publicist.
Once Haiduk understood what had happened, congratulations poured in from her co-stars. The Lead Actress nomination also means she will attend the traditional luncheon hosted by the previous year’s winner, Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis, General Hospital). “The fun part about this is getting to do these things,” Haiduk said.
She is also thinking ahead to Emmy night and searching for the right vintage dress. Beyond the clothes and celebrations, however, Haiduk remains grateful for nearly 20 years in daytime and the complicated characters she has played. “They’ve got a lot of darkness to them, but they’ve also got a lot of love inside and are passionate, colorful, and complex,” she reflected.
