Are any Days of Our Lives actors married to each other?

Are any Days of Our Lives actors married to each other?

Douglas Williams and Julie Olson Williams are fictional characters and a supercouple from the American daytime drama Days of Our Lives.[1] Doug and Julie are considered to be the first supercouple in daytime television history.[2] Doug is portrayed by Bill Hayes and Julie is portrayed by Susan Seaforth Hayes. The actors are married in real life and also still recur in their roles that made them famous on NBC's Days of our Lives.[2]

Cultural impact[edit]

Bill Hayes and Susan Seaforth began to develop a romance outside of their characters' storyline. It was "at first publicized by the soapmill as 'just friends,' but slowly it developed into a full-scale love affair."[3] On an October 1974 weekend, the two secretly married. Only a few friends of the couple knew about the event. When the press got knowledge of this, it "set off a commotion among fans, who wrote endless letters to the show asking that the couple also be allowed to get married in the story. If they could get married in real life, so the argument went, they certainly should be able to get together on screen."[3]

The writers of Days of our Lives refused popular demand, and prolonged the anticipation of the two marrying onscreen. In the book All My Afternoons by Annie Gilbert, the event is described:

Nothing was ever such a guarantee of good ratings as star-crossed lovers everyone knew belonged together. But finally the producers set the date for the marriage and Days put on one of the most extravagant weddings imaginable on the screen. It was such a soap opera media event that the local L.A. press (Days, along with General Hospital and The Young and the Restless, which is produced in Los Angeles) was invited to the studio to watch.[3]

In the episode featuring Doug and Julie's honeymoon, Susan Seaforth managed to slip an ad libbed line past the censors that was - for US daytime television in the 1970s - provocative and risque. When Doug (Bill Hayes) asked her what she would like for breakfast, she mentioned items including juice, coffee and "big pink sausage".

Doug and Julie are the only soap opera characters ever to grace the cover of Time magazine.[4] Entertainment Weekly calls them one of the great soap opera supercouples.[1]

See also[edit]

  • List of supercouples

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b West, Abby. "17 Great Soap Supercouples: Doug and Julie". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2008-01-29.
  2. ^ a b "Days of our Lives. Like sands through the hourglass". Soap Opera History.com. Archived from the original on June 10, 2007. Retrieved June 12, 2007.
  3. ^ a b c Gilbert, Annie, All My Afternoons, page 112, continued on page 116, published in 1978.
  4. ^ "Soap Star Stats: Susan Seaforth Hayes (Julie, Days)". SoapOperaDigest.com. Archived from the original on January 23, 2010. Retrieved May 20, 2009.

  • Doug at soapcentral.com
  • Julie at soapcentral.com

Susan Seaforth Hayes and Bill Hayes Days of Our Lives

Michael Bezjian/Getty Images

"Days of Our Lives" is known for perfecting what many soap opera fans call the super-couple. 

In the 1980s, the last remaining NBC daytime drama gave us Bo (Peter Reckell) and Hope (Kristian Alfonso), Steve (Stephen Nichols) and Kayla (Mary Beth Evans), Shane (Charles Shaughnessy) and Kimberly (Patsy Pease), and John (Drake Hogestyn) and Marlena (Deidre Hall), via Nine.com. 

All four pairings remain as popular today as they were decades ago, despite the fact that two of the couples are no longer in the fictional town of Salem. Fantasy, adventure, danger, and good old-fashioned romance defined these relationships and helped give the soap its longevity.

As we all know, love on-screen can often turn into love off-screen. After all, when you work in such close proximity to someone day in and day out, sharing intimate moments and dialogue, it can sometimes result in an after-hours relationship. 

Let's take a look at "Days of Our Lives" stars who dated in real life, including which couples have gone the distance and which have fizzled out.

Bill and Susan Seaforth Hayes fell in love in Salem and are still in love today

Susan Seaforth Hayes and Bill Hayes in 1976

Donaldson Collection/Getty Images

Perhaps Doug and Julie, played by Bill and Susan Seaforth Hayes, were the first super-couple that "Days of Our Lives" ever produced before the soap started churning them out in the 1980s. 

In the 1970s, hard-luck heroine Julie met ex-con Doug at the same time that actress Susan Seaforth met actor and singer Bill Hayes. Doug and Julie fell helplessly in love on screen while Bill and Susan fell in love off-screen, marrying in 1974. They also became the first soap opera pairing to ever grace the cover of Time in 1976, according to Soap Hub.

In 2021, "DOOL" writers gave the couple a gift and brought them back into the storyline forefront by placing Doug and Julie right in the middle of the popular Marlena demonic possession storyline. 

It was Doug, still played by 96-year-old Bill Hayes, who was possessed first and was used as a conduit to take over Marlena's soul (via Soap Hub). The Hayeses have loved every minute of it and tweet about the story whenever they can.

Arianne Zucker and Kyle Lowder married and divorced

Arianne Zucker and Kyle Lowder Days of Our Lives

David Livingston/Getty Images

On-screen, Nicole Walker and Brady Black can never seem to make romance work and usually agree they are better off as friends, no matter who is playing the character of Brady. 

When Kyle Lowder did his first go-around on "Days of Our Lives" as Brady (he now plays Rex Brady, an entirely different character, as of this writing), he and Arianne Zucker met and fell in love. In 2002, the pair got married but, in true soap fashion, had a bit of a hiccup and split in 2007, without divorcing.

And, like on-screen soap pairs often do, they reconciled the next year, and Walker gave birth to their little girl, Isabella, the year after that, according to Fame 10. 

Sadly, in 2014, Zucker and Lowder called it quits once again and made it legal with a divorce, although they remain friends and co-parent their daughter. And sometimes they even work together when Rex and Nicole are in the same scene.

Arianne Zucker and Shawn Christian got engaged — on-screen and off

Arianne Zucker and Shawn Christian Days of Our Lives

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Nicole Walker was devastated when Daniel Jonas was killed in a tragic New Year's Eve drunk driving accident as 2015 turned into 2016 on "Days of Our Lives." 

Brady Black (now played by Eric Martsolf) even got Daniel's heart when his own was damaged in the same accident. Nicole mourned Daniel but then learned that Chloe Lane (Nadia Bjorlin) gave birth to the embryo they had created, so Nicole had Daniel's daughter, Holly, with her always (via Soaps In Depth).

And Arianne Zucker has actor Shawn Christian, who played Daniel. The pair started dating soon after her divorce from Kyle Lowder and have been together ever since. 

In fact, Christian popped the question to his longtime real-life love in 2021, sharing the magical moment on Instagram with photos of the romantic proposal on a boat surrounded by water and sunlight.

Crystal Chappell and Michael Sabatino meet on set and enjoy a long marriage

Crystal Chappell and Michael Sabatino Days of Our Lives

Evan Agostini/Getty Images

When Carly Manning first arrived in Salem, she wanted to get as far away from Lawrence Alamain as possible. We later learned they had a torrid affair that produced a son, Nicholas, but Carly still wanted nothing to do with him. 

Eventually, they did marry and leave town to raise their son together, but Lawrence died in 2009, and Carly thought Bo Brady looked good again — until she finally let Salem for the last time (via Soap Central).

However, things worked out much better for the performers who portrayed Carly and Lawrence, Crystal Chappell and Michael Sabatino. They fell in love and married in 1997 and have raised two sons together, according to Fame 10. 

And, in fall 2021, they even became first-time grandparents, sharing pictures of their grandson, Zeke, on Instagram. Earlier in the year, the couple celebrated another milestone when their younger son graduated from high school.

Are there any real couples on Days of Our Lives?

Crystal Chappell and Michael Sabatino Crystal Chappell and Michael Sabatino's onscreen romance turned real in the early '90s when they appeared together on Days of Our Lives. They were married in 1997 and have two children together.

Are Nicole and Daniel from days together in real life?

In real life, though, most of the actors' off-screen lives are less dramatic — but still full of romance. A year after getting engaged, Arianne Zucker (Nicole) and Shawn Christian (ex-Daniel) have been scouting for wedding venues and they're bringing the fans along with them. Scouting…. for a fun WEDDING location!

What soap stars are married in real life?

Real-Life Soap Opera Couples.
Bill Hayes and Susan Seaforth Hayes. ... .
Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos. ... .
Thorsten Kaye and Susan Haskell. ... .
Melissa Reeves and Scott Reeves. ... .
Bryton James and Brytni Sarpy. ... .
Kassie DePaiva and James DePaiva. ... .
Arianne Zucker and Shawn Christian. ... .
Cady McClain and Jon Lindstrom..

Who is Jake from Days of Our Lives married to in real life?

Brandon Barash
Occupation
Actor
Years active
2002–present
Spouse
Kirsten Storms ​ ​ ( m. 2013; div. 2016)​
Children
1
Brandon Barash - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org › wiki › Brandon_Barashnull