Why Kristian Alfonso had to bring Hope back to Days of our Lives

Days of our Lives will welcome back some beloved players this week as the holiday season begins in a bittersweet way. Longtime legendary character Doug Williams will pass away, bringing his beloved daughter Hope back to Salem as Kristian Alfonso returns to the soap she's called home since 1983.

Days of our Lives welcomes Hope home

When Kristian Alfonso was first approached about reprising Hope during memorial episodes for Doug and his portrayer, Bill Hayes, she didn't hesitate to say yes.

"DAYS approached me very early on [about returning for the arc of Doug’s death] and of course, my answer was yes," Alfonso told Soap Opera Digest. "I knew how difficult it would be, but I was very happy and elated that they reached out to me to include me since I was no longer on the show. They didn’t need to; they could have said [in scripts], 'Oh, Hope is somewhere else.' So I really very much appreciate that."

Alfonso was only 19 years old when she began bringing Hope to life and quickly formed a bond with Hayes, who played Hope's dad. When Alfonso got the news that Hayes had passed in January of this year, it hit the actress hard.

"I remember exactly where I was when I got the call,” she says. “I was in the car and I was on my way home and it was raining and I found myself not being able to make my way home…. I was just driving around because I couldn’t believe it."

Hope's dramatic return to Salem

On Thanksgiving, Julie will welcome Jack and Jennifer back to the Horton house for the holidays. However, when Jack goes upstairs to wake Doug, he finds that he has passed away. Jennifer calls Hope in Greece to deliver the news. Hope knows she has to somehow make it back to Salem despite Bo still being in a coma, but it's not an easy task.

"They were trying to figure out how to do that because Hope would never leave [Bo’s] side, yet Hope would never not say goodbye to her father," Alfonso said. "So they did figure that out, and Hope does find out on camera … and then something takes place that Hope can’t immediately head to Salem."

When Hope makes it home, she is determined to be Julie's emotional rock as her half-sister/stepmother deals with losing the man she had loved for over 50 years. Alfonso said she was in awe of Susan Seaforth Hayes' work, as the actress was married to Bill Hayes since 1974.

"Susan is a true, beautiful warrior," Alfonso said. "She really and truly is, to live this loss off camera and then come to work and have to live it again on camera." She added that Hayes' performance "is a beautiful legacy and tribute to her incredible, amazing, loving husband."

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Expect other returns over the coming weeks as Salem prepares to say goodbye to Doug. Hope will also spend time with her adult children, Shawn and Ciara, played by Brandon Beemer and Victoria Konefal.

Catch all-new episodes of Days of our Lives weekdays on Peacock.

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