For greater than twenty years, Patrika Darbo has portrayed Nancy Wesley on Days of Our Lives, changing into a fan-favorite presence on the long-running Peacock cleaning soap. Now the actress is reflecing on how the position got here collectively, and the way what was initially meant to be a one-week look changed into an on-and-off run spanning greater than 20 years.
Darbo not too long ago mentioned her profession throughout an look on The Jim Masters Present, the place she spoke with host Jim Masters about her intensive movie and tv resume, together with her memorable time on Days of Our Lives.
In the course of the interview, Masters requested Darbo how she first landed the position of Nancy Wesley in 1998. Darbo recalled attending a celebration held by late actress Ronnie Claire Edwards, the place she crossed paths with longtime casting director Fran Baskam.
In keeping with Darbo, Baskam had beforehand seen her carry out in a number of stage productions, and the 2 had labored collectively on earlier tasks. It was at that gathering that Baskam approached her with a easy query “Patrika, would you do a cleaning soap?”
On the time, Darbo assumed the provide could be for a minor position. “I did not see myself as a cleaning soap actress,” she stated. “I noticed myself as a cleaning soap below 5 particular person coming in serving to with one thing small.”
As a substitute, Darbo was quickly provided the position of Nancy Wesley, “We accepted,” she stated, including that she nonetheless believed the half could be temporary and largely insignificant.
This doubt was magnified when she acquired a photograph of her on-screen husband. “My agent sends me an image of Kevin Spiritus and says, ‘That is going to be your husband on the present.’” Darbo recalled. “Kevin is the epitome of a cleaning soap opera actor. He is great,” Darbo shared. “I have a look at him and go ‘They’ve solid the incorrect particular person, one thing’s incorrect.’”
Regardless of her doubts, Darbo reported to set and filmed her scenes. “They’d solely employed me to do like every week’s work,” she defined. “That is all Kevin and I had been speculated to do.”
When these episodes aired, nevertheless, Darbo stated the viewers response was quick. “The day I aired, there was such a response from the followers,” she stated. “God bless every considered one of you who wrote in and known as in and stated, ‘We love this girl.’”
Darbo credited that viewer response with securing her an extended run on the present. “I had a three-year contract on the finish of that day,” she stated. “That was in 1998, and I only recently went again in 2016 to do one thing for them. So, I have been on and off with Days of Our Lives for greater than twenty years.”
Days of Our Lives streams weekdays on Peacock.
