Greg Rikaart’s Stunning Exit from Days of Our Lives: The Tragic Fall of Leo Stark and the Legacy He Leaves Behind
For years, Days of Our Lives has been a masterclass in reinvention—crafting icons from rogues, villains, and romantics alike. But few characters have embodied all three with the flair, depth, and defiant charm of Leo Stark. As fans now know, Greg Rikaart—the Emmy-nominated powerhouse behind the fan-favorite con artist—has officially departed the Peacock soap. And this time, the heartbreak hits differently. Because Leo’s exit wasn’t just an ending—it was an emotional detonation that reshaped Salem’s very soul.
The End of an Era: Greg Rikaart Bids Farewell
When whispers first surfaced in May 2025 that Greg Rikaart was wrapping up his Days run, fans didn’t want to believe it. The rumor mill spun with denials and theories—was this another fake-out? Another Leo “death” destined to be reversed? But by autumn, it was official. Greg was gone, and Leo’s swan song had already been filmed months earlier.
When his final episode aired, it felt less like a curtain call and more like a requiem. Leo’s story closed not with the campy flourish that once defined him, but with tragedy, sacrifice, and poetic finality.
Social media ignited. #AveLeo trended globally. Fans posted artwork of Leo with angel wings, petitions flooded in demanding a resurrection, and longtime viewers mourned the loss of a character who’d somehow transformed mischief into meaning.
Greg himself marked the occasion with quiet gratitude, sharing a bittersweet note: “Thank you, Ron [Carlivati]. What a great run.” For many, that single sentence echoed louder than any monologue Leo ever delivered.
The Rise of Leo Stark: From Con Artist to Cult Icon
To appreciate the impact of Leo’s fall, one has to rewind to March 27, 2018—the day Greg Rikaart first strutted onto the Days set, fresh from his celebrated tenure as Kevin Fisher on The Young and the Restless.
Hired by the scheming Vivian Alamain to seduce and sabotage Sonny Kiriakis, Leo entered Salem not as a hero, but as an agent of chaos. Yet within weeks, viewers were captivated. His razor-sharp one-liners, impeccable fashion sense, and unapologetic queerness shattered daytime norms.
Leo wasn’t written to be loved. He was designed to be feared, mocked, or dismissed. Instead, he became magnetic—a sparkling fusion of Oscar Wilde wit and soap opera sin.
Even his first “death”—crammed into a freezer during a botched scheme—became legendary. When he clawed his way back from the grave, it was with twice the charisma and thrice the trouble.
Over the years, Leo evolved into one of Days’ most multidimensional antiheroes. He blackmailed, seduced, and betrayed—but he also bled, laughed, and longed to belong. His tangled family history, his fleeting romances (especially with Xander Kiriakis), and his constant battle between self-preservation and self-destruction made him one of the most unpredictable presences in Salem.
As Rikaart once put it: “Leo’s my spirit animal—unapologetic, unpredictable, and always one martini away from fabulous disaster.”
A Death Too Real: The Spring 2025 Catastrophe
The seeds of Leo’s downfall were sown months before his final bow.
Ever the opportunist, Leo stumbled upon whispers of a cover-up involving EJ DiMera’s newest business venture—a sprawling hospital lab project built on secrecy and scandal. Determined to get the scoop, Leo donned a hard hat and infiltrated the site.
There, he crossed paths with Rita Leslie, EJ’s lethal right-hand woman. Played by the formidable Maggie Carney, Rita was Salem’s latest femme fatale—a ghost in stilettos whose loyalty to EJ bordered on obsession.
When Leo uncovered encrypted files and blueprints hinting at something sinister—possibly tied to EJ’s shadowy dealings—he knew he was in over his head. But Leo had never been one to run from danger.
“There’s a story here bigger than my ego,” he quipped, flashing that trademark grin.
It would be his last.
The Hunt, the Betrayal, and the Fall
Rita wasn’t fooled. She reported straight to EJ, whose fury was volcanic.
“Stark’s a loose end,” EJ snarled, his fist slamming the desk. “Cut it. Permanently.”
From that moment, Leo was living on borrowed time.
He turned to unlikely allies—Gwen Rizczech, ever the fiery friend; Javi Hernandez, his on-again, off-again confidant and occasional lover; even Paulina Price, who warned him that poking the DiMera bear would burn the entire town.
But Leo refused to cower. “I’ve danced with devils before,” he declared. “But this time, I’m leading.”
The tension escalated in true Days fashion: shadowy encounters, burner phones, car crashes, and whispered threats in fog-laced alleys. Each episode brought him closer to the edge—until he finally fell.
Literally.
Lured by a forged message into the depths of EJ’s construction site, Leo stumbled into a trap. Rita was waiting. A scuffle. A scream. And a fatal plunge into exposed rebar and electrical wires.
“Tell them I was fabulous,” Leo gasped with his final breath.
The camera lingered as the hourglass faded crimson, a haunting visual homage to one of Days’ most colorful souls.
The Aftermath: Salem Shattered
Gwen’s anguished cry in the town square. Javi’s silent vigil at the morgue. EJ’s steely toast “to loose ends.” It was Shakespearean tragedy dressed in peacock-blue melodrama.
Greg Rikaart’s final scenes were hailed as some of his finest work—a fusion of heartbreak, defiance, and grace. Critics praised his ability to turn even the most flamboyant lines into emotional truth.
For Days of Our Lives, Leo’s death isn’t just another loss—it’s a narrative earthquake. The DiMeras’ empire teeters under new scrutiny. The Spectator reels without its boldest reporter. Gwen’s quest for vengeance simmers. And Rita Leslie, the enigmatic executioner, has cemented herself as Salem’s newest monster—or martyr.
Greg Rikaart’s Legacy: A Star Beyond the Hourglass
Off-screen, Greg Rikaart’s departure marks the end of one of daytime’s most groundbreaking portrayals.
Across seven years, he turned Leo from a one-dimensional schemer into a queer icon—complex, messy, human. His fearless humor and emotional intelligence made audiences see past the mischief to the man beneath.
Rikaart, long beloved for his work on The Young and the Restless, brought layers to Leo that few could replicate. His performances bridged the gap between satire and sincerity, reminding fans that even the villains of Salem can be vessels for truth.
And while Rikaart has left the Peacock lot for now, soap fans know the rule of Salem: death is rarely permanent, and fabulous never fades.
Final Curtain—or Prelude to a Comeback?
Could Leo rise again? Stranger things have happened in Salem.
Fans are already speculating—did Rita fake the death? Could EJ’s guilt lead to a shocking resurrection arc? Or will Leo return as a ghost, haunting those who betrayed him with razor-tongued vengeance?
Whatever happens next, Greg Rikaart’s imprint on Days of Our Lives is indelible. His Leo Stark wasn’t just comic relief or chaos incarnate—he was proof that even in a world of secrets and sinners, authenticity can shine through the glitter and the grime.
In the end, Leo Stark’s story reminds us of what soaps do best—make us laugh, gasp, and grieve in equal measure.
So to Leo, we raise our martinis high.
To Greg Rikaart, we say thank you—for the laughter, the audacity, and the fabulous disaster that made Salem sparkle.
And to Days of Our Lives fans everywhere: keep your eyes on the hourglass. Because in this world, even death has a flair for the dramatic.
