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Days of our Lives Star Alison Sweeney on "The New Sami"
by Daniel R. Coleridge
In 1993, Alison Sweeney joined NBC's Days of our Lives as Samantha Jean "Sami" Brady, the junior deceiver who grew up to be a full-fledged schemer. For years, Days watchers have wondered how Sami the child of Salem supercop Roman Brady and saintly shrink Marlena Evans could turn out so wrong. Our Sami has been trying to redeem herself lately, but she just can't catch a break. Last week, she was forced to cheat on her true love, Lucas Roberts, in order to save his life! (Only on the soaps, right?) In this TVGuide.com interview, Sweeney insists that while Sami's still lying and hiding secrets, she really is growing up.
TVGuide.com: It's such a relief to see Days' new headwriter, Hogan Sheffer, taking Sami in a fresh direction. It got old watching her chase Austin and make the same mistakes for years.
Alison Sweeney: I totally agree. The most frustrating thing is that there was no growth in my character. I am not opposed to Sami being a scheming villainess, but everybody learns from their mistakes. How much public humiliation can Sami suffer through before you think to yourself, "Maybe I shouldn't keep doing this."
TVGuide.com: It's true. Sami's sins are always exposed and it's always in front of big crowds!
Sweeney: Hmm... Maybe she should stop going to family functions. [Laughs] We just needed a new twist on the character. Not for nothing, but I am 30 now. It felt sad and pathetic to [play Sami] chasing her sister's boyfriend at 30, like I did when I was 17. Now our storylines are about serving the characters, not the plot. Hogan's people are flawed, realistic characters; they're not just perfect people or villains. I also love that we have more opportunities to laugh and smile! We're not always drowning in drama and sorrow. My current story is so true to who Sami is, and it's certainly been exciting for me.
TVGuide.com: Your triangle with Lucas (Bryan Dattilo) and the evil EJ (James Scott) is hot stuff.
Sweeney: The EJ story reaches out with its tentacles and touches everyone in town. [Sami's triangle] with EJ and Lucas is compelling, exciting and it brings Sami back to her family. Circumstances are set up so that Sami can show who she really is. Sami has always been the kind of person that if Uncle Bo called her and asked her to help the Brady family, she would have done it. But now she's been given the chance, whereas they wouldn't have turned to Sami for help in the past.
TVGuide.com: Poor Sami. She wanted to be a good girl and help the cops bust EJ, but she only ended up helping him skip Salem.
Sweeney: I know! It's awesome because she's forced to go against everything she believes in to help a DiMera escape from justice. She has to lie to her dad and her uncle. It's so Sami's story. Just when she thinks she's cleaned herself up, there's another mess. Yet, at the same time, you can't blame her for this one!
TVGuide.com: No, we can't. EJ coerced Sami into having cheap sex with him to save Lucas' life. He gave her no real choice.
Sweeney: She definitely was coerced. Now she's agreed to keep it secret that she even saw EJ, who has fled town, and she's taken credit for saving Lucas all alone. In Sami's mind, she negotiated a deal with the devil. Sami feels, "I did what I had to do and I'd do it again." She's not going to second guess it. She can go on and be happy with Lucas because she feels like she earned it.
TVGuide.com: Well, they can be happy at least until the truth comes out. It wouldn't be Days if Sami had no dirty little secrets to hide!
Sweeney: That's so true! Obviously, she cheated on Lucas, even though she didn't want to. The great thing about it is that, in a way, Sami did the right thing! What, is her virtue more important than Lucas' life? That's ridiculous. But it's a big awakening for Sami to see that not only is she in this mess, but she did it to herself, by associating with EJ even though she was warned about him. When you're an adult, you can't keep blaming your problems on your parents and your childhood. Sami's not doing that anymore, and that's a big step for her.
TVGuide.com: EJ is plotting for Sami to have his baby. Why do these DiMera men always want to impregnate women with their heirs?
Sweeney: I know, it's so weird!
TVGuide.com: Since Sami has been intimate with both Lucas and EJ recently, I'm sure a "Who's the daddy?" pregnancy plot won't be far behind.
Sweeney: Yeah, I think there's an obvious set up. What's interesting about Hogan Sheffer is that although he tells classic soap stories like the one that's unfolding, I have no doubt he'll keep me on my toes with unexpected twists.
TVGuide.com: It'd be so fun if Sami had EJ's kid and became a part of the deviant DiMera clan.
Sweeney: I've often though there was a great story to tell there. What if Sami were lured away from her family into that dark DiMera world? And what if there were a DiMera-Brady child? Is the child good or bad? That would just be great for future stories. There would be a family fight that would never die.
TVGuide.com: By the way, I'm receiving "DiMera-Brady Love" postcards from Days fans. They have photos of you and James Scott with red devil horns!
Sweeney: Oh my gosh. I actually got a copy of Romeo and Juliet with pictures of me and James on the cover. It also said "Written by Hogan Sheffer." It was beautifully done! But the "Lumi" fans have also sent these great Lucas and Sami Christmas ornaments to us.
TVGuide.com: Can we talk about how dreamy my James Scott is?
Sweeney: [Chuckles] He is very good looking, with that James Bond thing he has going on.
TVGuide.com: What's great is that your triangle has a strong rooting interest on both sides. It's not like Bo, Hope and Patrick were. In this situation, I could honestly see Sami go with either Lucas or EJ.
Sweeney: I would agree with that only because Sami is so her own worst enemy. I definitely think Sami and Lucas are a strong rooting couple like Hope and Bo are. But EJ has his own agenda and if he wants Sami, I could see them going down that road. Especially with Sami's dark side. James plays it so sincerely that EJ has feelings for Sami. He has walked a fine line of playing a very interesting villain with his own agenda, who isn't just a mustache-twisting bad guy.
TVGuide.com: While you're more glammy than the average gal, Ali, Sami's very relatable. Who wouldn't enjoy the fantasy of being torn between two hotties?
Sweeney: Yeah, having these sexy guys fighting over her is something any woman would want! And sure, I have a makeup artist and a hairdresser to help me look fancy. But at heart Sami is still a girl with realistic flaws who's trying to hold a job and raise her son. I think she is happy with Lucas and that gives her the sense of strength to be good. It always does seem like when she's away from Lucas or when they're fighting, that's when she loses her cool and makes big mistakes. It will be interesting to see how long this "new" Sami lasts!
TVGuide.com: So I hear you're producing your own online soap opera?
Sweeney: Basically I came up with the idea for an online drama called InTune. We now have a one-minute trailer available on YouTube. It's a cool show about young people in a record store with lots of good music and drama. I love producing and directing. I feel like it's a big stride for me in my career.
TVGuide.com: Good luck and happy new year, Ali!
Sweeney: Thank you so much. Bye!
by Daniel R. Coleridge
In 1993, Alison Sweeney joined NBC's Days of our Lives as Samantha Jean "Sami" Brady, the junior deceiver who grew up to be a full-fledged schemer. For years, Days watchers have wondered how Sami the child of Salem supercop Roman Brady and saintly shrink Marlena Evans could turn out so wrong. Our Sami has been trying to redeem herself lately, but she just can't catch a break. Last week, she was forced to cheat on her true love, Lucas Roberts, in order to save his life! (Only on the soaps, right?) In this TVGuide.com interview, Sweeney insists that while Sami's still lying and hiding secrets, she really is growing up.
TVGuide.com: It's such a relief to see Days' new headwriter, Hogan Sheffer, taking Sami in a fresh direction. It got old watching her chase Austin and make the same mistakes for years.
Alison Sweeney: I totally agree. The most frustrating thing is that there was no growth in my character. I am not opposed to Sami being a scheming villainess, but everybody learns from their mistakes. How much public humiliation can Sami suffer through before you think to yourself, "Maybe I shouldn't keep doing this."
TVGuide.com: It's true. Sami's sins are always exposed and it's always in front of big crowds!
Sweeney: Hmm... Maybe she should stop going to family functions. [Laughs] We just needed a new twist on the character. Not for nothing, but I am 30 now. It felt sad and pathetic to [play Sami] chasing her sister's boyfriend at 30, like I did when I was 17. Now our storylines are about serving the characters, not the plot. Hogan's people are flawed, realistic characters; they're not just perfect people or villains. I also love that we have more opportunities to laugh and smile! We're not always drowning in drama and sorrow. My current story is so true to who Sami is, and it's certainly been exciting for me.
TVGuide.com: Your triangle with Lucas (Bryan Dattilo) and the evil EJ (James Scott) is hot stuff.
Sweeney: The EJ story reaches out with its tentacles and touches everyone in town. [Sami's triangle] with EJ and Lucas is compelling, exciting and it brings Sami back to her family. Circumstances are set up so that Sami can show who she really is. Sami has always been the kind of person that if Uncle Bo called her and asked her to help the Brady family, she would have done it. But now she's been given the chance, whereas they wouldn't have turned to Sami for help in the past.
TVGuide.com: Poor Sami. She wanted to be a good girl and help the cops bust EJ, but she only ended up helping him skip Salem.
Sweeney: I know! It's awesome because she's forced to go against everything she believes in to help a DiMera escape from justice. She has to lie to her dad and her uncle. It's so Sami's story. Just when she thinks she's cleaned herself up, there's another mess. Yet, at the same time, you can't blame her for this one!
TVGuide.com: No, we can't. EJ coerced Sami into having cheap sex with him to save Lucas' life. He gave her no real choice.
Sweeney: She definitely was coerced. Now she's agreed to keep it secret that she even saw EJ, who has fled town, and she's taken credit for saving Lucas all alone. In Sami's mind, she negotiated a deal with the devil. Sami feels, "I did what I had to do and I'd do it again." She's not going to second guess it. She can go on and be happy with Lucas because she feels like she earned it.
TVGuide.com: Well, they can be happy at least until the truth comes out. It wouldn't be Days if Sami had no dirty little secrets to hide!
Sweeney: That's so true! Obviously, she cheated on Lucas, even though she didn't want to. The great thing about it is that, in a way, Sami did the right thing! What, is her virtue more important than Lucas' life? That's ridiculous. But it's a big awakening for Sami to see that not only is she in this mess, but she did it to herself, by associating with EJ even though she was warned about him. When you're an adult, you can't keep blaming your problems on your parents and your childhood. Sami's not doing that anymore, and that's a big step for her.
TVGuide.com: EJ is plotting for Sami to have his baby. Why do these DiMera men always want to impregnate women with their heirs?
Sweeney: I know, it's so weird!
TVGuide.com: Since Sami has been intimate with both Lucas and EJ recently, I'm sure a "Who's the daddy?" pregnancy plot won't be far behind.
Sweeney: Yeah, I think there's an obvious set up. What's interesting about Hogan Sheffer is that although he tells classic soap stories like the one that's unfolding, I have no doubt he'll keep me on my toes with unexpected twists.
TVGuide.com: It'd be so fun if Sami had EJ's kid and became a part of the deviant DiMera clan.
Sweeney: I've often though there was a great story to tell there. What if Sami were lured away from her family into that dark DiMera world? And what if there were a DiMera-Brady child? Is the child good or bad? That would just be great for future stories. There would be a family fight that would never die.
TVGuide.com: By the way, I'm receiving "DiMera-Brady Love" postcards from Days fans. They have photos of you and James Scott with red devil horns!
Sweeney: Oh my gosh. I actually got a copy of Romeo and Juliet with pictures of me and James on the cover. It also said "Written by Hogan Sheffer." It was beautifully done! But the "Lumi" fans have also sent these great Lucas and Sami Christmas ornaments to us.
TVGuide.com: Can we talk about how dreamy my James Scott is?
Sweeney: [Chuckles] He is very good looking, with that James Bond thing he has going on.
TVGuide.com: What's great is that your triangle has a strong rooting interest on both sides. It's not like Bo, Hope and Patrick were. In this situation, I could honestly see Sami go with either Lucas or EJ.
Sweeney: I would agree with that only because Sami is so her own worst enemy. I definitely think Sami and Lucas are a strong rooting couple like Hope and Bo are. But EJ has his own agenda and if he wants Sami, I could see them going down that road. Especially with Sami's dark side. James plays it so sincerely that EJ has feelings for Sami. He has walked a fine line of playing a very interesting villain with his own agenda, who isn't just a mustache-twisting bad guy.
TVGuide.com: While you're more glammy than the average gal, Ali, Sami's very relatable. Who wouldn't enjoy the fantasy of being torn between two hotties?
Sweeney: Yeah, having these sexy guys fighting over her is something any woman would want! And sure, I have a makeup artist and a hairdresser to help me look fancy. But at heart Sami is still a girl with realistic flaws who's trying to hold a job and raise her son. I think she is happy with Lucas and that gives her the sense of strength to be good. It always does seem like when she's away from Lucas or when they're fighting, that's when she loses her cool and makes big mistakes. It will be interesting to see how long this "new" Sami lasts!
TVGuide.com: So I hear you're producing your own online soap opera?
Sweeney: Basically I came up with the idea for an online drama called InTune. We now have a one-minute trailer available on YouTube. It's a cool show about young people in a record store with lots of good music and drama. I love producing and directing. I feel like it's a big stride for me in my career.
TVGuide.com: Good luck and happy new year, Ali!
Sweeney: Thank you so much. Bye!
http://tvguide.com/N...QA/default.aspx?
QUOTE
Hi everyone Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday. I did... but more on that later.
This morning I was surfing the net, seeing the response from the fans in regards to Sami's new storyline. I guess when you're in the middle of it, it's hard to see it obejctively, but I must admit to being shocked by some of the posts I read on the subject of Rape. I hadn't realized how clever Hogan had been at developing a story that has so many different points of view... that people can all watch the same scene and interpret it in different ways.
What motivated me to post - on Sami's behalf - were the people who think Sami's 'gone back to her old ways' by lying about EJ's inovlvement in rescuing Lucas, and the rape. Most people seem to think she should tell. Am I the only one who heard James Scott (plays EJ) skillfully deliever the line in an incredibly menacing tone "If you tell the cops you saw me, you will wish you were dead. If I get arrested, I will tell them that you helped me escape, and we've been sleeping together for months. And when Lucas comes to hear that you and I have known each other..." while pointing a gun?
That seems pretty cut and dry to me. From Sami's perspective, she doesn't have the option of telling the truth - She wanted to tell Roman and couldn't because of EJ's threats.
This storyline has really been such a challenge to play. I love how difficult it is to play scenes where Sami has to pretend everything is okay, and then find moments for the audience to see her inner demons. I hope you all are enjoying Days as much as I am right now!
I love the debate, and I can't wait to hear what you all think!
xoxo
ali
This morning I was surfing the net, seeing the response from the fans in regards to Sami's new storyline. I guess when you're in the middle of it, it's hard to see it obejctively, but I must admit to being shocked by some of the posts I read on the subject of Rape. I hadn't realized how clever Hogan had been at developing a story that has so many different points of view... that people can all watch the same scene and interpret it in different ways.
What motivated me to post - on Sami's behalf - were the people who think Sami's 'gone back to her old ways' by lying about EJ's inovlvement in rescuing Lucas, and the rape. Most people seem to think she should tell. Am I the only one who heard James Scott (plays EJ) skillfully deliever the line in an incredibly menacing tone "If you tell the cops you saw me, you will wish you were dead. If I get arrested, I will tell them that you helped me escape, and we've been sleeping together for months. And when Lucas comes to hear that you and I have known each other..." while pointing a gun?
That seems pretty cut and dry to me. From Sami's perspective, she doesn't have the option of telling the truth - She wanted to tell Roman and couldn't because of EJ's threats.
This storyline has really been such a challenge to play. I love how difficult it is to play scenes where Sami has to pretend everything is okay, and then find moments for the audience to see her inner demons. I hope you all are enjoying Days as much as I am right now!
I love the debate, and I can't wait to hear what you all think!
xoxo
ali
http://boards.safese...ead.php?t=60258
MultiQuote
