"Days of Our Lives" fan favorite Kristian Alfonso, who plays as Hope Brady in the soap, recently opened up about her stint with the show and her heart-wrenching goodbye to on-screen partner Peter Reckell.
As previously reported, Alfonso has just extended her contract with "DOOL," making her one of the longest cast members of the long-running daytime drama. The 52-year-old actress made her acting debut in "DOOL" when she was only 20 years old.
"I can't believe it was so many years ago, but it really does feel like it was just yesterday. I was so thrilled to get the job. The fact that someone actually believed in me, that I could actually be a part of this incredible legacy," Alfonso opened up in an interview with Glamour. "I'm just as excited walking in here. I still get nervous, like, 'Galen, let's run lines,' or 'Pete, let's run lines.' I want it to be the best that it can be."
Recent episodes required Alfonso to bring out her acting prowess, having to play a succession of emotionally heavy scenes. Hope's new husband Aiden Jennings (Daniel Cosgrove) has tried to strangle her, and then Bo Brady (Peter Reckell), the love of her life, returned. Their reunion tragically ended last Friday's episode, Nov. 19, when Bo died of a terminal brain tumor. Reckell has since confirmed his exit from the show.
Interestingly, Alfonso and Reckell have shared the screen together since 1983, forming the soap's iconic supercouple which fans have endearingly dubbed as "Bope."
"My first scene, I believe, was with Peter Reckell!" Alfonso reminisced. "Pete and I have had so much fun over the years, but like any relationship, we've had our ups, we've had our downs. We've spent so much time together, but what they wrote for us was such a gift. We had a lot of fun and shared a lot of laughter together."
Meanwhile, Alfonso is looking forward to a new chapter in her "DOOL" journey. Hope is currently still in mourning for Bo, but according to spoilers, new romance and more drama is in her future.
"Hope, I would have to say, is much more adventurous, takes a lot more risks. I find myself to be adventurous, like, you don't need to tell me what we're doing a week in advance. But we're all about family. Everything is about family," the actress concluded.
Aside from "DOOL," Alfonso is busy with her jewelry business called "Hope Faith Miracles," sharing her famous character's name.
"Days of Our Lives" airs weekdays, 1 p.m. on NBC.
