On the eagerly awaited night of May 23, the iconic Deidre Hall, who embodies the unforgettable Marlena Evans in the long-running drama "Days of our Lives," will make a starry appearance on the critically acclaimed dramedy "Hacks." Her role will be a magnified version of herself, as she steps into the shoes of Jimmy's mother. Jimmy is portrayed by Paul W. Downs, who not only serves as one of the show's creators but also happens to be a die-hard fan of the soap opera.
Hall reveals the charming backstory, sharing, "I was informed by Paul and his creative partner Lucia Aniello that Paul's mother has been a loyal fan of 'Days' and Marlena for years. She actually introduced him to the show when he was just a toddler." She continues, "So, when they were casting for Paul's mother, they thought, 'Wait a minute, are we crazy? Why don't we see if we can get Deidre?'"
Although the show had been highly recommended to Hall, she hadn't had the chance to watch it until now. But once she did, she quickly fell in love with it. "When I told my dear friend Catherine that I was going to be on the show, she exclaimed, 'Oh, my gosh! Jean Smart is my best friend!'" Hall recalls. "Catherine has been a long-time fan of the series. So, we sat down together and watched a few episodes, and I thought, 'Oh, this is fabulous. How have I missed it all this time?'"
This encounter promises to be a delightful blend of drama and comedy, with Hall's unique charm and the show's renowned wit sure to captivate audiences.
Playing the role of "Deidre Hall" was effortless for the actress. She muses, "The script already described the character as the legendary Deidre Hall, so I didn't have to stretch too far to envision her appearance, her voice, or her movements. It was simply about coming to work and enjoying the process. There wasn't a need for me to dig deep."
However, there were some distinctions between the two personas. Hall remarks, "This character exhibits a bit more flirtatiousness. And you get a glimpse of her in her kitchen, which, as we all know, isn't exactly Marlena's forte. This Deidre adores the kitchen and has a passion for cooking."
Hall also reveals that she managed to sneak in a subtle homage to her soap opera roots in one of the scenes. She recalls, "When I visited the wardrobe department, I inquired, 'She's in the kitchen, so does she wear an apron?' They responded, 'Yeah, probably.' I said, 'Alright, I'll bring one.' Guess what? I brought the apron from the Brady Pub set on 'Days.' When I walked in with it, they couldn't help but laugh and said, 'This is hilarious. We're going to use it.' So, I filmed the scene wearing the Brady Pub apron, and at the end of the day, Paul took it home as a souvenir."
