Eric Martsolf’s Shocking Reacts to TV Son’s Departure from ‘Days of Our Lives’ š„ ā What Happened to Jamie Martin Mann? š¢
Eric Martsolf opens up about the shocking “son switch” storyline, where Bradyās life is turned upside down by the revelation of his true biological child. As secrets unravel and emotional confrontations loom, how will this twist reshape Salemās dynamics?
Eric Martsolf talks about losing Jamie Martin Mann as his TV son.
The news that Jamie Martin Mann had definitively decided to leave DAYS OF OUR LIVES and his role as Tate Black (find out what Mann hadĀ to say about leavingĀ herefor the full story), hit his TV dad, Eric Martsolf (Brady), hard.
āEmily [OāBrien, Theresa] and I were actually quite shocked, but not surprised,ā shares Martsolf. āJamie had made it very known that he was interested in being a college student at University of Michigan, and that that was a priority for him. Because his storyline was taking off the way it did, he just wasnāt going to be able to make it work with the schedule. So [leaving was] for no other reason than he just couldnāt do both.ā
Martsolf admits that he did attempt to get Mann to reconsider. āI actually did try,ā he says. āI said, āYou donāt need a degree in musical theater or theater. Youāve got a job right now. This is the best training you can get.ā But he wants the college experience, and I completely got that. So we did what we do on soaps. We found another actor, and Iām happy to say heās not only good, heās terrific.ā
That actor, of course, isĀ Leo Howard. Nonetheless, Martsolf realizes that the casting switch āwill require [the audience] to be okayĀ with it,ā since theyāve already invested in Mann and Ashley Puzemis (Holly) as a couple. So Martsolf did what he could to help.
āI know a little bit about taking over a character,ā notes Martsolf, whoās had great success as a daytime recast twice ā first, as Ethan on PASSIONS,Ā and currently as Brady on DAYS. āSo Iāve had some long chats with [Leo], and it didnāt take him long to fly. Heās actually very seasoned. Heās not fresh off the tree.ā
Howard approached Martsolf for advice on the situation. āI love that he came for it. I didnāt just give it,ā points out Martsolf. āHe actually came to me and said, āLook, Iāve done this, and Iāve done this, and Iāve done this, but this is a new medium.ā And I was like, āIām so glad you want to talk to me about it.ā It can be daunting for someone [to adjust to the speed that weāre going right now]. Itās crazy. But this kid, heās got what it takes.ā