AlexAnn Hopkins Exits ‘Days of Our Lives’ as Joy Wesley

Stephanie Sloane March 19, 2025, 1:34 pm

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AlexAnn Hopkins - 'Days of Our Lives' — XJJohnson/jpistudios.com

[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Days of Our Lives‘ March 19 episode.]

AlexAnn Hopkins wrapped up her run as Joy Wesley on Days of our Lives on March 19.

A spokesperson for Days says, “We enjoyed having AlexAnn bring the character of Joy to life, it was a short yet important story arc, and we hope the fans enjoyed watching it unfold.”

The Florida native, whose past credits include The Goldbergs, Criminal Minds, and Chicago P.D., made her first appearance on Days on October 22, 2024, as a grown-up Joy, the daughter of Nancy Wesley (Patrika Darbo) and Dr. Craig Wesley (Kevin Spirtas). Joy was born on-screen in 2003 when Chloe Lane (Nadia Bjorlin), Craig and Nancy’s other daughter, was diagnosed with leukemia and needed a bone marrow transplant. Joy was, thankfully, a match and saved her sister’s life. Joy (Aisling Acuna) was a flower girl at Chloe’s wedding to Brady Black (Kyle Lowder) in 2005, then left town with her parents and wasn’t seen again until last year.

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When Joy returned to Salem with Nancy in 2024, it was to audition for Body & Soul, the soap opera produced by Abe Carver (James Reynolds) and Kate Roberts (Lauren Koslow). The night before her audition, Joy met Johnny DiMera (Carson Boatman) at a bar, and he revealed that he thought his wife was cheating on him. Joy and Johnny went back to her hotel room and he spent the night. He left his wedding ring; Joy ran into him the next day and returned it to him.

Joy then went to her audition for the role of Regan Holloway, where she discovered that not only was Johnny the director of the soap, but his wife, Chanel Dupree (Raven Bowens) was in the cast and playing Regan’s rival. Joy secured the role, so she and Johnny agreed to keep their night together a secret. The truth came out as the town rang in the new year, but since Joy and Johnny didn’t actually sleep together, everyone was able to put it in the past.

In time, Joy started sleeping with Alex Kiriakis (Robert Scott Wilson), but they split up after he reunited with Stephanie Johnson (Abigail Klein). Since Body & Soul had been canceled, Joy needed a new job and was hired at Titan, where Alex also works. Joy then realized she might be expecting. Stephanie overheard Sarah Horton (Linsey Godfrey) calling in a pregnancy test and confronted Joy. Joy got her results back and revealed to Alex and Stephanie that she wasn’t pregnant … which was a lie. Rather than stay in town, Joy decided to go home to New York and broke the news to Alex on the March 19 episode.

Robert Scott Wilson, Alexann Hopkins -'Days of our Lives'

XJJohnson/jpistudios.com

“I’ve decided to quit my job… I don’t want to be a problem for you and Stephanie,” Stephanie told Alex. “New York is where I need to be at this point in my life.”

After Joy packed up her belongings at the Brady pub, she called Nancy and said, “Hey mom, guess what? I’m moving back home actually. I know it seems sudden, but I will explain everything when I get home. I’ll see you soon.”

Before leaving the pub, she looked around and said her final line, which applied to both Joy and Hopkins, her portrayer: “Well, Salem, thanks for making me a soap star, I guess.”

Days of Our Lives, Weekdays, Peacock