‘Days of Our Lives’ Fan Favorite Returns With a New Look and Agenda

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‘Days of Our Lives’ Fan Favorite Returns With a New Look and Agenda originally appeared on Parade.

It’s been almost two years since Days of Our Lives character Gwen Rizczech was last in Salem. Now, Emily O’Brien is bringing her back, but this time, things are going to be very different, with a new head writing team putting their stamp on the character.

O’Brien recently spoke to TV Insiderabout her upcoming return. She excitedly explained, “The new writers have refined her [Gwen], she went away and spent time with the elite, and now she has knowledge and status, so that’s been a different twist to come back and play her. She’s spending time with new characters, and it’s been fun to discover where everything is going with her now.”

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When the actress last left Salem she thought it was for good. Recalling, “I thought that was it, I was very emotional on the last day; I said my goodbyes.” But thankfully for O’Brien and her fans, that was not the case, as the actress was reached out to by production to see if she was interested in an opportunity. “She said, ‘Two things. Would you be willing to come back for two weeks to finish the story arc with Teresa? And then we have a storyline with Gwen; would you be interested? That would start October [2024], I’ve always loved playing Gwen, so it was an easy answer for me, really.”

Discussing what it was like to return to the set, the actress shared, “I was gone almost a year, and I was nervous, I had this fresh new haircut, and you’ve been looking at your lines for weeks, and you’re ready to go, and then you just walk in the halls, and you see these familiar faces, and it feels like you’re back in this bubble with a family again. I just instantly felt great seeing all the pictures on the walls and the ‘Hey, hi, how are you? What’s been happening?’ It just picks up where everything left off, and it took my nerves away because you’re just jumping back into it. It’s like riding a bike.”

Teasing Gwen’s journey and what’s to come the actress explained, “Gwen has always been scrappy and always trying to find someone to love her, someone to use, But now, she doesn’t need that. Now, she has everything except for love, so she’s sort of back to where she was, but with a full wallet.”

O'Brien recently took to Instagram to tease the return saying, "Guess who’s back ruffling @peacock feathers once again?…. Feels so devious & thrilling to be back in Salem ;) #daysofourlives#gwensback"

Days of our Lives streams weekdays on Peacock.

‘Days of Our Lives’ Fan Favorite Returns With a New Look and Agenda first appeared on Parade on Jul 7, 2025

This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 7, 2025, where it first appeared.