OMG! Stephanie’s ex-boyfriend is back, say hello to Jeremy Horton Days of our lives spoilers
Abigail Klein shares how she learned Stephanie Johnson’s history, why she feels protective of DAYS, and what Jeremy Horton’s return means.
Soap Hub’s Alina Adams caught up with Abigail Klein at the 33rd Annual Broadcasting + Cable Hall of Fame Awards, where Days of our Lives was honored with the Iconic Show Award. Klein opened up about what it means to play Stephanie Johnson, how she connects with the show’s history, and what fans can expect next.
Stepping Into a Legacy
For Klein, playing Stephanie Johnson isn’t just another role. It’s stepping into a family tradition that stretches back to Stephanie’s on-screen birth. “
It’s so cool,” Klein said. “Now knowing Steven [Steve] and Mary Beth [Kayla], who play my TV parents, it’s so special to think that it was Mary Beth’s daughter that played Stephanie when she was a newborn baby. How cute is that?”
Though Klein has been with the show for only three years, she feels deeply connected to the role and the series itself.
“I know that I am still a newbie, a rookie, compared to all these veterans,” she admitted. “But that’s what makes it even more special, to be the sponge and soak it all up.
I feel very protective of the brand and of the show and the people, the cast and the crew, and everything that it takes to put it together for so long.”
Learning From Fans
When she first stepped into the role, Klein didn’t get a crash course in Stephanie’s tangled past from the production team. Instead, she turned to the people who know it best — the fans.
“I had no idea,” she confessed. “You know who helped me were the fans. Looking at all these fan pages online, they broke down exactly what happened to Stephanie — who broke her heart, who she threw down the stairs, who kidnapped her. Everything. So I learned all I needed to learn from the fans, funny enough.”
Jeremy Horton Returns
With DAYS bringing back Jeremy Horton (Michael Roark), Stephanie’s life is about to get complicated again.
“He is the last person that she would expect to see,” Klein teased. “It’s been over 15 years since they last saw each other. So you’re in for a ride. But it’s not what you think. Whatever you think may happen, it’s going to surprise you.”
Building Onscreen History
So how does Klein create decades of backstory with an actor she’s just meeting? By finding common ground off-screen. She praised Michael Roark, who steps in as Jeremy, for being easygoing and collaborative.
“Even at the chemistry read, we read together, and he was just so easy to get along with,” she said. Together, they talked through Jeremy and Stephanie’s fraught past. “It was a little dark and maybe a little emotionally toxic. We really love each other as people, so we thought, ‘Let’s roll with it and hope it translates.’ And I think it did.”
With DAYS honored as an Iconic Show at the Hall of Fame Gala, Klein knows she’s part of something bigger. “It’s iconic to be a part of this show,” she said. And for Stephanie Johnson, the next chapter is only just beginning. Check out the interview below.
