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181-505: Soon after, Wilson was hired as a recast and the writers began exploring the character's dark past with the introduction of his abusive criminal father Clyde Weston ( James Read ). In 2015, the romantic triangle between Ben, Abigail and Chad DiMera ( Billy Flynn ) culminates in Ben becoming a serial killer, known as the "Necktie Killer," claiming several victims, including legacy character Will Horton ( Guy Wilson ). Robert Scott Wilson vacated

362-410: A call girl like Kate used to be. Quinn changes for Taylor Walker and tells Chloe to stop. Quinn leaves Salem with his mother, Ivan and Taylor. He returns for a short while before departing again. Anne Milbauer has been portrayed by Meredith Scott Lynn since September 7, 2012. She last appeared July 11, 2017. Anne was the head of HR at University Hospital. She became enraged when Jennifer Horton

543-446: A "temper" that can get him into trouble. Ben has a "protective nature" because of his past. Wilson later admitted that he didn't know much about the character when he assumed the role of Ben. "[The producers] really only gave me what I needed to know to make it real and understandable to me." Wilson revealed that the producers gave him a lot "creative control" when it came to his character's backstory. Wilson revealed that he and Ben share

724-570: A November 2020 interview with Michael Fairman , Wilson disclosed he received the casting call for Ben in 2013, and was unable to audition, due to his commitment for All My Children . He also credited the late Lisa de Cazotte for his casting in the role. The original casting call described Ben as being in his early to mid 20s, a “gorgeous, Caucasian, country boy.” He is supposed to be Midwestern or Southern. The casting notice also described Ben as “utterly charming” due to his “honest sincere approach to life and love.” The producers looked for actors with

905-426: A bit of controversy with many questioning the decision to kill off such an important character. Michael Fairman described the fans as having "mixed-emotions" on social media. Viewer emotions over Will's murder ranged from "utterly shocked and heartbroken" to "outraged." Some viewers described the character's death as "unnecessary" while others "could not stop crying" and others believed the character "deserved better" and

1086-610: A blast playing an on-the-edge psycho who could flip at any moment." Donald of Canyon News said the storyline and character reignited his interest in the soap. Wilson "played Ben with devious perfection." Initially, many viewers responded on social media and message boards in denial as many refused to believe that Ben was the killer. DAYS Decimates Will Horton! Should Ben Have Brutally Murdered This Once Legacy Character? Michael Fairman, On-Air On-Soaps (2015) However, Ben's third victim in Will Horton would stir up quite

1267-567: A booby-trapped room where he waits for the Salem Police to arrest him. Clyde is brought into the main room where he learns Chad is fine. He warns Chad to watch his back around Andre, but Chad is confident he does not have anything to worry about. Clyde rages that the baby belongs to his son Ben, before being dragged out of the mansion. Once at the Salem Police station, Aiden is happy to book Clyde and make sure that not only would he be back in prison, but he would be held in solitary confinement for

1448-402: A connection to JJ Deveraux (Casey Moss). Upon Eve's arrival back to Salem, Paige's relationship with J.J begins to hit a hard spot, ultimately ending with them parting ways multiples times. She becomes close to another guy, Cole Hines (Riley Bodenstab) and asks him out on a date, which he accepts. After their date, Paige meets up with J.J. at the park, where he apologizes profusely and asks for

1629-467: A contract.'" Wilson said "You can get caught in that stagnant place on shows sometimes and it's nice to come back and revamp a storyline or maybe create something new and just be inspired. We've got a good thing going, so I think that's why I'll be sticking around a little bit longer." Wilson saw the return as a chance to grow the character as well as "work my own instrument a little bit more." While there would obviously be opposition from other characters on

1810-434: A crazy life. Ben hopes to make a home for himself by settling in the same town as his sister Jordan. Though Ben is the younger of the siblings, he has "stepped up" for Jordan and tries to be a father figure for her and protect her as payback for her raising him. However, Ben's plans are threatened by the arrival of his father, Clyde Weston. Ben "very wary of Clyde" because he only has bad memories of him. While Clyde and Ben want

1991-491: A custody trial with the biological father (Stanley), Justin and Adrienne were livid when the biological mother kidnapped the twins. After they were found, Adrienne learned she was pregnant and so she, Justin and their three children left town before the birth of their son Jackson (Sonny). Justin returned to town after he became a lawyer and told his cousin Bo Brady and his wife Hope Williams Brady that he and Adrienne were on

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2172-654: A detective, that Clyde is dangerous. Rafe becomes suspicious of Clyde and begins investigating him. Clyde begins dating Kate and moves his trucking business, his cover for his drug business, to Salem. Clyde is confronted by Victor Kiriakis who argues that the Kiriakis family runs all trucking operations in Salem; Clyde refuses to back down. Victor investigates Clyde's background and discovers his trucking company and other front businesses are used to launder drug money. Victor also discovers Clyde has managed to seize control of most of

2353-598: A drunken night at Club TBD with Chad DiMera , she is murdered by a serial killer and Chad is named the prime suspect. It was later revealed Ben Weston murdered her. That December, Ben is later arrested for the murder of Serena and his other victims. On Halloween 2017, Serena is a part of Abigail Deveraux 's nightmare, in which she murders Chad and Abigail. In August 2014, Soap Opera Digest reported that former One Life to Live actress Melissa Archer, famous for her 12-year stint of Natalie Buchanan has been cast in an unknown contract role, later revealed to be Serena Mason,

2534-528: A fight with Cole until Paige steps in and Cole gets away. Paige sees Cole and Bev at the park and later confronts Bev. Cole meets JJ and confesses that Bev made him do it. Cole then checks himself into a rehabilitation center. After several months he gets out and starts attending Salem University. He meets Paige there and apologizes for his wrongdoings. She forgives him and they briefly start dating afterwards, but break up when she decides to give JJ another chance. Cole starts scheming with Paige's mother Eve to break

2715-479: A flight of stairs. She once even accuses Kristen's friend, Detective Lani Price of helping her to escape. This vendetta against her daughter's killer continued for years. In 2022, Melinda began a crusade against Chief of Police, Rafe Hernandez who is being falsely accused of abusing his power with prisoners. Melinda's snarky demeanor and power position as Salem DA often place her at odds with Rafe, Shawn-Douglas Brady and Belle Brady among others. In 2023, Trask

2896-487: A former prison inmate Nick knows. Sonny and Will arrive and Sonny is able to escape with Gabi, but Will stays to help Nick. Gabi reveals that she has been having small contractions all day and Sonny finds an abandoned shed in which to deliver the baby. Sonny delivers Arianna, and Gabi and Arianna are brought to the hospital and given a clean bill of health. After she is born, Gabi and Nick send back her birth certificate before Gabi signs it in order to have Will's name listed as

3077-500: A gun. Chad DiMera arrives and the two fight; Clyde manages to escape before the police arrive. Clyde, Xander, and Orpheus regroup. Clyde has some of his old contacts provide them with new clothes and weapons. The trio kidnap Kayla Brady and Joey Johnson . Steve Johnson attempts to rattle Clyde and Xander's faith in Orpheus. Steve and Orpheus get into a fight and the trio get away. Clyde and Orpheus corner Marlena, Claire, and Kate at

3258-427: A home for himself there and "because he wants to know what's going on" and he somehow sees beyond what he has done. As Abigail prepares to marry Chad, it is reported that Ben has escaped the mental hospital. However, when Abby sees Ben at her wedding, he appears to be a figment of her imagination. Chad and JJ orchestrate a plan to lure Ben out of hiding, using Abigail as bait. However, Abigail's hallucinations get worse as

3439-448: A job as a waiter at Club TBD and runs into his estranged sister Jordan Ridgeway. Ben is immediately smitten with Abigail while Jordan tries to chase Ben out of town fearing someone will uncover their past but he calms her fears. Jordan tries to chase Ben out of town fearing someone will uncover their past but Ben is too smitten with Abigail Deveraux to care. Ben and Jordan are horrified when their abusive father Clyde comes to town demanding

3620-428: A killer was entirely possible. "The writers tapped into Ben's childhood, when he suffered abuse. That was the place where a lot of evil was rooted." Tapping into that part of his psyche, "worked for me as an actor" Wilson explained. "It is truly a great experience to go through as an actor, and weird at the same time." While he was initially excited about the storyline, Wilson knew there was a strong possibility that once

3801-694: A large sum of money to the local hospital to fund Jordan's project, she moves to New York. He continues to advise Ben on his relationship with Abigail Deveraux and plots against Ben's new rival Chad DiMera . Kate fails in her scheme to permanently take over DiMera Enterprises and seeks comfort from Clyde. Clyde dismisses Stefano saying that he can beat the DiMeras . Kate warns Clyde that the DiMeras are cruel and ruthless with their enemies. Stefano uncovers Ben's past activity in illegal gambling in Florida and ensures

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3982-431: A lawyer to help with her adoption prospects. After hitting dead ends, opportunity rises when Dimitri gives Nicole's baby to her and Sloan in exchange for a deal in regards to criminal charges. She pays off a doctor to fake the baby's death, so that it looks like the child was adopted legally and sends Dimitri to a supermax prison far from Salem to ensure he could not reveal the truth. She often had to convince Sloan to keep up

4163-486: A long time. On October 13, John reveals that Clyde is back serving his original 25 to life prison sentence and that new charges from the prison break have also been added to his sentence. Serena Mason is a fictional character on the NBC daytime soap opera, Days of Our Lives . The role was played by Melissa Archer from December 5, 2014, to August 28, 2015, and a brief reappearance on September 28, 2015. Archer returned to

4344-458: A loose cannon." Ben has a lot of rage because he comes from a "messed-up home." Wilson described Ben as a "good guy" who isn't afraid to "put somebody in line if he has to." Unlike his former role as Pete, "With Ben, I'm playing more of a hungry person." Wilson further described Ben as "very street-smart" and the typical "nice guy." However, he can be a protective of his loved ones. In an interview with On-Air On-Soaps , Wilson explained that Ben has

4525-406: A lot of "chances and risks." He continued, "I played things that I had never done." In an interview with Michael Fairman from On-Air On-Soaps , Wilson revealed that when the story started filming, even he was not aware that Ben was the killer. Ben dumps the evidence in the river believing he has covered his tracks. The scenes were filmed in one take and Wilson later revealed that he wanted to re-shoot

4706-410: A lot of different characters," Wilson said, while also stating he was definitely open to another return in the future. Wilson wrapped his stint on November 30, 2017, when Ben is sent back to the mental institution. I thought he was fascinating character and wondered about his redemption and the possibility of a new lease on life. Obviously he's a polarizing person who affects so many other characters, so

4887-478: A lot of people are fans of Batty Ben, but I'm not one of them. … I don't see him as redeemable." Ori continued that "The idea of Ben being so easily redeemed irks me." Ori said the "rushed nature" of Ben's return was "annoying." Christine Orlando said that while she appreciated Wilson's portrayal, "I'm not really sure what purpose it serves to bring Ben back to Salem." While she was excited for the return, Laurisa of Soapcentral.com said "My biggest issue with reformed Ben

5068-400: A musical background. According to Soap Central , musical talent was not a requirement for those auditioning for the role. Ben was also said to have a "slight southern accent." Wilson described the character as being "a little more generic in the beginning." "He's kind of a loner. He's traveled and can read people very well." However, Ben can be a bit unpredictable, and according to Wilson, "he's

5249-471: A new contract and would return as a series regular. "I'm really grateful," Wilson said to in a statement to the magazine. "I love what Ron [Carlivati, head writer] and the whole team has been doing with him thus far, so I'm really excited to see where they take him after this." Wilson credited his co-star Deidre Hall (Marlena) with being partly responsible for his return. "She kind of rallied for me be back there" he said. "After our scenes, she'd say, 'Get this kid

5430-409: A number of years working as a horse ranger, meat packer, telemarketer and appeared in several theater productions before landing his first daytime role on the NBC soap opera. Kurth was also nominated for "Hottest Male Star" at the 1996 Soap Opera Digest Awards . He remained with the show until 1991 and soon joined ABC's General Hospital as Ned Ashton that same year. He found great success in

5611-497: A past romance. Kurth's performance has been met with critical acclaim, having garnered him a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 2020. Wally Kurth joined DAYS in 1987 and was successfully paired with Judi Evans , who played his wife Adrienne Johnson Kiriakis . After having studied music atal theater at Loretto Heights College in Denver and theater arts at UCLA , Kurth spent

Ben Weston (Days of Our Lives) - Misplaced Pages Continue

5792-514: A phenomenal way to bring Ben full circle and putting him in a different light without losing his edge. They're writing the balance between vulnerability and danger." Wilson said to Soap Hub that maintaining the character's edge is the "trough line for everything." The writing leaves one wondering if, "at any moment" could Ben "slip back into that dangerous mental space." The writers paired Wilson with Deidre Hall's character, resident shrink, Marlena Evans, as she examines his mental stability upon hearing

5973-650: A piece of him. Kristen leaves town and evidence of Theresa's pregnancy is erased. Brady does not believe Theresa when she eventually gets the chance to tell him she was pregnant. The baby appeared for the first time on March 30. On April 14, it is revealed that Kristen gave birth in Italy and named Brady and Theresa's baby boy, Christopher, presumably after herself. Melanie Jonas finds out what happened and tells Brady. Brady goes to Italy and finds Kristen with Christopher, along with Theresa who had been kidnapped by Kristen. Brady and Theresa are reunited with Christopher and Kristen

6154-412: A relationship with Emilio Ramirez, whom Justin tried to have killed only to get caught in his own trap and become paralyzed from the waist down. Justin and Adrienne divorced and she opened a rival construction company before they remarried. The reunited couple had trouble conceiving a child, however their housekeeper, JJ Bagwood, allowed them to adopt her twins which they named Victor and Joseph. Following

6335-410: A relationship with his son. He asks Kate for contacts from her past dealings with shady business in Salem. Clyde has a meeting with EJ DiMera , who agrees to Clyde's requests to work for his drug ring. They soon argue over drug territory and drugs. During one argument in the park, EJ's disloyal bodyguard Miguel, who Clyde turned against EJ, shoots and kills EJ. Clyde and Miguel cover up the crime and make

6516-429: A romantic leading man is a big stretch." Clyde Weston A list of notable characters from the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives that significantly impacted storylines and debuted between January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2019. Madeline Peterson Woods, portrayed by Jessica Tuck , is the mother of Chad DiMera . Madeline died after falling down a flight of stairs during an argument with Chad. Jane Smith

6697-437: A second chance. She forgives him, leading them to reconcile. Cole finds her at the park watching Parker play and tells her that J.J. will hurt her and that she deserves better, but when he sees that she is not listening to him, he leaves. He then works with her mother Eve to break J.J and Paige up. Cole plants drugs in J.J.'s backpack to frame him. When Paige realizes what Cole has done, she angrily confronts him. At first he denies

6878-533: A sense of worth." In an interview with the Boston Herald , Wilson said Ben is "trying to be a better person. It's going to get uglier before it gets prettier, and that's my favorite part." Wilson appreciated that the pacing: "They've done a great job telling this story, of not rushing it or brushing anything under the rug. There isn't an easy road to redemption, and this audience will see the struggle for Ben to prove himself." Within 2 months, Janet Di Lauro said

7059-445: A similar background because he too comes "from humble beginnings." Ben is born Oliver "Ollie" Weston on March 13, 1989 in the small city of Poplar Bluff, Missouri . Wilson stated, "Ben has pretty much always been broke" and he's never experienced any real "stability in his life." "I had to come up with my own backstory for things to work for me as the story went further" the actor explained. Wilson said of his character that "Ben has lived

7240-546: A syringe but is stopped by Rafe Hernandez . Feeling guilty for almost hurting the sister who raised him, he visits her at the police station and apologizes to her. He then figures out that it was Claire Brady who set both the fires at the Mammoth Falls Cabin and the Horton cabin that almost killed Ciara, Tripp and Haley Chen. He saves Tripp and Haley, but gets wrongly accused of setting the fire and gets arrested. At

7421-470: Is "great news." Ben considered Will to be a friend so "Ben is trying to clear his conscience, and hopefully, clear his name as well." However, Ben has more than one agenda and sees it as a chance to stick it to those who have wronged him because he blames the people of Salem for turning him into what he has become. Ben takes pleasure in taunting everyone about Will being alive, which upsets Will's closest relatives. However, Ben cannot produce Will. "That's part of

Ben Weston (Days of Our Lives) - Misplaced Pages Continue

7602-547: Is "somebody who doesn't know what he's doing." It is Will's death that forces Ben to face the reality of his actions. Before the episode aired, Wilson identified Will's murder as the turning point for Ben: "That’s the full change for him. When that happens, then he will be aware of everything that is happening in real time, rather than playing this game where he is thinking he is doing something right, when it’s not." The reveal episode also featured scenes in which Ben changes his mind about leaving town with Abigail when he learns there

7783-575: Is a drug dealer and that J.J works for him; however, the relationship later ends. Paige and J.J begin to reconnect the following month. She becomes a witness to Chad and Serena's fight and reveals what she saw, since Serena is later found murdered. Since they become close again, Paige is the first person J.J. tells about the Clyde/drug ring and is sworn not to involve the police. In early September, she would retell what she saw to Rafe and exchanges words with Chad, who does not remember what happened after

7964-474: Is all well and good, but please make sure they can act before letting them sign on the dotted line. " On-Air On-Soaps said "Gaston fits the bill perfectly" considering his musical background. In response to the recast, Omar Nobles of TVSource Magazine said, "I am THRILLED with this news." He continued and praised Wilson for his charm and charisma. Nobles stated, "I rank this recast as an instant UPGRADE ." Wilson ranked at #10 on Daytime Confidential's list of

8145-585: Is among those drugged by tainted biscuits at Chanel's bakery and pressures the department to find out who did it. Once Colin Bedford and Talia Hunter are exposed, she is ready to throw the book at Talia until she learns that Talia was under Colin's abusive control. Being a victim herself once, Trask recommends probation, community service, and continuing to see Dr. Marlena Evans for counseling. Later, when Paulina becomes mayor, she fired for her actions against Paulina and other people in Salem, but Sloan soon hires her as

8326-453: Is an APB out for Chad. Ben feels a sense of "closure" hinting at his motives. According to Wilson, Ben's actions stem from love, "as tragic as it all is. It's done out of love, but unfortunately he is going insane." Ben who has "constantly" buried his feelings about Abigail's betrayal has reached the end of his rope. Dealing with Abigail's betrayal is such a new experience for Ben because he's never really had anything to lose. "Everything Ben does

8507-544: Is being extradited to Florida for a murder charge there. On October 20, 2015, Ben is brought to a meeting at the police station with Clyde who tells Ben he is being extradited to Florida that day. Ben reveals to Clyde that he is the Necktie Killer . In 2016, Chad reveals that Clyde is imprisoned in a federal penitentiary for murder. That September, Marlena visits Clyde in prison and he asks her to evaluate him. Clyde says he would rather be stuck in prison than deal with

8688-421: Is changed to Kiriakis. On January 7, 2013, Chloe returns to Salem and informs Daniel that he is in fact Parker's biological father. Dario Hernandez is a fictional character on the NBC daytime soap opera, Days of Our Lives . The role was played by Francisco San Martin, who originated the role, from March to September 2011, and by Jordi Vilasuso from February 2016 to September 2017. In December 2010, it

8869-715: Is conceived when her parents have a one-night stand in August 2012. When Gabi finds out that she is pregnant she decides on an abortion, but cannot go through with it. Gabi is in a relationship with Will's cousin, Nick Fallon , and Nick wants to be Arianna's legal father. Will reveals that he is actually Arianna's father at Nick and Gabi's first attempt at a wedding in January 2013. Will signs away his rights after Nick blackmails him (about him shooting EJ DiMera ) in March 2013. Leading up to her birth, Gabi and Nick are held hostage by Jensen,

9050-611: Is due to inherit valuable land in Ireland that the DiMeras desperately want. Chad refuses to go along with Stefano's plan to reconcile with Abby and thus get the land. Clyde begins to think Ben and he will benefit from Abby's inheritance. Stefano meets with Victor about Clyde. Victor reveals to Stefano his past dealings with Clyde and assures Stefano that Clyde is a serious threat to both of them and their families. Stefano and Victor agree to work together against Clyde. Kate breaks up with Clyde when he becomes controlling, saying his confidence

9231-411: Is even more excited to learn that Abby is pregnant. As they begin planning their wedding, Clyde offers to buy the couple a house as wedding gift. Meanwhile, Ben warns Abigail to keep her distance from Chad who has been implicated in the murders of Serena Mason ( Melissa Archer ) and Paige Larson ( True O'Brien ). Realizing Abigail can't stay away from Chad, Ben convinces her to leave town with him after

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9412-612: Is faced with the task of burying those feelings and staying focused on "his ultimate goal of having a family and becoming stable." He continued, "Abigail is the puzzle piece that will make all of that possible." Wilson further stated that this is the first relationship where Ben has "found something to invest in" and he is afraid to lose that so when he learns she is pregnant, Ben holds on tighter. However, "it's eating him alive" Wilson said of Abigail seemingly being drawn to Chad. But, he finds comfort in Abby's reassurances which keep him grounded in

9593-422: Is forced to choose between staying faithful to Ben and protecting him from a potential prison stint when he gets arrested for assaulting Chad. After an affair with Chad, which Ben witnesses, Abigail ends up pregnant and is unsure of her baby's paternity. Ben is so desperate to make a better life for himself that he willingly overlooks Abigail's cheating. "That's always in the back of Ben's head" Wilson stated. So, Ben

9774-442: Is found dead in her dorm and JJ accuses Clyde of murdering Paige. A secret investigation of Clyde leads to a sting operation involving JJ, Roman Brady, and DEA agent Watts, which leads to his arrest for drug trafficking. Clyde discovers during his arrest that JJ was secretly an informant and that Clyde's drug ring has been exposed to the Salem Police and DEA. He calls his son Ben and claims to be set up by JJ but Roman reveals that Clyde

9955-442: Is furious when his future brother-in-law JJ Deveraux ( Casey Moss ) gets Clyde arrested for drug trafficking and they nearly come to blows. In October 2015, Ben claims another victim when he strangles Will to death as Will has discovered Ben is the killer. Ben once again, frames Chad for the murder. Chad realizes Ben is the killer and confronts him but Ben beats him into a coma. Ben claims that Chad broke in and attacked him because he

10136-633: Is gay. They support him as he comes out to his uncle Victor and as he makes a home for himself with his new life with Will Horton as his boyfriend. In 2013, Justin went into business with EJ DiMera as well as represented Sami when she was put on trial for the murder of dirty cop, Joseph Bernardi; at last second, she was found not guilty. On April 3, 2014, Justin was last shown attending and speaking at his son, Sonny`s wedding to Will Horton. He hadn't been seen since until returning in February 2015. In 2015, Justin and Adrienne divorce following his affair during

10317-448: Is good at the end of the tunnel" Ben will come clean. Wilson formed a close bond with his costar Mansi which he said helped with their onscreen chemistry. Ben doesn't hold Abigail's past against her because "Everybody's got baggage" Wilson said. Ben can understand and identity with Abby having a trouble past "because he's far from perfect himself." Abby and Ben's new romance is also threatened by return of her ex-boyfriend Chad DiMera. Abigail

10498-437: Is his son Ollie, and Jordan is his stepdaughter, Tammy Sue. He also reveals they ran away from home years ago and he failed to find them. Kate tells Clyde they are in Salem. He comes for a reunion but tells her to keep their meeting secret. Ben and Jordan are furious when they see Clyde and it is revealed that Clyde's alcoholism led to verbal and physical abuse of the children and their mother. Clyde insists he has changed and wants

10679-512: Is in a group of drug dealers and users. He and JJ Deveraux get into a fist fight after he starts damaging his late grandfather's tree. The police apprehend them only to discover that they have shoplifted goods. The woman they stole from appears and wishes to press charges. Cole and his friend JJ get arrested. They are released after the woman decides not to press charges. Bev breaks up with Cole and starts dating JJ, which upsets Cole. He decides to get revenge on JJ for stealing his girlfriend; he calls

10860-456: Is in a relationship with him for majority of her time on the show, however the relationship is ruined by JJ's affair with her mother, Eve Donovan ( Kassie DePaiva ). Paige is also the niece of Theresa Donovan ( Jen Lilley ) and, following her death, it is revealed she is the daughter of Eduardo Hernandez, giving her several half-siblings. In February 2014, Soap Opera Digest announced that model True O'Brien had been cast as Paige Larson on

11041-430: Is innocent and Ciara hires Ted Laurent ( Gilles Marini ) as his attorney. After his release, Ben is attacked by Paige's mother Eve Donovan ( Kassie DePaiva ) and turns to Ciara for help. After the police rule the fire was an accident, Hope agrees to drop the charges if Ben skips town. However, Ciara invites Ben to move in with her, her boyfriend Tripp Dalton (Lucas Adams) and her niece Claire ( Olivia Rose Keegan ). Ben

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11222-464: Is integrated back into the canvas" with Ron Carlivati as head writer. Kambra Clifford of Soapcentral.com described the announcement as "killer news." Canyon News said the storyline would cause "fireworks galore." Soap Opera Spy said "Even though Ben has caused quite a lot of trouble in Salem, there’s no denying that fans still tune in to see him." However, not everyone was excited about the character's reintroduction. Jack Ori of TV Fanatic said "I know

11403-430: Is later revealed an accident caused by Chase. Aiden proposes to Hope and she accepts. Soon after, André DiMera blackmails him into killing Hope or else he will kill Chase. Obeying, Aiden marries Hope and then attempts to kill her. It is later revealed that it was a doppelgänger and not Aiden who tried to kill Hope. The real Aiden loves her too much to go through with it so Andre sent the doppelgänger in his place and held

11584-588: Is left to raise Arianna on her own. Sonny returns in 2016, and recommences co-parenting her with Gabi. In late 2017, it is revealed that Will is, in fact, alive. He is suffering from amnesia after being strangled and abducted, and has no memory of his life before. As soon as he returns to Salem, Arianna and Gabi come to see him. Despite not remembering them, Will treats Arianna as his daughter, and begins to take part in co-parenting Arianna again. When Will's amnesia leads to Arianna's two dads divorcing, Sonny continues to co-parent her, as does Will. In 2018, her mother Gabi

11765-421: Is obsessed with Abby. As Clyde is extradited, Ben confesses to the killings and Clyde promises to keep his secret. Ben takes Abby to a secluded where she goes into premature labor. Ben calls a midwife Wendy ( Denice Duff ), to help Abigail deliver the baby. After the birth, Ben shoots Wendy and buries her in the woods. Chad comes to Abby's rescue but Ben ties them up together, sets the cabin on fire and runs off with

11946-478: Is portrayed by actor Wally Kurth from February 3, 1987, to February 5, 1991. From 2007 to 2008, Justin was mentioned but not seen on screen. Kurth reprised the role again August 10, 2009, remaining in the role for nearly five years before departing on April 3, 2014. However, he once again returned in February 2015. Justin is the nephew of Greek tycoon Victor Kiriakis . Justin married Adrienne Johnson Kiriakis , and together they have three sons while Justin has one by

12127-482: Is presumed deceased. The baby boy is returned to his parents thanks to Melanie and taken home to Salem. He undergoes a successful bone marrow transplant, with his mother as the donor. Later, his parents rename him Tate Donovan Black. Justin Kiriakis Justin Kiriakis is a fictional character on the NBC daytime soap opera Days of Our Lives . Created by head writer Leah Laiman , he

12308-573: Is returning to Days of our Lives!" "If Will is returning to Salem, it should only make sense that the man who 'killed' him does, too, right?" Michael Fairman described the December 2017 scenes in which Ben attempts to re-enact Will's murder, as "riveting" "can't-miss soap opera!" He said the scenes were "portrayed masterfully" by Wilson and his co-stars, Alison Sweeney and Chandler Massey. The three "all played their beats to perfection in this very dark and twisted plotpoint." On-Air On-Soaps said Wilson had

12489-402: Is revealed that Ben has been taking captive and brought to New York City. He is bound when he awakens and Eve Donovan reveals herself as his captor with help from a man named Vincent. Eve is still grieving the murder of her daughter, Paige, at the hands of Ben. She and Vincent torture and brainwash Ben with mind-altering drugs. They program him to kill Ciara. He is found by Ciara and Hope. In

12670-402: Is still alive. Ben tells Marlena that Clyde told him Will is alive. Later, Will's mother Sami Brady ( Alison Sweeney ) convinces Ben to reenact Will's "murder" to cure his amnesia. However, Ben can't bring himself to hurt Will again and Sami has him locked away again. In June 2018, Marlena visits Ben and questions his mental state as he is due to be released from the sanitarium. Ben says it was

12851-425: Is that [Robert Scott Wilson] does such a superb job of playing the villain. I'm not so sure I want to see him do anything else." Soap Opera Digest described the character's reintroduction as "misguided" and said "The idea of [Ben] mingling with the loved ones of his victims is off-putting." While the magazine agreed that keeping "Ben on canvas a villain" could generate "interesting" plots, "trying to transform him into

13032-578: Is the "nice guy" who is just a bartender and Abigail's boyfriend. He "takes the hand of the little princess [Abigail] of Salem." But then, there is "Benjamin" who experiences "blackouts" and blames Chad for his behavior. From Ben's perspective, Chad is responsible for the murders. Though Wilson insisted that Ben does not have a split personality, "Benjamin is another part of Ben's personality that acted as his protector." To help prepare for his portrayal of Ben, Wilson did some research with similar characters. He studied Anthony Perkins portrayal of Norman Bates in

13213-502: Is the warden of the Salem County Correctional Facility, the prison where Hope Brady serves time in 2010. She works with an inmate, Lee Michaels, to kill inmates during routine medical procedures in order to harvest their organs in an operation run by Stefano DiMera . Jane first appeared on September 21, 2010. Stacy Haiduk had been hired to portray the role but was not able to fulfill the commitment so

13394-469: Is to set Chad up" Wilson stated. Ben never intends to hurt anyone. Ben sees his victims as "chess pieces" in a much bigger game – they will help him hold onto the life he has made for himself. As far as Ben is concerned, he is doing the "right thing." The writers took it a step further in the development of the story by portraying Ben as having suffered some sort of psychological break creating two distinct personalities for himself. The Ben viewers meet in 2014

13575-540: Is wrongfully imprisoned, and Will and Sonny tell Arianna that her mom is working away from home. After Gabi is proved innocent, Will and Sonny tell Ari that her mom is coming home, but Gabi's release is delayed for several more weeks due to a murder at the prison, and when Gabi finally gets out, Arianna, feeling unloved by her mother, is angry and unwelcoming towards her. Cole Hines was created by head writers Gary Tomlin and Christopher Whitesell . The character first appeared on June 27, 2013, as Bev Walters' boyfriend. He

13756-490: The ABC soap, All My Children . Wilson commented on the news that he would soon depart from the game show, and thanked fans. The following day, Wilson confirmed his final appearance on The Price is Right as April 15, and assured fans that he was not leaving on bad terms but did not comment on his new gig at Days of Our Lives . Wilson made his debut on May 22, 2014. At the time, Wilson was testing for another project on Fox . When

13937-400: The "10 Best Soap Newbies of 2013" having recently wrapped short lived stint on All My Children . Wilson's appearance on the list was only days after he had secretly booked the role of Ben. Wilson also ranked at #3 on the soap blog's list of the "10 Daytime Soap Opera Hunks We'd Love to Take Underwear Shopping." Jamey Giddens said, "Is it any wonder CBS Daytime decided to make Robert Scott Wilson

14118-468: The "Best Performance by a recurring" actor for the year 2017. Fairman said "Wilson has taken this disturbed character and brought him to soap opera cult status." Gold Derby and Soap Hub credited Ben's 2017 return with helping the show win its 4th Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series as one of the episodes submitted featured Wilson's reappearance as Ben. I'd be hard pressed to think of an actor who grew as quickly and as far as he did during Ben's brief time on

14299-461: The "reality that he knows." Wilson said he'd advise his character to leave Abigail and the town of Salem behind but admitted "Love makes you do wild stuff." I ran with it because I got what I wanted: a chance to play Ben in a total arc, taking him from one set of character traits to a completely different type of person. From an acting standpoint it was very rewarding. It was great to have some real, tangible information about Ben's backstory, and seeing

14480-410: The 1960 film Psycho as well as Edward Norton 's character in the 1996 film Primal Fear – who deals with a split personality. Wilson also watched several documentaries about the lives of serial killers. "If somebody were to see my Netflix queue during that time they probably would have asked, 'What's up with this guy?'" he said jokingly. However, in his research, Wilson recognized that Ben becoming

14661-467: The D.A. was prosecuting Sami Brady for Joe Bernardi's murder. Sami was ultimately cleared when evidence proved that she shot Bernardi in defense of Rafe Hernandez , showed up. In 2016, Trask prosecuted Hope Brady for Stefano DiMera 's murder, and got her 25 years in prison with no possibility of parole. She has a vendetta against Gabi Hernandez for getting out of jail early after killing Nick Fallon . After Abigail Deveraux murdered Andre DiMera and

14842-468: The DiMera mansion and kidnap Thomas. With Andre's help, Clyde gets into the mansion through the secret tunnels and holds Chad at gunpoint. After Andre leaves the room, Chad and Clyde fight until Andre returns with Lucas Horton and Adrienne Johnson tied up. Clyde tries to threaten them into telling him where Thomas is, but Andre shoots Chad. Clyde looks for Thomas. He hears a baby crying, and follows it into

15023-448: The DiMeras bribed the casino manager to testify against Ben. However, the witness is found dead and charges are dropped. Ben is suspicious when Chad helps Abby get her job back at the hospital and Ben in turn convinces her to move in with him. Ben follows Abigail to the DiMera mansion where he finds Abigail has slept with Chad. Instead of confronting her, Ben proposes to Abigail after Clyde gifts him with his late mother's engagement ring. Ben

15204-606: The SPD, he confides in Ciara and they secretly conspire against Claire. Looking for work he meets garage mechanic, Jake Lambert, who looks exactly like his deceased friend and former boss, Stefan DiMera. Jake hires him. With a source of income, he feels he can propose to Ciara. They are married by Julie with many in attendance. As they walk the church aisle to leave, an explosive goes off injuring many and burying Ben under debris. Emergency, fire and police responders are unable to find Ben. It

15385-412: The Salem Police can retaliate. Wracked with guilt over shooting an innocent man, Clyde starts drinking and tells Orpheus his life's story: he was abused by his father and realizes that he treated his children the way his father treated him. He also expresses regret that Jordan wants nothing to do with him. Orpehus orders Clyde and Xander to watch Joey while he goes to kill John Black . Clyde stands guard on

15566-424: The Salem police putting out an APB on him and Ciara. Paranoid Ben suffers from hallucinations of Clyde who tries to convince him that Ciara turned him in. Ciara talks him down and Ben goes to the pharmacy to get his medication only to return to Ciara's police commissioner mother, Hope ( Kristian Alfonso ) and Rafe Hernandez ( Galen Gering ) rescue Ciara from the burning cabin. Ben is arrested for arson but swears he

15747-454: The accusations, but then Cole tells her how amazing she is and that she deserves better. Paige tells him to stay away from her and J.J before leaving. Paige would find out that her mother and J.J. had an affair and Jennifer Horton knew about it and she confronts him at her surprise twentieth birthday party. She becomes very cynical and wants nothing to do with them. Paige begins a relationship with Kyle to make J.J jealous, not knowing that he

15928-442: The actor "It's a little bit of both. Maybe he's gone and then he's back and then he's gone. Maybe he's just among us. Maybe he's something that you can't get rid of." Wilson seemingly vacated the role on December 8, 2015, when Ben goes to prison. By the time of his departure, Wilson felt that Ben had completed his arc. Despite reports that Wilson was done with the series, the actor continued posting pictures on social media of himself on

16109-489: The actors (including Wilson's costars Chrishell Stause and James Read) been cast in a more established roles, "we doubt they'd be on a worst list." The site specifically said he should have been cast in the role of Andrew Donovan , son of supercouple Shane and Kimberly ( Charles Shaughnessy and Patsy Pease ) and brother to Theresa Donovan ( Jen Lilley ). On the character's love triangle with Abigail and Chad, Giddens said it "isn't exactly compelling" and he also reiterated that

16290-413: The actress had been popular as Natalie Buchanan on One Life to Live . Tori Narita is the mother of Paul Narita and was portrayed by Hira Ambrosino from January 20, 2015, to May 6, 2015. Tate Black is the son of Brady Black and Theresa Donovan . In November 2014, Theresa discovered she was pregnant with Brady's child. Kristen DiMera overheard Theresa sharing her news and decided to steal

16471-827: The arrest of Chad, he was released after Aiden Jennings was believed to be the Neck Tie Killer. In December 2015, Ben Weston was arrested for the string of murders, following a statement by Abigail Deveraux . In 2017, Paige appears in Abigail's nightmare. In 2020, Paige appears to Eve in a vision, where she tells her to stop taking revenge on Ben. Aiden Jennings was portrayed by Daniel Cosgrove from January 22, 2014, to November 9, 2015, and returned in May 2016. Originally at odds with Hope Williams Brady , they eventually fall in love. After some time together, Hope starts to suspect Aiden of killing his first wife; however, her death

16652-535: The baby whom Ben has named Colin . However, Ben is apprehended by JJ and Lani Price ( Sal Stowers ) and taken back to Salem. When Chad and Abigail confront him, Ben has seemingly lost his grip on reality. Despite his condition, Ben tells Abby where he left the baby and he is then put on a 24-hour suicide watch and taken to jail. In April 2016, Ben breaks into the DiMera mansion and he is shocked when Abigail professes her love for him. When Ben lets his guard down, Abigail stabs him and knocks him out. Ben wakes up tied to

16833-546: The bed and a deranged Abigail sets him on fire. Chad arrives just in time to put the fire out but Ben's legs are severely burned. The police take Ben into custody and district attorney Justin Kiriakis ( Wally Kurth ) concludes that Ben was sane enough to escape the hospital, and Ben is sent to prison instead of back to the mental hospital. In September 2017, Ben crashes Chad and Abigail's double wedding with Sonny Kiriakis ( Freddie Smith ) and Paul Narita ( Christopher Sean ) to announce that Sonny's husband Will (Chandler Massey)

17014-412: The brink of divorce. Bo and Hope were also not getting along and so Justin and Hope soon developed feelings for one another until ending any possibility for a relationship. Adrienne soon returned to town and after they struggle with their divorce the couple found their way back to each other and remarried. The couple soon welcomed their son Jackson "Sonny" Kiriakis back to town and it is revealed that he

17195-438: The canvas, "there's also maybe some people that can hear his side of the story now and might believe in [Ben] a little bit more." In an article for Soap Hub , Janet Di Lauro questioned exactly how the character could be integrated into the canvas, despite his past. "It's time for a magical rewrite or convoluted explanation," she said. In an interview with Michael Maloney for TV Insider , Wilson said "The show has come up with

17376-425: The character given more depth, no matter what direction it took. Robert Scott Wilson , Soap Opera Digest (2015) In April 2015, during an interview for Soapcentral.com, Wilson said that viewers will "learn more about Ben in the next six months." The actor continued, "It's a whole other side of Ben, and I'm really excited to kind of unravel it." Wilson welcomed the shift in the direction of his character. "I

17557-488: The character of Andrew Donovan would've been better for story purposes. In 2020, Charlie Mason from Soaps She Knows placed Ben at #33 on their list of the 35 most memorable characters from Days of Our Lives , saying that "If you had told us a few years ago that Days of Our Lives was going to transform Robert Scott Wilson’s Necktie Killer into its foremost romantic lead, we’d have laughed our butts off. And then we’d have had to say, “Sorry, our bad. You nailed it.”" While

17738-487: The character was initially not well received, the shocking serial killer plot and Wilson's portrayal led to Ben becoming a fan favorite. One blog christened the character with the nickname "Batty Ben" while TVSource Magazine hailed Ben as "The sexiest serial killer in soap history." Wilson received critical acclaim in the soap press and many were quite surprised the actor did not receive Daytime Emmy Award nomination for his work. However, Ben's multiple return stints garnered

17919-410: The characters he shared history with in addition to new faces. One of those new faces would be Victoria Konefal who played legacy character Ciara Brady. "Well he needs somebody to support him" the actor stated. Even with support from Marlena and Ciara, "it's a struggle for him" Wilson stated. Ben chooses to return to Salem "because he wants to make amends.… And not everybody wants that." Ben is "developing

18100-419: The club manager testifies against him. Clyde uses his contacts to have the manager killed in prison before he can testify. Clyde finds out Abby cheated on Ben with Chad and discovers she is pregnant. Clyde forces a lab technician to make the tests say Ben is the father. When Stefano returns to Salem, Clyde visits him and secretly places a bug in the DiMera house but Stefano orders him to leave. The bug reveals Abby

18281-408: The decision made some "sick." Days superstar Alison Sweeney who played Will's mother Sami even voiced her own anger over the decision to kill the character. Hope Campbell commented on the manner in which Will died at Ben's hands: "Will was an integral part of the show, and we watched him die in a horrific manner from his own point of view." Campbell praised the production of the scenes and said "seeing

18462-438: The departure of head writer Dena Higley and the appointments of new writers Marlene Clark Poulter and Darrell Ray Thomas Jr., it was reported that San Martin was among the list of actors let go from the show. San Martin's last air date was on September 19, 2011. In August 2015, nearly four years after San Martin's exit, it was reported that former Guiding Light and All My Children actor Jordi Vilasuso would take over

18643-535: The depths of his alter ego's insanity." Hope Campbell of Soap Hub noted that some fans suspected Ben had been faking his break from reality. Wilson's omission from the Daytime Emmy pre-nominations invoked a strong outcry from fans on social media. On-Air On-Soaps said Wilson's omission from the nominees was one of the more noticeable ones. Fame10 included Wilson on its 2016 list of "Most Shocking Soap Opera Emmy Snubs." Dorathy Gass declared Wilson's omission

18824-455: The drug business in the Ozarks . Clyde is shot by Victor's hitman Damon and is thought to be dead. Sonny Kiriakis is stabbed in the park and Clyde reveals to Victor that he survived the hit and admits he stabbed Sonny in retaliation. Victor and Clyde call a truce when Victor agrees to let Clyde take over his territory in Salem. Clyde's relationships with Ben and Kate improve but when he donates

19005-436: The embryo. Before Theresa has a chance to tell Brady about the pregnancy, Kristen sets her plan in motion. She hires goons to knock Theresa unconscious and they take her to a warehouse outfitted with gurneys and other medical supplies. Kristen arrives at the warehouse and the procedure begins. Brady and Theresa's embryo is transferred into Kristen's womb. Afterward, Kristen calls Brady to tell him that she will be leaving town with

19186-419: The end of February. Wilson accredited his landing the role to his time on All My Children and his former costar Jill Larson . Wilson also found common ground with former AMC alum, Chrishell Stause who played Ben's sister, Jordan and said Stause and [Kate] Mansi helped him make the transition. After landing the gig, Wilson learned he would also be working opposite [Kristian] Alfonso, another Boston native. In

19367-443: The ex-girlfriend of Eric Brady ( Greg Vaughan ). She made her first appearance on December 5, 2014. In April 2015, Soap Opera Digest confirmed Archer had been let go from the show. Archer last aired on August 27, 2015, when her character was killed off as part of a serial killer storyline to commemorate with the show's 50th anniversary. Archer appeared in additional flashback scenes on September 28, 2015, when Serena's death at

19548-530: The father. Arianna and her mother move in with Will and Sonny, and they raise Arianna as a three-parent family. In 2014, Sonny marries Arianna's father, Will, becoming her step-father. When Gabi is imprisoned for the murder of Nick, Arianna is raised by her two dads. Arianna is reunited with her mother when she is released from prison in September 2015. Her happiness is cut short when Will is apparently murdered, and Sonny, stricken with grief, leaves town, and Gabi

19729-421: The fight, and calls J.J afterward; Paige had something to tell him, however, when J.J arrives at her dorm, he finds her in the shower with a tie loosely around her neck. Paige is pronounced dead, much to the horror of J.J and Eve who apologizes to Paige over her body. Chad DiMera is seen as the prime suspect, due to the fact that a flower found near the crime scene can only be found at the DiMera mansion; following

19910-515: The final episode starring Skeet Ulrich . Kurth has also made a name for himself in music as the lead singer and guitarist of "Kurth & Taylor." He also won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Song for his song "Barefoot Ballet" on GH in 2002, which he shared with his bandmate Christian Taylor and lyricist Debi Cochran. In March 2015, Kurth was placed on contract with the series. In December 2015, Kurth along with Judi Evans were downgraded back to recurring status. In October 2019, it

20091-411: The first-ever male model on The Price is Right ? Since then, the gorgeous hunk has proven to have impressive chops on two daytime soaps." Despite Wilson being a popular casting choice, the writing for his character was very poorly received. Daytime Confidential listed the exploration of the character's backstory at #2 in its list of the "10 Worst Soap Opera Storylines of 2014." The blog admitted that had

20272-433: The hands of the Necktie Killer were shown. In October 2017, Archer reprised the role of Serena as part of a special dream-sequence episode on October 31, 2017. In 2021, Richard Simms from Soaps She Knows put Serena on his list of the most hated soap opera characters, commenting that viewers were "more likely to remember the endlessly discussed elephant statue" sought by Serena rather than Serena herself, and noted that

20453-504: The incident with Sami and Will that caused his break through. Ben promises to make amends for the pain he caused. Upon release, Ben visits Will to apologize and Chad orders him out of town. When Chad ditches him at the edge of town, Ben finds Ciara Brady ( Victoria Konefal ) after a motorcycle crash. Ben promises he has changed and convinces her to let him tend to her wounds. They bond as Ben cares for her and she begins to trust him. However, Ben unravels when he can't fill his medication due to

20634-531: The lighting situation was fixed, "Robert and I just let ourselves get out of the way and went for the ride without any hesitation." Wilson concluded his run with the series on June 24, 2016. The return also helped facilitate Kate Mansi's departure from the series. "I'm so grateful to have been a part of her last episode" Wilson said. In September 2017, it was announced the Wilson was set to reprise his role in late September, under new head writer Ron Carlivati . Wilson

20815-426: The love of his life Adrienne Johnson . Adrienne was unlike anyone Justin had known since she had not grown up in a privileged family, but instead was raised in poverty by an abusive father and ineffectual mother. Victor objected to their relationship but they eventually married. They had their share of issues, primarily Justin's affair with Angelica Deveraux which resulted in a son, Alexander Kiriakis. Adrienne also had

20996-482: The man is arrested. Aiden arrives and wants to spend the day with Chase but Chase decides to go to judo class. Hope and Aiden become engaged and Ciara and Chase grow closer. When Aiden tries to kill Hope on their wedding night and is shot by Hope's ex-husband Bo, Chase angrily rejects Hope and Ciara's attempts to bring him into the family and accuses Bo of being a murderer. Clyde Weston has been portrayed by James Read since June 27, 2014. The character initially departed

21177-417: The manic part of his personality threatened complete dominance." On-Air On-Soaps deemed the plot twist as the "Most Shocking Storyline" for the year 2015. The website also praised Ben as the "Most Revived Character" and Wilson as one of the "Best" supporting actors. Soap Opera Digest further praised the character's "revitalization" describing Ben as a "ho-hum character whose appeal increased as Wilson plumbed

21358-434: The money they stole from him. Ben is surprised when Clyde changes his tune and gives Jordan back her life's savings. Meanwhile, Ben grows closer to Abby despite her ex-boyfriend Chad DiMera attempts to sabotage his budding romance with Abigail and the life he's building in Salem. Ben gets himself arrested when he attacks Chad in public after Chad throws his sexual relationships with Abby and Jordan in his face. Clyde reveals that

21539-403: The most because True is so young" Wilson explained. During the interview with Fairman, Wilson confirmed that Ben would take more lives. "There is a lot more to this story" he teased. "The body count will rise" he declared. On the episode which aired on October 9, 2015, Ben would claim a third, and most significant victim – Will Horton (Guy Wilson) as he discovers Ben is the killer. Until Will, Ben

21720-399: The mystery. He's hoping Will can be found." Wilson was contacted in the spring of 2017 about returning to the series. The producers told him a little bit about the story, stating: "It sounded like really great stuff, and they were correct. I had a blast." While he was welcomed back, a lot had changed with the serial. "In a short amount of time, they really spread Ben out, and he interacts with

21901-406: The news that he is rehabilitated. Laurisa from Soapcentral.com argued that the extreme circumstances of the parallel plot in which Abigail avoided prison after killing someone due to a psychotic break made Ben's return more plausible. "A psychiatrist has deemed him sane, which the show can't shoot down in a light of Abigail's storyline." Wilson described Marlena as the "gatekeeper to get Ben back into

22082-425: The people of Salem. Clyde and Orpheus bond over their mutual dislike of the people of Salem and plot a breakout. Clyde gets transferred into Orpheus' cell and recruits Xander Kiriakis . During a transfer, Eduardo Hernandez kills an inmate, believing he was responsible for threatening their family. Orpheus knocks the driver unconscious and the prison van crashes. Clyde makes his way to Kate's house and threatens her with

22263-489: The pier and Abe's son Theo Carver confronts him with a gun. He hesitates and Clyde takes advantage of the opportunity. Steve and J.J. reveal themselves, and Clyde flees while sending a text message to Orpehus, telling him to "abort". Clyde decides to kill Chad and kidnap his son Thomas DiMera . After stealing some baby clothes for Thomas, Clyde encounters Andre DiMera , and is shocked that Stefano has another son. Clyde threatens to kill him, but Andre offers to help him get into

22444-432: The pier. John arrives and Orpheus is shot in the struggle. The trio decide to publicly make their demands known and flee to the Kiriakis compound. Clyde finds a case full of weaponry that his former partner-in-crime Jeremiah arranged for him. Getting a good vantage point, Clyde waits for Orpheus to make their demands known before he attempts to shoot Aiden Jennings . He accidentally shoots Abe Carver instead and flees before

22625-430: The plans for Ben. Wilson was immediately excited about the story. In 2018, Wilson said of the story, "I didn’t see it as a door closing. I saw it as a way to stretch as an actor." But, Wilson initially felt some apprehension about the decision. "They either want me to fail… or they trust me." But the producers quickly assured the actor it was the latter. And once he got into it, Wilson felt the changes allowed for him to play

22806-517: The police when he catches JJ selling drugs to students and gets him arrested. In January 2014, Cole gets arrested and sent to jail. He receives the maximum sentence for his part in the robbery. In June 2014, he gets out of jail and meets up with Bev at the park. He needs some money, which Bev agrees to give him in return for dropping a few joints in Paige Larson 's purse at Club TBD. As he is about to do so, Paige catches him. JJ arrives and gets in

22987-449: The possibility that Ben is looming becomes even more real. During the week of April 11, 2016, Ben and Abigail come face to face. "It's the real deal and not a figment of Abigail's imagination" Wilson confirmed. At that point, it is a game of cat and mouse. The confrontation culminates with Ben to a bed and Abigail setting him on fire, as he had previously done to her and Chad. Wilson's costar Kate Mansi told Soap Opera Digest about filming

23168-420: The project fell through, Wilson returned to Boston to visit his family for Christmas which is when he learned he got the job. "It came at a time when I didn't expect," Wilson told Soap Opera Digest . Ironically, Wilson had just purchased a brand new Mercedes-Benz the week before booking the gig. "Fortune favors the bold" he said of his luck. He started filming on January 8, 2014, and had filmed twelve episodes by

23349-603: The real Aiden captive. Returning in the nick of time, Hope's former husband, Bo Brady , stops Aiden's doppelgänger by killing him. For a brief time, Aiden is then wrongly believed to have been the Necktie Killer . On October 25, he leaves Salem to care for his son Chase. Chase Jennings is the son of Aiden and Meredith Jennings, most notable for brutally raping his stepsister, Ciara Brady . Chase and his father arrive in Salem from Portland, Oregon in 2014 and are at odds with Hope and Ciara. Ciara and Chase do not get along with each other and torment each other. Jonathon McClendon assumed

23530-583: The role and remained on the show until 2007, later accepting the short-term role of Sam Hutchins on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns from 2007 to 2008. Outside of acting, Kurth ventured into hosting duties with his reality show 1 Day With on SOAPnet from 2004 to 2005, which feature him documenting the daily lives of soap stars. Kurth most recently appeared on NBC's primetime drama Law & Order: Los Angeles on April 11, 2011, which coincided with

23711-459: The role in late 2015 and would reprise the role for multiple guest stints before returning to the show as a series regular on June 1, 2018. Upon his return, head writer Ron Carlivati began to redeem the character through his friendship and eventual romance with Ciara Brady ( Victoria Konefal ), whom he later married and had a son with. Ben ( Justin Gaston ) comes to Salem in 2014 where he lands

23892-400: The role more "honestly." Wilson admitted that the way he worked changed "Because they were writing for me. They wrote me an amazing story, which ended up being the threat of the entire show. They trusted me with it." In an interview with Soapcentral.com, Wilson said "I got to really know Ben and attack him and play it out to its fullest. I'm grateful they wrote as much as they did and really took

24073-438: The role of Chase on October 21, 2015, when the character was aged due to soap opera rapid aging syndrome . On June 30, 2016, McClendon revealed that he would depart the show. McClendon last aired on September 15, 2016. Chase is attacked by a man wanting his cell phone. Hope shows up and the man claims that he and his son were having a disagreement, but Hope knows that Chase is not the man's son. She gets Chase away from him and

24254-467: The role of Dario. Vilasuso made his debut on February 19, 2016. In July 2017, it was reported that Vilasuso would be departing the show with his last air date on July 31, 2017. Vilasuso made a further appearance on September 26, 2017. Quinn Hudson , played by Australian actor Bren Foster , is the son of Vivian Alamain . He surfaces in Salem in 2011, and is part of a plot by Kate Roberts to bring down Chloe Lane . Quinn blackmails Chloe into being

24435-551: The role on October 20, 2015. However, he made guest appearances on multiple occasions, including from September 9–October 14, 2016, October 9–11, 2017 and July 6–9, 2018. The character has appeared on a recurring basis since November 19, 2019. When Kate Roberts investigates Jordan Ridgeway 's past, she discovers multiple driver's licenses with different names in her apartment as well as her connection to Salem newcomer Ben Rogers . The evidence leads her to Poplar Bluff, Missouri where she meets with Clyde Weston. Clyde reveals that Ben

24616-554: The role once again during a one-off appearance on October 31, 2017. Serena is introduced as a friend of Melanie Jonas ( Molly Burnett ) and a former lover of Eric Brady ( Greg Vaughan ) during the pair's time in South Africa, prior to Eric's joining of the priesthood. Serena has a rivalry with Nicole Walker due to her past with Eric and her fascination for one of Eric's African artifacts, which were revealed to have been used to smuggle blood diamonds . Serena confesses that she

24797-496: The role was recast with Tina Huang . Young and the Restless star Victoria Rowell was planning to test for the role. When she did not get the part, she sued Sony , which produces both soaps, for allegedly taking her off the audition list. The lawsuit was eventually dropped. Trask is the aggressive District Attorney who wants justice and enjoys sending people to jail when they break the law. One of Melinda's first storylines as

24978-427: The role was recast with Gina Gallego. Ben Walters was portrayed by Ty Treadway from September 17, 2010, to February 2, 2011. Ben is a specialist brought in by Stefano DiMera on to handle EJ DiMera's injury after he was shot in the head by Sami Brady. While at the hospital he briefly dated Jennifer Horton. Ben was later revealed to be part of a human organ trafficking scheme organized by Stefano. His accomplice

25159-444: The ruse in order to protect her and herself from criminal charges. Things get complicated when she learns of Leo's blackmail and has to coerce him to keep him quiet or go to prison like Dimitri. Paige Larson was introduced by executive producers Ken Corday , Lisa de Cazotte and Greg Meng. The character is portrayed by True O'Brien and is introduced as a good samaritan who returns JJ Deveraux ( Casey Moss ) his dropped wallet and

25340-454: The same thing, to build a father-son relationship, Clyde's schemes constantly undermines any progress they make. The character is paired with Abigail Deveraux in a romantic storyline. Wilson explained that Abigail is the first girl to make Ben want to "settle down" and have a stable relationship. "It's all really new to him." Ben's secret past jeopardizes his budding romance with Abigail because "He's not yet ready to tell her... but if everything

25521-514: The scene look like EJ was robbed and killed by a low-level drug addict. Miguel fears EJ's father Stefano DiMera will uncover the truth; Clyde tells his assistant Jeremiah to murder Miguel and bury the body on Jeremiah's grandfather's farm in Missouri. Clyde tells Jordan that if she interferes with his reconciliation with Ben, he will reveal to Ben that Jordan caused the car wreck that killed their mother. Jordan warns her boyfriend Rafe Hernandez ,

25702-442: The scenes because he knew the fans wouldn't miss a beat and would notice that there was air in the bag – which would keep it from sinking. Ben is able to "keep his game face on" in public, until he is alone and "can kind of revel in what has happened." In private, Ben takes "deep breathes, and try to regain his composure." The killer's first victim is Serena Mason, played by Melissa Archer, who had recently announced her departure from

25883-458: The scenes were "magnificent." Despite Ben terrorizing Abigail, "to many fans, Ben was a treat." Hope Campbell said Wilson's performance kept viewers "enthralled" during his return. In a sample poll of nearly 2,000 votes, 65% of viewers hoped the character would return. A Gold Derby poll saw 56% of voters were excited for Ben's return. When Wilson reprised his role in 2017, Ryan White-Nobles excitedly declared "The sexiest serial killer in soap history

26064-444: The scenes. "From the minute we arrived on set, Robert and I felt the weight of that encounter" the actress explained. The actors didn't even rehearse together as usual. The taping was delayed due to a lighting problem so they took advantage of the downtime and "We didn't take our eyes off each other" allowing for the tension to build. The actors then utilized the remainder of the time to run through their scenes, without any dialogue. When

26245-458: The screen fade to black as Will faded with his last breath sent chills up our spines and not something we remember seeing often on a soap." However, she described the situation as "over-the-top" and said the manner in which Ben transported the corpse "added another layer of creepiness we were not looking for." Despite the controversy that stemmed from Will's murder, Wilson received critical acclaim for his portrayal of Ben. Michael Fairman who praised

26426-401: The serial killer storyline and said "The latest in a long line of DAYS serial killers is giving the show back its life" by getting rid of the "nonessential characters" like Serena and Paige. "Praise Soap Jesus" Giddens exclaimed. Ironically, Giddens hoped the killer's next victims would be Ben and Clyde Weston. Michael Fairman of On-Air On-Soaps praised the scenes in which Ben was revealed to be

26607-429: The serial killer. Soap Central's Kambra Clifford described the plot twist as "hellish" and "devilishly dark." Soap Shows described Wilson's official confirmation of Ben as the serial killer as a "spoilers reveal like no other." Soap Shows christened the character with the nickname "Batty Ben" and said "he's become the creepiest Salem man around." The blog further commented that "Robert Scott Wilson appears to be having

26788-557: The series multiple daytime Emmy nominations, and wins, including the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series in 2018. The Boston Herald also praised Wilson for "bringing vulnerability, remorse and a bit of mystery" to Ben during his redemption plot in 2018. Michael Maloney described becoming a soap serial killer as "a thankless role" but credited Wilson's "compelling performances" with garnering "rave reviews." Jamey Giddens of Daytime Confidential initially praised

26969-407: The series. O'Brien made her debut on March 3, 2014. About her audition, O'Brien said "It was an intense process. It was the first time I had really tested for anything. I didn't know what was going on, so I just let it happen. When I walked out of there, I felt good. I was very thankful to have had that opportunity to even experience something like that." In June 2015, it was confirmed that O'Brien

27150-430: The series. Serena is found strangled to death and Chad is implicated as a suspect because of their drunken confrontation the night before. Less than a month later, the killer claims another victim when Paige Larson (True O'Brien) is strangled to death with a red necktie. Chad once again appears to be the prime suspect as he had been harassing Paige who had witnessed the altercation with Serena. Following Paige's murder, there

27331-425: The set. In January 2016 it was announced that Wilson would reprise his role as Ben. The actor reappeared onscreen on March 11. Wilson revealed that Albert Alarr informed him toward the end of his first arc of the plans to bring the character back. However, this is a "new chapter" for Ben. "This is now a fresh arc for myself and what I make for Ben." According to Wilson, Ben returns because he misses Salem, having found

27512-491: The show had successfully made Ben an "anti-hero" with three plot points: "Marlena's blessing," his saving Ciara's life, and most significantly, Ben keeping his distance from Abigail. "The old Ben would have been on her doorstep wreaking havoc immediately. The new Ben has clearly moved on, because he is a healed man, and one DAYS has somehow transformed into an anti-hero." In response to the original casting call looking for attractive actors, Luke Kerr said, "Finding beautiful actors

27693-554: The show. He's easily part of my top ten villain performances of all time on DAYS. So, I'm never opposed to seeing him on my screen again. Laurisa, Soapcentral.com Diane Brounstein of Soap Hub described Ben's 2018 reintroduction as a "smart move." She continued, "While the move may seem like a hard one to pull off […] there's no denying that the actor is mesmerizing to watch." On-Air On-Soaps said "You can never get enough of ole’ Ben Weston in your life now can you?" Michael Fairman said "it will be intriguiging to see just how Ben

27874-512: The situation that's being set up is that the whole town is going to be united against him. Ron Carlivati , Soap Opera Digest (2018) In January 2018, Wilson revealed that he had visited the set which led to rumors of another return. Later, actress Denice Duff announced that she would also reprise her role as midwife Wendy Taylor, which fueled speculation. Soaps.com stated that Duff would reappear alongside Wilson in May 2018. On April 26, 2018, Soap Opera Digest announced that Wilson signed

28055-502: The situation. Clyde arrives at Kyle's apartment and Kyle knocks JJ unconscious. JJ awakens to find that Clyde has killed Kyle and Clyde asks if JJ is working with the police. JJ tells Clyde that he had an affair with Eve which caused Paige to disown Eve and in revenge Eve made up the story and told Kyle. Clyde believes JJ and hires him to replace Kyle. Clyde threatens to kill JJ's mother Jennifer Horton , sister Abigail, and ex-girlfriend Paige if he tells Ben about their drug deals. Later Paige

28236-464: The story as a "deeply affection and riveting arc" said "Wilson owned every second of Ben's troubled inner life and turmoil." Soap Opera Digest made the climax it's "Editor's Choice" and praised Wilson and his co-stars for making the "stakes feel higher" and "infusing the action with blistering intensity." The magazine said "Wilson was mesmerizing as his character slipped in and out of lucidity. Wilson expertly highlighted Ben's struggle to stay cognizant as

28417-471: The story wrapped, he could be out of a job. As the serial killer story was set to climax in the fall, Soaps SheKnows reported that Wilson would likely vacate the role of Ben Weston when the story wrapped. However, neither Wilson nor the producers would comment on the actor's status with the series. Wilson intentionally played coy during another interview in November 2015. When asked if he was coming or going,

28598-512: The summer of 2013 Soap Opera Digest reported that the soap had put out two separate casting calls, one of which was for the role of Ben. In February 2014, it was reported that actor and country singer Justin Gaston , known for his appearance on the television series, Nashville Star had been cast in the contract role of Ben. Gaston filmed his first scenes in October 2013 and was slated to make his first appearance on February 26, 2014. During

28779-406: The time on the story. They put a lot of care into it, and we all stepped up." Wilson described the plot twist as "some of the most fulfilling work of my career." He said of the character change, "It's really night and day" from the Ben viewers had come to know. Wilson relished in portraying the "bad guy." The actor was very grateful because "they really did write for Ben" and that allowed him to take

28960-528: The two up. He breaks into JJ's house and plants drugs in his bag. Paige confronts Cole at college. He admits it and tells her she deserves someone better than JJ. Paige asks him to stay away from her and JJ. Cole calls Eve to tell her what happened, but she tells him she is dropping off his money and ends the call, leaving Cole perplexed. Melinda Trask is a fictional character on the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives portrayed by Laura Kai Chen beginning in 2013. In 2020,

29141-459: The wedding. The killer then attacks Doctor Marlena Evans ( Deidre Hall ) and Chad "interrupts" the confrontation. When Chad goes on the run, Ben changes his mind about moving. On September 24, 2015, Ben is revealed to be "The Necktie Killer" when he is shown dumping evidence into the river. Ben ask Abigail's cousin Will Horton ( Guy Wilson ) to be the best man at their wedding. Meanwhile, Ben

29322-421: The week of April 7, 2014, rumors circulated that Gaston had been replaced by actor Robert Scott Wilson , with neither actor nor the show commented on the speculation. On April 14, 2014, Soap Opera Digest confirmed the rumor and reported that Gaston was indeed replaced by Wilson, known for being the first male model on The Price Is Right and his portrayal of Peter Cortlandt in the short-lived online reboot of

29503-556: The world of Salem." Of Ben's state of mind, Wilson said "He had a chance to find himself, do some heavy reading and find God, maybe. He is medicated. He has been cleared and deemed sane. And he's okay." Ben's got his baggage and his demons, and he's such a layered character, and I'm finding new colors, and it's really been fun. I enjoy going to work every day. I'm getting some really gritty work, and that's all you can ask for, good work. Robert Scott Wilson , Boston Herald (2018) Wilson revealed that Ben would interact with many of

29684-736: Was "sheer craziness!" She hoped Wilson would get the well-deserved the Supporting Actor nomination in 2017. Hollie Deese of Soaps.com said Wilson's exclusion was a "glaring oversight" because "I think he took it all this year, hands down." Deese hailed Wilson as one of the "top young actors in the genre." Hope Campbell of Soap Hub said Wilson's 2016 return would surely "shake things up" just in time for February Sweeps. Michael Fairman praised Wilson for his "incredibly twisted" portrayal during Ben's final confrontation with Kate Mansi's Abigail in April 2015. Michael Goldberg from Serial Scoop said

29865-404: Was Jane Smith, the warden at the women's prison where Hope Brady was being incarcerated. After Jennifer's heart is harvested, Daniel Jonas exposes the scheme and saves Jennifer. Ben is arrested for his part in the crime and Jane fingers him as the mastermind out of fear of being killed by Stefano. Lee Michaels is a trustee in the prison where Hope Brady serves time in 2010. She is a doctor who

30046-435: Was announced that Kurth was bumped back to regular status. In March of the following year, Kurth clarified the reports, stating he was still under recurring status. Justin Kiriakis arrived in town to become reacquainted with his uncle Victor Kiriakis , from whom he had become estranged since the death of his parents. Justin became accustomed to the family's questionable conduct as he ran his construction company. He soon met

30227-434: Was announced that O'Brien would once again reprise the role, beginning the week of August 24, 2020. Paige was born on May 29, 1995 and would grow up with her single mother Eve Donovan. Her father would later be revealed to be Eduardo Hernandez, aka Eddie Larson, making Rafe , Arianna , Dario and Gabi her half-siblings. In early 2014, Paige arrives in Salem without her mother, Eve ( Kassie DePaiva ) and quickly develops

30408-532: Was arrested after Tripp planted evidence against him. He was then let go, He soon learned the truth and informed Ciara about it. He chose not to press charges against Tripp. He starts dating newly single Ciara. He also saves her from the burning fire after his sister Jordan Ridgeway abducts her. Ben takes Ciara to the hospital where Ciara is admitted for inhaling too much smoke. Jordan shows up in Ciara's room and knocks Ben out. When he regains his consciousness, he stops Jordan from hurting Ciara, he almost kills her with

30589-502: Was attractive at first but he is arrogant. Clyde is revealed to be local drug dealer Kyle Southern's boss. Kyle, who is dating Paige Larson , hires her ex-boyfriend JJ Deveraux , unaware that JJ is secretly working with the DEA and Salem police commissioner Roman Brady . Paige's mother Eve Donovan tells Kyle that JJ is working with the DEA. Kyle tells Clyde that he needs to personally deal with

30770-476: Was diagnosed with DID in 2018 Trask tried to convince Chad to permanently send his wife to Bayview. She explained to Chad that it was the only way to keep himself and Thomas safe. Trask did this to protect Chad and Thomas from Abigail. Trask is revealed to be the mother of Haley Chen. Although they get off to a rocky start, Melinda and Haley develop a caring relationship. However, Haley's is killed Melinda seeks revenge against Kristen DiMera , who pushed Haley down

30951-464: Was forced to use Eric to smuggle the diamonds out of Africa by Eric's former friend and Serena's former lover Xander Kiriakis . When Serena's secret is revealed, Eric breaks up with her, and he and Nicole are nearly killed by Xander. She ends up back in Eric's good graces when she saves his grandmother Caroline Brady 's life. In August 2015, Serena is sued by Nicole due to her involvement with Xander. After

31132-424: Was getting bored out of my mind. So thank God. It's time for the cycle to change." Wilson admitted that Ben develops "more of a wild streak than ever." In the summer of 2015, Entertainment Weekly reported that the series would launch a Murder mystery plot in late August as the show was to celebrate its 50th anniversary. The plot would feature several characters, including some fan favorites as victims. The story

31313-407: Was hired as Director of Communications over her. When Chloe returned to Salem in 2013, she teamed up with her to break up Jennifer and Daniel Jonas. Arianna Grace Horton is the daughter of Gabi Hernandez and Will Horton . She is introduced on May 21, 2013. She is named after her late aunts, Arianna Hernandez and Grace DiMera . Since 2019, the role has been played by Sydney Brower. Arianna

31494-413: Was immediate speculation that Ben was framing Chad or that Clyde had framed Chad on Ben's behalf. On the episode that aired on September 24, 2015, the killer tries and fails to kill one of the show's most iconic characters, Marlena Evans, portrayed by veteran actress Deidre Hall. Wilson later admitted that he wasn't too enthused about Ben's choice of victims, specifically O'Brien's character. "That one got me

31675-471: Was imprisoned for illegally prescribing pain killers to her patients. She is assigned to the prison's infirmary, where she works with Warden Jane Smith to kill inmates during routine medical procedures in order to harvest their organs. Lee is played by Robin Mattson and first appeared on October 5, 2010, to 2011. Parker Daniel Jonas is the son of Daniel Jonas and Chloe Lane , although Philip Kiriakis

31856-445: Was initially assumed to be the baby's father, it was later revealed (incorrectly) that Parker was conceived during a one-night stand between Chloe and Philip. When Chloe takes a paternity test, the results are changed by Caroline Brady to make her believe that Daniel is the father. When the assumed truth about Parker's paternity is revealed, Daniel leaves Chloe. On March 2, 2011, Philip becomes Parker's legal father and Parker's last name

32037-472: Was let go from the series, she exited on September 9, 2015 when her character was the second to be killed off as part of the Necktie Killer storyline to commemorate with the show's 50th anniversary. O'Brien returned in flashbacks on September 28, when Paige's death scene was shown and in her mother's visions on October 2, 2015. In October 2017, O'Brien reprises the role of Paige as part of special dream-sequence episode on October 31, 2017. In August 2020, it

32218-450: Was long thought to be his father. He was born on November 11, 2010, in the Horton cabin after his mother Chloe Lane goes into premature labor. There are complications with the birth (the umbilical cord is wrapped around his neck), and Chloe is assisted by Parker's assumed older sister Melanie. Philip and Daniel later show up just as Parker is born. Chloe and Daniel go to the hospital and name him Parker Jonas, after Daniel's mother. While Daniel

32399-506: Was reported that Francisco San Martin would play the role of Dario, Rafe and Gabi Hernandez 's ( Galen Gering and Camila Banus ) brother as a way to fill the void left following their sister Arianna's ( Lindsay Hartley ) death. San Martin previously played Javier Rodriguez, a patient of Nathan Horton ( Mark Hapka ) for one episode on November 16, 2010. San Martin's first air date was March 9, 2011. Three months later in June 2011, following

32580-408: Was slated to climax during the week of November 8, 2015, the official anniversary date. On the episode which aired on September 24, 2015, the episode culminates with the revelation that Wilson's Ben is the mysterious Necktie Killer when he is shown going over the evidence. Wilson was invited to a meeting with executive producer Albert Alarr and then headwriter Josh Griffith where they informed him of

32761-406: Was very enthusiastic about the return. "I couldn't have asked for a better entrance back to Salem – when no one sees it coming." Just about everyone in town has converged on the church for a double wedding "and then I got to swing the church doors open and drop a bomb" the actor explained to Soap Opera Digest . Ben announces to a packed room that Will Horton is alive upsetting the event. For Ben, this

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