Since 1965, Days of Our Lives has been adding drama to viewers' lives on a daily basis, and even though we all know that no one can truly last forever on that show, it's never fun to hear about cast members departing. Sadly, that is the case for longtime star Arianne Zucker, who has announced she will be exiting the show this year and will no longer portray the tragedy-stricken Nicole Walker.
For the most part, Arianne Zucker has been a part of Days of Our Lives ever since 1998, though she did leave the show in 2006 before returning in 2008. She has been as much a part of the series as everyone around her, even the longer-lasting vets, but it appears she won't be seeking to renew her contract whenever it expires in April. No direct reasons were given, though it thankfully seems like this decision was made in an amicable mindset, and there won't be any bad blood when she leaves. (Which, of course, could lead to her reprising the role of Nicole Walker in the future, assuming the show doesn't kill her off.)
Here's what actress Arianne Zucker told Soap Opera Digest about walking away from Days of Our Lives.
Two years ago, I was contemplating making the shift. I know there are a thousand girls who would take my job in a second, for me, it is my time to go.
Indeed, Days of Our Lives has brought in a bunch of new characters in recent years, and so long as networks continue to keep soap operas alive, there will be people who want to star in them. Arianne Zucker even got to branch out from just playing Nicole Walker in 2016, as she took on the additional flashback-tethered role of Helena Tasso, who had a past relationship with Victor and Delmos. (She, hopefully unlike Nicole, was killed by hitting her head on a rock, which Delmos went to prison for.)
Interestingly, had she indeed exited Days of Our Lives two years ago, Arianne Zucker likely wouldn't have still had a major TV presence when she inexplicably became a part of one of the biggest scandals of 2016. She was the actress being referred to in the infamous recording of a conversation between Donald Trump and Billy Bush; as most are fully aware, the recording was leaked prior to the Presidential Election and resulted in Bush getting fired from his gig at NBC's Today. Talk about a situation one would want to be able to quit.
Let's all get one good sob out regarding this news before moving on.
There are still many episodes with Nicole left to come, as Days of Our Lives airs weekdays on NBC. Check out our midseason premiere schedule to see what else is arriving on the small screen soon instead of leaving it.
