Interview: Deidre Hall

Last year, daytime television literally became uglier when popular Days of our Lives superstar Deidre Hall left the airwaves as the iconic and relentlessly beautiful Dr. Marlena Evans.

Unless you were in a coma this time last year, you know that Hall, one of the most gorgeous and talented faces to ever grace the soap opera screen, was unfairly — and rudely — ushered out of Salem last year due to budget reasons.

Many claim it was the beginning of the end for our industry. You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who would disagree with that statement. 

Predictably, fans and critics were livid with the shocking ouster. However, life went on, but TV Guide Canada hasn’t forgotten the immeasurable contributions the Daytime Emmy Award-nominated actress has lent to the medium.

As the decade winds down, it was an easy choice to name our Entertainer of the Decade.

As “Doc,” Deidre Hall created an unforgettable character who resonated with not just soap fans but also non-daytime viewers. It’s a testament to the mass appeal of the genuine and artistic presence of La Hall.

From killing half of Salem, being possessed by the devil, to lusting it up with her co-star Drake Hogestyn, Hall has successfully endured as one  the most underrated and beloved soap stars of our time.

TVGuide.ca sat down with Ms. Hall for her first major interview since she departed Days of our Lives to dish on life post-Salem, James E. Reilly’s death, and if she was really feuding with her former co-star Crystal Chappell.

TVGuide.ca: How are you? It’s hard to believe that it’s been a year since you left daytime. We miss you!
Deidre Hall: Thank you! That’s sweet. I’m very well.

TVG: You’ve worked the majority of your career — sometimes two gigs at a time — so this must have been a nice break for you. DH: It was surprisingly nice. I didn’t anticipate a break. But it came at a time when I could spend some important moments with my children. I was able to do things with them that I have never been able to do before. They’re now teenagers, developing their personalities, and becoming adults. So it’s nice to witness this phase of their lives up close and personal. TVG: As a mother, is it better to be a “stay-at-home parent” when your kids are babies or when they’re on the cusp of adulthood? DH: It’s all-important. I was raised by a working mom and the one thing I remember is how lovely it is to have a parent at home because there is a heartbeat in the house.

TVG: Were you ever an ugly duckling?
DH: I think we all go through an awkward period. You know when your ears and legs grow [disproportionately]. Freckles and curly hair … yeah, I was definitely an awkward kid. I’m surprised my children haven’t endured any awkward phases though.

TVG: Your boys are pretty young. What’s the biggest issue you face as a mother?
DH: With everything available to them, thanks to the media and online world, it’s hard to track their development because of all these new realities.

TVG: How do you keep fit?
DH: I carpool with my girlfriends to a gym and we work out three or four days a week. I live in Santa Monica, [Calif.,] so I often walk to the ocean and back. I enjoy being fit.

TVG: Are you still watching Days of Our Lives?
DH: No. I did for a little while, but I saw too many new faces so it was hard to follow.

TVG: We’re living in a post-Marlena world a year later. Do you feel “Doc” is still a part of you or have you finally said goodbye to her in your heart?
DH: I’m still approached by so many fans. Because of that, I still feel like she still lives on in the hearts and minds of viewers. I played Marlena so close to [my heart] that I don’t feel a separation. Marlena and I are basically the same person. What’s been interesting is when I recently took my son, David, to  Washington, D.C., where we visited the White House and met with people like [Senate Majority Leader] Harry Reid, he would giggle because Reid’s secretary was stumbling all over his mother! I haven’t travelled a lot with my children, [so they haven’t been exposed to my celebrity on a national scale]. David was like, “Wait a minute — the government knows my mom?” I think he was a little surprised. The DAYS audience is very widespread, more than I think people are aware of.

TVG: Your kids sound like they are getting quite the education …
DH: Yes, I think they are. I have always made sure their priorities are in check. Last summer, I sent David to Brazil to work with Operation Smile. David is becoming the man I always wanted him to be. He’s knocking me out. That’s what leaving the show has done for me. It’s been a magical time for our family.

TVG: The majority of my friends are non-soap watchers. But when you left DAYS, everyone called me to ask why Marlena left DAYS. There was a time — especially during the James E. Reilly years — that non-soap fans were addicted to DAYS during Marlena’s demonic possession, and then later, the serial-killer storyline. Reilly had a knack for attracting new viewers like no one since Gloria Monty. DH: Marlena has always been topical and timely. When I first started playing Marlena, she was starting a career when that was slightly taboo. Then she slipped into a marriage and she struggled to balance all of that — long before women in real life were really doing that on a mass scale, but women related to her because of her struggles as a working mother and wife. Then, of course, her marriages later fell apart. At that point, she became vulnerable and women related to Marlena because of her personal trials and tribulations. She was relatable, vulnerable, but she was always a survivor. She came from good stock. And that was inspiring to many viewers. I think we all need someone to look up to who is all-loving, and all-accepting. For many, Marlena was that person.

TVG: You’ve always been a gay icon. Which is quite a testament because we gay men like our women a tad campy — and you’ve never really been campy. But like your contemporary, Jaclyn Smith, you resonated with our community because of your sophistication, brains and style.
DH: I am aware of my gay following. Gays are stylish, and most importantly, they are comfortable with their own emotionality — which is what defines Marlena. I used to live in West Hollywood — and it was the coolest place to live! [Laughs] Everyone knew who I was. I felt, as a character and as a person, very accepted and welcomed.

TVG: Another reason I think Marlena spoke to viewers was the fact that she was an unapologetic sexual woman. In the annals of soap opera history, I think John and Marlena will rank as the No. 1 sexiest couple ever. Just a glance between the characters would send people into a tizzy. Or reach for a cigarette! For that matter, you and Wayne Northrop were pretty hot, too!
DH: [Giggles] Wayne and I were the best of friends, so it was a little like kissing your brother but we always had great, fun, and genuine chemistry.

TVG: When DAYS started recasting John and Roman, what was that time like? I feel like that was the moment when DAYS really began its descent in quality. DH: I thought the Drake recast was really terrific. It was well thought out. It also stretched out believably. By the time the fans suspected he could be Roman, it played out authentically. Having Wayne play Dr. North, I didn’t care — I just wanted Wayne back on the show! I just wanted to play with Wayne again in whatever incarnation. I think most of the audience felt the same way. That was so much fun. We all thought Dr. North would become a permanent part of this fledgling triangle, but greater minds, who aren’t so great, thought, “we’ll just make him diabolical.” Well, we didn’t need to because DAYS had a great triangle in their midst which could have played out for years and years. Dr. North didn’t have to keep trying kill Marlena all the time! If you ask me, Dr. North could have been more multi-dimensional.

TVG:  You were not only the face of the show, but also the face of daytime. The mainstream media were up in arms as well. Did that surprise you?
DH: Yeah. It was a nice acknowledgment that my departure was so widely felt.

TVG: One thing that upset me was DAYS’s decision to paralyze John from the waist down before Jarlena left town. Sex was a big part of their relationship, and to have emasculated John like that, just as Jarlena reunited, well, I felt it was a slap to not only the history of the show but also to the fans. DH: Clearly it was abrupt. And it was unsatisfying for the actors, the fans, and well, everybody. Especially on the heels of this glorious plan to have John and Marlena reunite, which was a dream storyline. The fans love watching John and Marlena fall back in love with each other. “Oh, my gosh! They’re back in love!” So Drake and I were really thrilled John and Marlena were reconciling. I was expecting a long, delicious, and well-thought-out rekindling of this magical relationship.

TVG: Sami mentions Marlena on occasion, but it’s odd that her mother isn’t there for her during the hard times. Would you ever consider returning to DAYS for either a guest stint or full time?
DH: [Sighs] I don’t have an answer. DAYS was my home for 32 years. I don’t know.

TVG: Would you ever consider writing, directing and producing?
DH: I directed an episode of Our House once. I don’t know. I think I would like to produce at some point.

TVG: Do you keep in touch with anyone from DAYS?
DH: Martha Madison, Mary Beth Evans and a little bit of the crew.

TVG: I always visit Martha at her L.A. restaurant, Henry’s Hat, when I’m in L.A. I hear you hang out there, too.
DH: Yes, I do!

TVG: Back to your exit, do you think your departure was a harbinger for things to come? Superstars like Eric Braeden and Susan Lucci were asked to take pay cuts …
DH: You should know that I have taken many pay cuts, too, in the past. But I wasn’t even asked if I would take a pay cut before I was dismissed because I would've agreed to it. Over the years, I had always said to Ken Corday, “This is my home. And this is my family. If you’re in trouble, and need some salary relief, knock on my door because I am a team player. I’m your girl.” There is no question that the show was in trouble and extremely over budget because of years and years of overspending. 

TVG: Throughout the last few years on the show, Marlena was relegated to the back burner because of Ken’s grossly mismanaged budget.
DH: Yeah. I can’t come up with a reason as to why they do the things they do. These were their decisions — not mine. Throughout the years, DAYS was a well-paying show to work on.

TVG: As a superstar vet, did you ever think the industry would be in a position where it’s forced to either fire or demand pay cuts from its more popular stars?
DH: Oh, of course! It’s a business. It’s simply a business. It’s a wonderful business — it’s rewarding, fun, exhausting, challenging and all those things. But at the end of the day, it’s a business. If the show isn’t making money or even breaking even, you have to make changes.

TVG: Did you ever think you’d be toiling in soaps for over three decades?
DH: No, not really. But it was a great gig while it lasted. I never saw it coming … as long-lived as it was. When I was hired, I was brought in to bridge the exit of the two Lauras. They needed a blond psychiatrist in the interim. Marlena was never expected to be a long-term character so I had no idea she and I would prosper for so long in Salem.

TVG: Did you find it ironic when the mentally healthy Marlena would lose it thanks to James E. Reilly’s fantastical storytelling? DH: I thought James’s work was brilliant. In daytime, it’s always wise and creative to take the most balanced characters and take them to the extreme. Soaps rarely take their main characters and make them murder, kidnap or become the devil. By taking this beloved and respected character, Marlena, to the extreme was very daring. Because Marlena was consistent, strong-willed, and a pillar of the community, it was unlikely and fascinating to watch her deal with a devil possession. It was unpredictable and surreal to watch. I think that’s why the audience was hooked. Everyone believed Marlena — and that’s what made it work because no one had a clue how disturbed and/or unhinged she really was. TVG: The beauty of James E. Reilly’s re-imagining of Marlena was the fact that she was both the protagonist and antagonist in her own story! DH: Killing nine people will do that! [Laughs]

TVG: It was ironic that he died shortly after Passions was cancelled. Jim struggled with religious issues …
DH: Yes, he did …

TVG: And I think we all know why. Religion was an enduring throughline in his storytelling. Were you worried that Reilly’s obsession with all things religious would offend the audience at any point?
DH: I jumped in and had a ball! I remember I had a meeting with Ken and the producer at the time just before Christmas break. We all knew there was some crazy stuff headed our way but all anyone would say is, “You’ll never guess! It’s so odd, out there and so on …” During an impromptu meeting, Ken said, “We’re telling a demonic possession storyline — and it’s you!” I wasn’t surprised they were telling a major storyline with Marlena, but I was surprised they weren’t venturing on to the skinny branches to tell the story. My only concern was that we told the story the right way. It had to be rich, deep and not just for the shock value. Also, I stressed that the devil possession had to look real. I didn’t want it to be shot on the cheap.
 

TVG: DAYS was definitely ahead of its time when it produced the devil possession story — long before soaps employed special effects and CGI.
DH: Yes, we were. The producers and directors were magnificent when it came to visualizing the storyline. I thought it looked very believable.

TVG: The levitation scene freaked us all out.
DH: I was really levitating! It was a little scary! It was physically difficult to shoot for me. In essence, it was a magic stunt. For it to work, everything had to be done correctly. I can’t tell you how we did it.

TVG: [Joking] Or you’d have to kill me![Laughs] If he were still alive, how do you think James would feel about Marlena not being on DAYS anymore? DH: You know … I don’t know. I don’t have a comment on that one. TVG: What was your favourite storyline this past decade? DH: I loved the Hattie Adams storyline with my sister, Andrea Hall. That was a lot of fun to play. TVG: Andrea is quite the character actress, isn’t she? DH: Yes, she is! She doesn’t act anymore. Andrea’s a special education teacher. TVG: I thought you were wonderful as Hattie as well. It was nice to see you delve into a dual role. DH: Thank you. I had fun with Hattie as well.

TVG: Your favourite stories of all time?
DH: Oh, I loved the possession and the Salem Stalker storyline we did.

TVG: Salem isn’t a safe place to live!
DH: [Laughs] No kidding!

TVG: Speaking of the stalker storyline, were you aware that Marlena was the “killer?”
DH: Once again, I had no clue. None of us did. I only learned Marlena was the killer when she murdered Tony.

TVG: So the cast and crew really thought DAYS was going to kill off half the cast?
DH: Yep. That was the original plan. The characters Marlena killed were supposed to remain dead. James was forced to change it at the last minute [which led to Melaswen, NewSalem].

TVG: Jump the shark much? Even though James Reilly was out there, at the end of the day, he really knew how to construct and tell a story. The demonic possession wasn’t a sci-fi storyline — it was a love story.
DH: I totally agree. Like I said, he was a genius.

TVG: How did you find out Marlena was the Salem Stalker?
DH: To be honest, I only vaguely remember how I learned Marlena was the killer. Let me see, they told me I was the stalker — but I was more distraught when I learned Marlena would be killed off, too! [Laughs] But what can you do? I went in there and acted my little heart out. I did my best to sell the storyline. For the actors, it was a terrible time on DAYS because no one knew who would die next. And the reasons for this mass-murdering spree were never made quite clear to us.

TVG: Had James been allowed to realize his initial vision of killing half the town, what was his future plan for the show? In a way, DAYS wouldn’t have found itself in their budget crisis had he gotten his way.
DH: I don’t know to be honest. That’s a good question. But then again, look who James killed off — Bill Hayes, Thaao Penghlis, Josh Taylor, Suzanne Rogers and ultimately Frances Reid!

TVG: Deidre, you murdered poor Frances Reid with a doughnut! [Laughs] How dare you! DH: [Laughs] Yes, I did! For me, that was probably the worst day on DAYS! When they told me Marlena was going to kill Alice, I was simply dumbstruck. I was simply undone the day we filmed that scene. When we taped the scene, I took a deep breath and just acted it out. Before that, I was sobbing in my dressing room because Frances is my hero. What a lead to have on a show. If you are acting in a scene with Frances, you better know your stuff — or else! Frances is a living legend. She was everything you look up to — she’s a feminist, an inspiring and talented actor, hilarious and a wonderful, loving human being. TVG: Frances probably taught you a thing or two … DH: Yes she did — and then some. But that’s the business … you teach what you know to the younger generation.

TVG: The stalker storyline was probably the last mainstream watercooler moment. James knew how to reel in new viewers — and create buzz just through his pen. I doubt we’ll see the likes of him again. I always hoped he would have returned to DAYS after Passions was cancelled. Do you think he would have returned? DAYS was already paying him millions of dollars anyway ...
DH: I don’t know.

TVG: Well, if he was there, you’d probably still be Marlena! Your NBC TV-movie chronicling your experience with surrogacy was titled Never Say Never. Is that your life motto?
DH: No. Actually, I didn’t like the title. I thought it was trite.

TVG: What would you have called it?
DH: I’m not sure … A friend of mine sent me a story I wrote about my infertility and the subsequent surgery, and they suggested, Worth The Wait for the title. I liked that. But you know, greater minds …
 
TVG: One of my favourite performances of yours …
DH: Oh, let me guess … In the locker room with Kristen?

TVG: Loved that, but no. I have many, of course, but I fell to pieces when Bo had to inform Marlena that Roman was dead the first time. I thought you brought out something magical in Peter Reckell’s acting that I had never seen before.
DH: I can’t remember it!

TVG: Really?
DH: Can you send it to me?

TVG: For sure! It’s on YouTube. You and Eileen Davidson were a hoot together. I can tell you gals enjoyed working together. Eileen speaks very highly of you.
DH: I had a blast working with her. That was such a fun storyline.

TVG: Are you surprised you haven’t won an Emmy Award?
DH: It’s a numbers game. Would I like one? Of course. But acting isn’t about winning awards.

TVG: For the first time in eons, DAYS earned a slew of Emmy nominations and won two acting awards this year. NATAS should honour you with a Lifetime Achievement Emmy Award.
DH: I’ll be there if that happens!

TVG: When you left DAYS, critics weren’t worried about your prospects. During a daytimeconfidential.com podcast, we all agreed you’d make an ideal talk-show host. Would you do one?
DH: I taped a talk-show pilot years ago. I know it looks like we’re sitting around just chatting, but it’s an enormous amount of work. Um, I don’t know …

TVG: Books. Prime time? Have you thought about other career prospects?
DH: Books, prime-time TV, I’ve thought of, for sure. I still have some development deals in the fire. If it happens, that’s great, if it doesn’t — that’s fine, too. What I really want to do is voiceover animation.

TVG: What a waste of your beautiful face! [Laughs] Have you been auditioning for anything?
DH: I’ve had meetings. But until the right thing comes along, it doesn’t make sense to jump back out there, you know? Financially, I don’t need to. Right now, I’m loving hanging out with my kids and working in my garden. I know that sounds corny, but it’s true. I’m also reading, cooking, and knitting. I have a good life. Let me tell you, being home is really underrated. As women we want it all, but it’s nice just to enjoy your life, you know?

TVG: Stars like you and Kim Zimmer are so identifiable that you should wait until the right role comes along. Do you agree?
DH: I don’t think it changes anything. For some people, I will always be Marlena — and that precious relationship will always be there, but I’m an actor who can play different roles. 

TVG: Where do you see the soap opera industry headed? Is it dead? Many stars like Martha Byrne and Crystal Chappell have created web soaps …
DH: I think the TV medium in general is suffering from the reality TV phenomenon. TV has become a bit of wasteland. I’m a bit ashamed of us because TV is no longer meaningful. And I’m even talking about the one-sided news media. We have a tool in people’s home but we’re not using it effectively.

TVG: Can I be nosey? Are you dating right now?
DH: No, I’m not. I’d like to date. I love being in a relationship. It’s not easy to find true love.

TVG: Speaking of relationships, in a recent interview with Crystal Chappell [Ed. Note: click here for the interview], I asked her about the reported feud between you both. She said, “If there were issues with Deidre, I didn’t know about them. I would guess that she didn’t like me very much, but I could be wrong about that. I was a troubled young person. I was overworked. I made a lot of problems for myself. I was suicidal. I was in a very, very bad place. I left, not because I thought I’d be a big star; I left because I needed to get my health back. As for the rifts, I don’t know. I was very miserable to be around at that time. I spent most of time in between DAYS and One Life in therapy.” Do you have a reaction?
DH: I never understood why there was a question over the fact that we never got along. Like so many things, it is a mystery then and still is. I have always thought Crystal was an incredible actress — and still is. Her work is so intense. I still remember a scene she did with Peter Reckell over a pool table which prompted me to say out loud, “God, where does all that intensity come from?” I’m sorry to hear she was having personal difficulty during that time. But I never had an issue with Crystal. I didn’t know her well. But when I got there, she was gone soon after so there is no basis for that rumour.

TVG: Crystal is back on DAYS.
DH: Yes, I read that.

TVG: DAYS is a ratings success despite John and Marlena’s exit. As critics we sounded the death knell when you left only because we never imagined a badly written soap like DAYS would ever put writing first. But it did. Are you happy that the show has succeeded?
DH: Of course. I would never want DAYS to fail. DAYS was my family. It also financially supports a lot of people I love. I worked with Gary Tomlin — he was there when we left. I’m proud of him.

TVG: Finally, what do you think John and Marlena are up to these days?
DH: I don’t have an answer for you, Nelson. It’s not a place I can go to for you.

TVG: So you’re a real actor — you just act and don’t dictate story?
DH: I am an actor, yes. Writing isn’t my job. And they don’t tell me how to act, and vice versa. When you let someone do what they do best, you get the best. The storylines I could have imagined for Marlena would have never have been as wonderful as what they could have written for us.

TVG: Let’s pray a return storyline is in the works for Marlena.

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Nelson Branco is a Toronto freelance entertainment journalist, who regularly contributes to Hello! Canada, The National Post, The Los Angeles Times' theenvelope.com, TV Guide USA, tvguide.com, Inside Entertainment, OUT, and fab magazine, along with spearheading the soap coverage for TVGuide.ca's popular daytime TV hub. After graduating from Ryerson University in 1997, he moved from Toronto to New York in 1998 to take on the roles as senior news editor at Soap Opera Update. Branco first freelanced for Soap Opera Weekly as an intern in 1994, and after leaving Soap Update to help create and launch Bauer Publishing's In Touch Weekly in 2003, Branco continued to freelance occasionally for its sister publication, Soaps In Depth. Most recently, he helped create and launch Canada's first celebrity magazine, Weekly Scoop in 2005 as its news and entertainment director. Branco is also a contributor to a new TV show titled Planet Soap to air in Canada and America.