Days of our Lives star Deidre Hall (Marlena) teared up while remembering Drake Hogestyn (John) during the hit Peacock soap’s 59th-anniversary celebration.
Deidre and the rest of Drake’s Days family were rocked to their core following his passing in September from pancreatic cancer.
Speaking with Access Hollywood, Deidre shared that she and her costars had “very little notice” of Drake’s cancer diagnosis ahead of his death.
The cast was shocked, but Deidre admitted everyone kept saying they couldn’t believe it was happening to Drake.
“The resounding comment was ‘not Drake,’” she expressed. “Drake, I mean the healthiest, the most positive, and then there it was.”
Deidre admitted the cast doesn’t talk about Drake or his illness on set because they live in Salem and a new reality.
Days of our Lives star Deidre Hall remembers Drake Hogestyn
The talented actress broke down as she recalled that sometimes it would just hit her that John and Drake were gone.
“There’s so much that I have stored up with him over the years,” Deidre shared. “I miss that he doesn’t get to come to work. I miss that he doesn’t get to play with us. He loved being here.”
So many of Drake’s costars have shared that he loved working on the show, which was evident from the outpouring of love from his Days of our Lives family.
“I loved him so. Marlena loved him so. They loved each other show,” she shared, talking about the legendary super couple Jarlena.
Deidre Hall reveals her favorite scene with Drake Hogestyn
Deidre reflected on Drake auditioning for the show back in the day, declaring she wanted him as her scene partner from the minute he auditioned. The actress then revealed her favorite scene she filmed with Drake.
“Marlena appears on the dock, and he sees her in the fog, and what’s wonderful about playing these scenes is we know you’re [fans] are on the edge of your seats saying ‘OMG Gosh there she is,’ you know, and we can’t wait for him to turn around and to see her,” Deidre spilled.
The scene played out in 1991, and we agree it is Jarlena at its best and one of the most iconic scenes in Day’s history.
Despite losing her friend Drake and shooting the show without him, Deidre’s looking forward to Season 60 of the hit Peacock soap. The show unveiled a first-look teaser at the Day of Days fan event, which confirmed that the show will say goodbye to John Black sooner than fans expected.
It’s been a rough year for the Days of Our Lives family, with Drake and Bill Hayes (Doug) both lost. Executive producer Ken Corday told fans that “great surprises” are coming in 2025 following a challenging year for the show.
Days of our Lives airs weekdays on Peacock.