All articles tagged with #deidre hall
Deidre Hall, longtime Days of Our Lives star portraying Marlena Evans, staged a playful slap on NBC's Today host Craig Melvin during a Friday interview to celebrate her 50-year run on the soap. Melvin encouraged the moment, and the two rehearsed the faux strike on air; the lighthearted stunt highlighted Hall’s historic tenure with Marlena, who remains on the show after decades.
On June 19, 2026, Days of Our Lives star Deidre Hall slapped Today show host Craig Melvin live on air to fulfill his dream; the playful moment was choreographed with Melvin asking to be slapped and Hall delivering a near-miss swing, ending in laughter as Hall noted her 50-year run on Marlena Evans and hinted she’ll stay with Days of Our Lives as long as her key card works.
Days of Our Lives star Deidre Hall playfully slapped Today host Craig Melvin on Friday’s Today show in a staged moment celebrating her 50-year run as Marlena Evans. Melvin had praised her “ability to slap” and Hall joked she “meant to miss” as crew laughed; Hall, 78, began on the NBC soap in 1976 and has three Daytime Emmy nominations, with Marlena’s storyline continuing on Peacock after Drake Hogestyn’s exit in 2024.
Ryan Gosling, who grew up watching Days of Our Lives and praised Deidre Hall’s Marlena Evans as an “OG acting inspiration,” accepted Hall’s invitation to visit the show’s set. There’s no filming schedule yet, and the show streams on Peacock while Gosling promotes Project Hail Mary.