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“Days of Our Lives” has taken a wild turn, with the return of Abigail Deveraux, but things are far from simple for her husband, Chad DiMera. While viewers are glued to their screens, wondering if Abigail is truly the woman they thought they knew, actor Billy Flynn, who plays Chad, gives us an exclusive peek behind the scenes, revealing the emotional rollercoaster his character is experiencing.
A Shifting Perspective
The storyline initially presented Chad as the one immediately accepting Abigail’s return, while Jack Deveraux, her father, remained skeptical. “It’s complicated,” Flynn reveals.
“The original script had Chad fully embracing the idea that it was Abigail, but it didn’t feel right to me.” His portrayal of Chad, Flynn explains, was informed by a deeper understanding of their relationship. “Chad was all-in believing it was her, but when he finally sees her, it’s not the person he was chasing.
If it is Abigail, he’s not getting back the Abigail he went looking for. That’s the mindset I went into it with.”
Flynn’s instincts proved right. “We kind of talked about it [with Matthew Ashford, who plays Jack], and we actually switched it a bit,” Flynn reveals. “Jack was the one who was like, ‘My daughter!’ Because a father’s love for his daughter could be a lot more blinding.
So Jack was skeptical leading up to [the DNA test] and then made the switch, whereas Chad was all-in and then made the switch to be skeptical.”
More Than a Pretty Face
For Chad, it’s not just about the physical resemblance. He knows Abigail’s mannerisms, the way she moves, the way she touches her hair.
“Those things aren’t going to change,” Flynn says. “Chad’s searching for that. He’s looking for something that doesn’t seem to be there.” He’s determined to uncover the truth, even if it means facing a painful reality.
A Hopeful Romantic
As Chad confides in Julie Williams, his trusted confidante, he reveals his anxieties and hopes.
“Chad’s like, ‘Okay, if it is Abigail, maybe these memories will come back to her and I hope they do, because God forbid this person doesn’t remember how in love we are,’” Flynn explains. “But also, ‘What if it isn’t? And what if I’m going to look stupid?’”
But Chad remains hopeful, a romantic at heart. He clutches onto every memory that Abigail recovers, even if it’s not the life-altering revelation he’s longing for. “He’s looking for things to believe, too,” Flynn observes.
The Unfolding Mystery
As the story unfolds, viewers are left on the edge of their seats.
What will the future hold for Chad and Abigail? Will she ever regain her memories? And who is the mysterious figure she called on the phone? Billy Flynn’s performance captures the complexities of Chad’s emotions, leaving us with a sense of both hope and uncertainty. One thing’s for sure: the dramatic ride of “Days of Our Lives” has only just begun.