Deidre Hall and Drake Hogestyn - Michael Fairman On-Air On

Deidre Hall and Drake
Hogestyn reveal their
relationship is about to
undergo aserious overhaul
Will we see Marlena change?
DEIDRE "I think we are
going to see her antenna up.
She's smart and decisive,
and she has an instinct about
this man, although it doesn't
always prove to be who she
wants him to be."
What were your thoughts
on the love-making scenes
ays Of Our Lives fans
were up in arms over
the killing off of Salem
hero John Black,
leaving his beloved wife
Marlena widowed. Viewers
threatened to switch off in
droves if he was not brought
back, but no sooner had the
threats been issued than
news came that actor Drake
Hogestyn had re-signed to
bring John 'back from the
dead'. Some believe the
comeback was contrived,
but here Hogestyn and Hall
set the record straight...
Drake, some Days Of
Our Lives fans believe
you knew all along you'd
return as John Black.
Is that true?
DRAKE "Absolutely not!
I'm working with an acting
coach right now and we're
plotting out the new John
Black. What I signed back
on for was to explore the
real reason John Black
was created and brought to
Salem, and to explore his
dark side. They said, 'This
is what we want: dangerous,
untrustworthy and emotionally
void'. It's thrilling and exciting,
and that's how I felt in 1986."
J
Deidre, how has it been
having Drake back as a
'dangerous, untrustworthy,
emotionally void' John?
DEIDRE "It's challenging
and fun. Marlena needs to
decide if she likes him or not.
She needs to decide if it's
going to work for her or not."
What does the new John
think of Marlena?
DRAKE "He's intrigued by
her and her stories, and why
she stays around when he
has treated her so poorly. He
has heard all her stories from
the life they had together to
the point where he's nau­
seous. The frustration is
knowing he will never go back
to being that 'other guy'."
But. does John sense
a connection at times?
DRAKE "He remembers
nothing about her before
(but) sometimes he has
these lighting bolts that
go by so fast. There's
something that John felt
for a second that makes
him curious now. Is Marlena
beautiful? Absolutely. Is
she smart? Without a doubt,
and was sex in the tent
spine shattering? Well, you
know it was. But outside
of that, is there emotional
attachment? Well, he has
no emotion, but he wants
to know more about her."
in the tent after the plane
went down?
DEIDRE "Unfortunately,
the audience didn't see all
those scenes."
DRAKE "There were some
very aggressive scenes.
John comes from the lowest
common denominator: his
instincts. She's a beautiful
woman and it's cold. She
wants to be kept warm and
he thinks, 'You're beautiful
and want to be kept warm.
I'm the man for the job'. And
my God, I have never expe­
rienced anything like that in
my life - that I remember! It's
like, 'What was that? Let's do
it again!' and she said, 'Not
until you remember who I am.
I thought being intimate with
you would jog something'.
Marlena was coming from
a point of desperation."
A lot of the footage didn't
make it to air. Why?
DEIDRE "I was told at the
11 th hour they felt it was
too much too soon for the
characters. I respect that,
but they were still wonderful
scenes. They were challeng­
ing, adorable and sexy."
What more would like see
change for the characters?
DEIDRE "I think what
we're doing is the most
entertaining. We are at the
beginning of a love story."
DRAKE "I want to see
(John) get back on track. It's
not like when I started 23
years ago. If you take it into
a different kind of love story,
we can still satisfy John and
Marlena fans that want to
see the couple together."
Drake, late last year. you
and Deidre and Executive
Producer, Ken Corday, went
to Australia to promote the
show. The trip came at a
strange Urne for you...
DRAKE "I arrived the day
the show aired in Australia
where EJ shot John and put
him in a coma. One journal­
ist was asking me something
and I felt my emotions well­
ing up. It was an awkward
moment, but the spin of the
ball changed in Australia
because a lot of stuff was
happening in LA at that
moment (too). John's funeral
was airing over two days and
I understand they got a spike
in the ratings numbers."
In terms of the country
and its people, what
did you take away from
visiting Australia?
DRAKE "You have a secret,
the most pristine, unbeliev­
able society. You don't
know how cynical you have
become until you go to a
country like that, where peo­
ple bend over backwards to
help you and accommodate
you. I was amazed. I walked
down the street with Deidre,
telling her how clean the
streets are. Their energy
and love for their fellow
man is so commendable."