A Mother’s Revenge: Stacy Haiduk Talks Kristen Stabbing Victor on ‘Days of Our Lives’
Q&A
Like Sands Through the Hourglass…
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Kristen (Stacy Haiduk) has never been someone to cross on Days of Our Lives, but Victor Kiriakis (John Aniston) is about to learn the hard way that he shouldn’t have conspired to let both Kristen and his own grandson Brady (Eric Martsolf) believe that their newborn daughter had died.
Last week, Kristen got the news that Rachel was alive and had been switched in the hospital with Sarah (Linsey Godfrey) and Eric’s (Greg Vaughan) little girl. Kristen’s out for revenge and in today’s episode, she’s going to get it when she confronts Victor!
TV Insider talked to the delightful Haiduk about this storyline, how she’s staying balanced while self-quarantining because of coronavirus, and if she’d be open to popping up on CW superhero show given her legacy as Lana Lang on the Superboy series.
Kristen can’t contain her wrath over Victor letting her think her baby had died over a year ago. I think this time viewers are going to cheer her on.
Stacy Haiduk: I hope so. When you really look at it from Kristen’s point of view, this is something she felt she had to do. Stabbing Victor is like stabbing all the pain that she’s gone through – not just over this past year, but over the course of her life. As much as in real-life I would say no to doing this, this is a soap opera. It’s Shakespeare. It’s Medea. You have to go to that dramatic place. This is a mother who has lost her child.
Eric Martsolf said in an interview with TV Insider last week that he encouraged Kristen to “stay in her cage.” He knows what she’s capable of doing.
She’s a passionate woman. She will not take this lying down. I’m glad she doesn’t even though I can’t imagine doing something like this [in real-life].
Everyone’s turned in top-notch performances. The revelation that Rachel is alive has created one must-see episode after another.
I think everyone was on point. What I love is the writers have given such wonderful material to all of us. We’ve seen where Sarah and Eric are where Brady and Kristen used to be. By the time Brady told Kristen the news I think we were all ready to see it unfold. Brady and Kristen have reconnected over the last three months. My heart breaks for Kristen – she’s finally gotten what she’s always wanted, [her baby] along with Brady. She’s spent the last year going through so much – from not being able to understand what had happened to finding out her baby is alive. It’s like she doesn’t know how to feel anymore.
She knows this wasn’t an accident.
Right. There are so many emotions going on. I love Brady’s reaction when Eric found out. “I’m so sorry, brother.” That broke my heart. The whole journey of Kristen dealing with her daughter’s death, going to the nunnery [resulted in] her wanting to connect with Brady. What I loved was Brady saying we have to let go and move on. We’ll create some new memories and new things in our lives. There is this constant hope in Kristen that things will be OK. When she was at Rachel’s grave, she realized she can’t be that ‘freaky Kristen’ anymore. She need to reconnect with Brady. Finding out her baby is still alive has confused things.
Everyday someone’s gotten to shine, and now, Kristen’s off to confront Victor. It’s one thing for Victor to fire some barbs off in Kristen’s direction when she does something like moving into the mansion, but stealing her baby?
Yeah. We’re going to see Kristen’s heart. I had a lot of angst about her stabbing Victor, but it’s my job as an actress to take what’s written for me and play it to the best of my ability. I had to find a way. Fans have said, ‘Victor never goes to prison or pays for what he’s done!’ So, this revenge is perfect.
Alice Horton (the late Frances Reid) would have stabbed Victor if he’d done this! Well, OK, maybe not Alice, but Kristen’s reaction to all this is understandable. A good lawyer will get her off.
[Laughs] I hope!
This season, The CW did a five-part Crisis storyline that included guest-stars John Wesley Shipp (The Flash from 1990), Burt Ward (Batman from 1966), and Tom Welling and Erica Durance (Smallville from the 2000s). What about actors from the Superboy series from 1988-92 on which you played Lana Lang? I’m starting a campaign!
I love all the superhero shows. I’ve peeked in on them once in a while. I actually don’t own a television. But it would be so much fun to do a guest spot on one of them. I would love to play a villain. That’s right up my alley. I love being physical and dramatic. I’m asked about [guesting on a CW show] by Superboy fans. They want to know when I’m going to do it, but I tell them it’s not my choice! It would be nice if one of the shows were to call and ask.
How are you handling self-quarantining during the coronavirus crisis?
I’m definitely hanging in there. There are good days and bad ones and some blasé ones. I’m sure everyone feels the same way. This is somewhat similar to what it’s like when you’re not working as an actor – only you’re not getting a call from your agent to do an audition. I’ve been doing a lot of yoga to help deal with this. I’ve always done yoga.
You’ve been showing some of your yoga exercises on Instagram.
Yes. It’s fun to show what you can do on a single mat. You can get a workout in and you get to meditate. I do walks, but having a group of people meet online like they would for a class can make a difference. You connect to the teacher. I’ve been with mine for 15 years on and off. It’s like a retreat, but you’re still in your own home. I like to share what’s possible and what you can do. I was also running for a while, but I think I get more mentally when I do yoga. I started back in January but I hadn’t been doing it consistently for a year or so. Your strength comes back. It’s keeping me pretty sane right now.
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