Days of Our Lives army, stand down. Suzanne Rogers isn’t going anywhere.
Rumors have been swirling that the five-decade veteran of the iconic sudser might be packing her character Maggie Horton Kiriakis’ bags and taking leave of the series’ fictional Salem setting for good. But a rep for Days flatly denies any such possibility, telling Entertainment Weekly, “This could not be further from the truth, Maggie and Suzanne are integral to the show’s history, present storylines, and now, on the heels of our pick-up, the future!”
Just this week Days was picked up for two more seasons on Peacock, its exclusive home since 2022. The daytime drama previously aired daily on NBC since 1965, with Rogers in its core cast since 1973. Longtime viewers would be hard-pressed to name a character more pivotal than Maggie and a star more watchable than Rogers. So, gratefully, according to Days reps, “Neither are going anywhere.”
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John Clarke and Suzanne Rogers as Mickey and Maggie Horton on ‘Days of Our Lives’
Though recurring star Susan Seaforth Hayes has Rogers beat by first joining the series as the character Julie Olson Williams in 1968, Hayes has taken several years-long hiatuses. Rogers is officially the series’ longest-running cast member, having played the loyal, loving, but no-nonsense Maggie for 52 years straight.
The most recent season, 61, saw Maggie help daughter Sarah (Linsey Godfrey) pick up the pieces of her life after an acrimonious divorce with the dastardly Xander (Paul Telfer), fight on Sarah’s behalf for custody of her baby Victoria, and aid in the broader dynastic battle between her Kiriakis clan and the powerful DiMeras. Not only that, but fans are counting down to the show’s 60th anniversary in November, a celebration that should no doubt pay tribute to the series’ most enduring star.
Speculation that Rogers might be departing the series began to bubble up in early July on fan sites and social media groups dedicated to Days. If one were in the market for signs that Rogers were perhaps on her way out, several could be found on Days and within the star’s personal life.
On the show, Ashley Puzemis’ Holly Jonas has been leaning on grandma Maggie to help resolve a convoluted bind related to a bit of stolen jewelry. It may seem minor, but the unshakeable nature of Maggie and Holly’s bond coupled with Holly’s increasingly desperate situation led some to imagine that not only Holly would flee Salem, but she’d take Maggie with her.
Chris Haston/NBC
Suzanne Rogers as Maggie Horton on ‘Days of Our Lives’
Off screen, there’s Rogers’ battle against myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune disorder she was diagnosed with in 1984. The condition affects Rogers’ facial muscles, and has caused her to take at least one brief midseason hiatus to recuperate. But Maggie herself was diagnosed with the condition on the show the same year as Rogers, and the actress has always been transparent about her health, opening up about the “hurtful and traumatic” period around her diagnosis in a 2022 interview.
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Rogers isn’t going anywhere, but Days is losing one of its critical stars this year. Billy Flynn left the show after 10 years this season, saying of his character Chad DiMera, “I think with this character, I’ve done everything I can… I’m looking forward to doing something new. I’m about to start a new journey and tell another story. It really is just that simple.”
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