The Real-Life Partners Of The Days Of Our Lives Cast
"Days of Our Lives" has given television some of its most iconic pairings. From Julie and Bill to Patch and Kayla, couples on the long-running daytime soap have been the pinnacle of relationship goals for decades — quite literally! "DOOL," as the show is popularly known, premiered in 1965 and has been an NBC fixture for almost six decades. In 2022, it was announced that the Salem residents would be migrating from daytime television to the network's online streaming platform (via Reader's Digest). But our beloved pairs aren't going anywhere!
Though it may be hard to imagine them with anyone other than their on-screen partners, many fan-favorite "DOOL" stars have actually been going strong with partners in real life. And given that they're well-versed in the ropes of dreamy daytime romance, these couples sure know how to love. As Patrika Darbo, "DOOL"'s Nancy Wesley, put it — she celebrates Valentine's Day with her husband of 50 years everyday! Let's swoon through the days of the lives of some celebrated soap stars and their better halves!
Carson Boatman married Julana Dizon shortly before his DOOL debut
Weeks before making his debut on "Days of Our Lives," Carson Boatman debuted as a husband. The actor, who plays a grownup Johnny DiMera on the daytime soap, tied the knot with his partner of five years Julana Dizon in July 2021 (per People). The quaint celebration in Iowa had a unique touch, with the bride and bridesmaids all sporting boots, while the ring ceremony was overseen by the couple's dog! "This entire weekend was magical in every way and more than we could have ever hoped or planned for," Dizon gushed on Instagram, where her PDA-filled posts leave fans heart-eyed. A model and wildlife educator, Julana runs a YouTube travel show that often features her beau as the two adventure out in the great outdoors.
The duo met in Los Angeles in 2016, set up by their common gym trainer. Boatman was previously part of the boy band Citizen Four but left to pursue a career as a solo country singer. The decision to fly solo was significant for Boatman and apparently influenced Dizon's presence in his life. "I would not have met or certainly might not have stayed with my beautiful, beautiful wife Julana," he told Lewis magazine. Boatman's proposal to Dizon was apparently as dreamy as the couple's wedding, with the star popping the question at the end of a self-composed song.
Bill and Susan Hayes fell in love on the sets of Days 50 years ago
The golden couple of daytime television, Bill and Susan Hayes, have been living parallel lives as a reel and real couple for half a century. The "Days of Our Lives" veterans, and the OG soap super couple, have been living and loving it up together on and off set for some 50-odd years.
Susan first joined "DOOL" in 1968; however, as she told Variety, "I was no more important to it than anyone else until Bill came onto the show and into my life." As longtime Salem resident Julie Williams, she was joined by Bill as Doug Williams in 1970. It was love at first sight. In Bill's own words: "Everybody in the country watched Bill and Susan fall in love and Doug and Julie fall in love all at the same time" (via Soap Opera Digest).
Julie and Bill's first onscreen kiss was also Susan and Bill's first ever! The pair wed in 1974 and then again in 1976, when their characters did too. For the show, they recited the same vows they had exchanged at their own wedding, Bill recalled. From being the first soap actors to grace the cover of Time magazine in 1976 to jointly receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018, life together for Bill and Susan has been a series of iconic milestones. And guess what? Per Susan: "We haven't even thought about stopping" (via Mansfield News Journal).
James Reynolds and his wife Lissa Layng have done great charity work
Four decades is a significant amount of time and, understandably, any relationship that lasts that long is bound to become an integral part of a person's life. For beloved soap star James Reynolds, that rings true for both his television character and the love of his life, Lissa Layng.
Reynolds and Layng married back in 1986, according to the New York Post. That means they've been married almost as long as Reynolds has given life to Abe Carver on "Days of Our Lives," a journey that began in 1981 and made him the longest-running African American character in American daytime history (via eTV). While he has been paired opposite a host of beauties on the NBC series over the years, Reynolds' heart beats only for Layng! The secret to the couple's eternal love was captured by Reynolds in a poem he penned for their 36th wedding anniversary: "Rarely is there any hiss. Each night and day sealed with a kiss."
Many don't realize that Layng is also tied to "DOOL" — and not by virtue of her husband's connection to the show. She was credited for a small role on an episode of the sudser in 2006. Acting is not the only shared interest the couple has, though. They have done immense charity work, including fundraising efforts that especially benefit women and education, according to the Fremont Centre Theatre in Pasadena, which the pair jointly operate.
Jensen and Danneel Ackles have been co-actors and business partners
For actors Jensen and Danneel Ackles, it was only inevitable for love to have bloomed on a film set. The two fell for each other while filming the 2007 rom-com "Ten Inch Hero," in which they co-starred as love interests (via Us Weekly). Jensen, by then, had attained renown as a television regular playing Eric Brady on "Days of Our Lives," C.J. on "Dawson's Creek," and (of course) Dean Winchester on "Supernatural." Danneel, meanwhile, had kicked off her showbiz career in 1999 with the soap "One Life to Live" playing Shannon McBain and created a ripple among fans of the show "One Tree Hill" as Rachel. After a three-year courtship, the pair said their "I dos" in Jensen's hometown of Dallas in 2010 (via People).
Parents to three children, Jensen and Danneel have been going strong for over a decade — and their romance doesn't seem to have dulled one bit. "You deserve the world and I will continue to spend the rest of my life trying to give it to you," Jensen wrote in a 2019 Instagram post his longtime ladylove. Besides being forever partners, Jensen and Danneel are also business partners and have been running a brewery in Texas since 2017 (via Craft Beer Austin). They took it up a notch by together producing the 2022 series "The Winchesters," a prequel to Jensen's career-defining CW show – it's the family business after all!
Days co-stars Arianne Zucker and Shawn Christian have big plans to marry
It's a match made in soap opera heaven! For Arianne Zucker and Shawn Christian, "Days of Our Lives" became more than a workplace when romance began brewing between the cast mates. The running love track of Nicole Walker and Dr. Daniel Jonas on "DOOL" was brought to life by the daytime stars off screen, who fell in love on set in 2014.
The new relationship came on the heels of Zucker's divorce from ex-husband Kyle Lowder, also a former Salem resident best known to fans for his role as Brady Black. Soap Opera Digest reported that the celebrity couple, who shares one daughter, were parting ways in 2014. Though Zucker and Christian had been friends for a while, they began dating after the Zucker and Lowder's 12-year marriage ended.
In 2021, Zucker and Christian broke the happy news of their engagement to fans. An elated Zucker wrote on Instagram, "This man has an unbelievably beautiful heart and he always seems to know how to make me feel so wonderful!" Zucker shared glimpses of her surprise boat ride proposal. As if it was designed by fate, "DOOL" had predicted a marriage between the two individuals long years ago with Nicole and Daniel's story. Though the TV couple sadly didn't get to say their "I dos," the real couple is well on their way to and have already begun scouting for wedding locations.
Lauren Koslow's husband Nicky Schillace is a makeup artist
For Lauren Koslow and her husband Nicky Schillace, "Days of Our Lives" is their home turf. One has portrayed Kate Roberts on the sudser since 1996, while the other has made the cast look immaculate for the screen for about a decade. The daytime couple have been in each others' lives for much longer though. According to Soaps.com, Koslow and Schillace have been married for well over three decades and have three children together. Schillace and the family often feature on Koslow's social media feed, with the actor clearly doting on them. She dedicated E.E. Cummings' poem of passion "love is more thicker than forget" to her husband on his birthday, listing out every role he plays in her life — from bestie to fellow traveler and pizza lover (via Instagram).
In an interview with Michael Fairman, which gave fans a sweet behind-the-scenes glimpse of Schillace readying her, Koslow revealed that the couple met on the sets of CBS' "The Young and the Restless." Their initial interactions started off with Koslow self-admittedly being intimidated by her future husband. But emotions soon softened and the rest, as they say, is history! Given that they have spent decades together, the pair have exchanged much vocational knowledge. Koslow, for instance, has picked up makeup tips from Schillace, who works as the makeup department head on "DOOL." With a 2016 book that offers makeup tips for natural beauty, Schillace also became a published author.
Stephen Nichols and Lisa Gordon have been married for decades
Stephen Nichols and Lisa Gordon share an unshakeable romance. Married for nearly 40 years, the couple keeps it lowkey for the most part, giving fans only the occasional glimpse into the abiding passion that keeps them going. "I am the luckiest man alive! I love you more with each passing year," Nichols wrote in an Instagram post to his wife. The "Days of Our Lives" vet, whom fans have loved as Steve "Patch" Johnson since 1985, forms one half of the soap super couple through his iconic onscreen pairing with Mary Beth Evans' Kayla "Sweetness" Brady (per Vocal). But off screen, he has eyes for only one woman. Nichols and Gordon share three children, all of whom have played small parts on "DOOL" (via Soaps.com).
Nichols and Gordon go way back, having met in the summer of 1982. "I met my future wife and was welcomed into her family with warm and open arms," the soap star wrote in an emotional message on Instagram. The post, which commemorated his mother-in-law on her passing in 2022 and was accompanied by a video of her photos, detailed how Gordon's family embraced him as a son. "Being a part of this clan has changed me in ways I can't describe."
Patrika and Rolf Darbo have been married since the '70s
Longtime soap resident Patrika Darbo has been largely private about her love life but from what we know of it, it sounds like a fairytale! The actor, who is a fan favorite — having immortalized Nancy Wesley in "Days of Our Lives" and Shirley Spectra in "The Bold and the Beautiful" – has been married to production manager Rolf Darbo since 1973. Patrika and Rolf don't have any children and are enough for each other. "We're best friends. He'll leave me love notes, and I'll leave him love notes. He's mine all the time," she told Orlando Sentinel. Like his wife, Rolf too has enjoyed a career in showbiz, credited for his work on classic Disney productions including "Frankenweenie" and "Disneyland."
Patrika met her husband while working on a theater production of the comedy musical "Anything Goes." She had long been married when she joined "DOOL" as Nancy in 1998, her unconventional pairing with Dr. Craig Wesley (played by Kevin Spirtas) loved by fans. Reflecting on the renown the screen couple received, Patrika said in a 2015 interview that fans vicariously aspired to have a hunk of a husband as Nancy did. The funnywoman further quipped: "I have a husband at home that I've had for 42 years who is not a soap opera husband. But I adore him and he adores me!"
Nadia Bjorlin and husband Grant Turnbull have two children together
Nadia Bjorlin's longtime relationship with her "Days of Our Lives" character Chloe Lane is not the only precious one in her life. Her love story with husband Grant Turnbull, whom she wed in 2015, is worthy of its own show. According to Daily Mail, Bjorlin was recently out of a seven-year relationship with her "DOOL" cast mate Brandon Beemer in 2014 when she crossed paths with Turnbull, an entrepreneur and architect. Their first meeting was on Valentine's Day no less, with Bjorlin accompanying a friend to a party Turnbull was hosting at his California home. After about a year of dating, Bjorlin and Turnbull tied the knot (via Fox News).
In 2016, following a festive Cinco de Mayo-themed baby shower, Bjorlin welcomed her first child with Turnbull (via People). The couple's son, Torin Mathias Turnbull, was born after 26 hours of labor. "I never knew I could feel this level of love. My heart could almost burst!" Bjorlin was quoted saying. Their second son, Viggo Sebastian, followed a year later. Bjorlin, who is the daughter of legendary Swedish opera composer Ulf Björlin, made the move from Los Angeles to Charleston with her family in 2022. With the couple's shared interest in design, the Southern property was transformed into a dreamy space, incorporating elements from both partners' heritages (via Charleston Living Magazine).
Camila Banus married her longtime partner and 'soul mate' Marlon Aquino
The pandemic couldn't block out the sound of wedding bells for daytime soap star Camila Banus. She wed her sweetheart Marlon Aquino in 2021 after dating him for about a decade — that's almost as long as she has played the role of Gabi Hernandez on "Days of Our Lives" (via Soap Hub).
"When 2019 began I knew I wanted to propose to my soul mate [Camila]; not knowing a pandemic was brewing," Aquino, also a television actor like his wife, revealed on Instagram. The pair were, however, able to go ahead with their nuptials successfully, with precautions, including vaccinations and a limited guest list, in place. According to People, the California wedding had Caribbean and Cuban themes to commemorate the couple's roots.
It appears that Banus and Aquino's love found a way, despite the odds. Both are from Miami but left the coastal paradise to take on acting careers; however, their paths eventually converged, as Aquino detailed in an Instagram post.
Mary Beth Evans and Dr. Michael Schwartz are doting grandparents
As Kayla Brady, one of the most beloved daytime characters of all time, Mary Beth Evans' onscreen pairing with Stephen Nichols (Steve Johnson) is legendary. The two have famously been crowned as a soap super-couple by fans of "Days of Our Lives," who know them as "Stayla" (via Soaps). When the camera stops rolling though, the No. 1 man in Evans' life is her husband Dr. Michael Schwartz, a cosmetic surgeon in California (per the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery).
Happily married since 1985, the couple share three children and four grandchildren, on whom they absolutely dote. The toddlers regularly feature on their grandma's social media feed, captured during beautiful family moments — such as one where Schwartz strummed a guitar while holding his grandbaby.
Family is clearly a strong force in Evans' life. The soap actor, who grew up without a father, once expressed on Instagram: "I am so lucky I met my husband when I was young. He showered me with love and support, and filled the hole in my heart of not having a strong male presence in my life." She went on to about the strong relationship the couple's children share with Schwartz. Being a devoted mom also helped Evans as a soap actor. "You're in the same zone as the character, the same age range, and you go through the same life experiences," she told Soap Opera Digest.
Alison Sweeney and husband David Sanov met when they were young
As their parents were friends, Alison Sweeney and David Sanov have been in each others' lives for as long as they can remember. "I totally had a crush on him when we were kids," Sweeney revealed on "Access." However, sparks didn't fly till much later, as Sanov is several years older than Sweeney. Sanov went his own way and it was only when he donned the uniform as a law enforcement officer that he made a reappearance in Sweeney's life. The Hallmark star, who has been playing the role of Sami Brady on "Days of Our Lives" since she was a teenager, has been happily married to Sanov for over two decades.
Two children and some adorable grandchildren later, Sweeney and Sanov's fairytale romance is stronger than ever. "Every year on our anniversary, we have a dinner date and talk about how our relationship is going," she once told Health magazine (via E! News). Alone time for the couple means doing something as simple as cooking together or catching up on their television. "At the end of the day, your relationship and love is the anchor of your busy lifestyle," she revealed to Cupid's Pulse. For Sweeney, it's really about the simple things — such as when Sanov plugs her phone into the charger after she goes to sleep or the time he waited to watch the "Breaking Bad" finale with her (via SheKnows).