What Patrika Darbo Had To Say About Rejoining Days Of Our Lives
"The Bold and the Beautiful" fans haven't seen flamboyant redheaded fashion maven Shirley Spectra on-screen since 2018, although "The Young and the Restless" fans caught a few glimpses of her in 2021 via video call when she spoke with her granddaughter, Sally Spectra (Courtney Hope), niece of the original Sally Spectra played by Darlene Conley on "B&B" from 1989-2006.
However, just because Patrika Darbo, the actress who brings Shirley to life, hasn't stepped into her shoes on "B&B" in a few years, it doesn't mean she's not been on daytime. In January 2022, Darbo made a return to the soap that gave the actress her daytime start, "Days of Our Lives," as Nancy Wesley.
In Salem, Darbo has been bringing the drama as she learns more and more about her husband, Craig's (Kevin Spirtas) affair with another man after they've been married for decades. As a fan favorite couple for years, Craig and Nancy never seemed like a pair that would ever split and many in the audience believe Craig coming out so late in life negates the story "DOOL" once told about the hot doctor falling for a woman without a typical soap opera body. But how is Darbo enjoying this juicy soap opera comeback?
Patrika Darbo is thrilled to be back in Salem
Everything has changed in Nancy Wesley's life since learning her husband, Craig, is in love with another man after all their years together raising two daughters to adulthood, and Craig insists he is gay and not bisexual, confusing Nancy even more making her wonder if her entire marriage was a lie. When Patrika Darbo learned what her return story would be, she was shocked, but also very pleased.
"I thought I was coming on for a couple little scenes," Darbo told Soap Opera Digest. "I didn't realize how big the storyline was — and what it was. I was like, 'Holy crap. I'm a lot older now. How many lines am I going to have to learn?'"
She's also thrilled to be working with Nadia Bjorlin, the actress who has been playing Nancy's daughter Chloe off and on since she was still a teen. "Nadia is something. You can't keep your eyes off her because she's so beautiful and she's grown so as a performer. That was fascinating," Darbo said. "I was looking at her thinking, 'Oh, my God. She has grown up.' She was just 18 years old when we started on this show together. So it was wonderful. We went right back into that mother/daughter relationship."