Tyler Joseph Andrews will make his Days of our Lives debut as Theo Carver, who returns to Salem on September 9 after years of dwelling in South Africa.
For Andrews, it marks his first cleaning soap function, however not his first audition on the Peacock present. “I had really auditioned for Tate (Black, Leo Howard), and I screen-tested with Ashley Puzemis (Holly Jonas),” he begins. “I ended up not getting it, and I actually wished the job. A pair months later, I auditioned once more, however they didn’t actually inform me who I used to be auditioning for. I examined with Marissa (Reyes, Arianna Horton), after which a few week later, they let me know that I obtained the job. I used to be actually joyful as a result of the primary time that I had auditioned, I advised my agent, ‘Look out for the e-mail, ’trigger I believe I’d get this one.’ After which when it didn’t occur, I used to be upset, so I used to be actually grateful that they ended up calling me again within the audition as soon as extra.”
Whereas the function was a welcome shock, entering into the cleaning soap world was unfamiliar territory for the Philadelphia native. “I come from a theater background,” he explains. “And this seems like dwell theater as a result of you have got a rehearsal and you then go to tape, however you solely get to do it as soon as. So, I used to be a little bit overwhelmed the primary day.”
Fortunately, he felt supported from the beginning. His first scene accomplice, Billy Flynn (Chad DiMera; Cane Ashby, The Younger and the Stressed), helped him get acclimated to the place of daytime drama. “He actually made me really feel comfy and gave me the breakdown of how all the things movies right here,” Andrews relays. “We did this scene in Brady’s Pub, which was humorous as a result of I had really display screen examined in Brady’s Pub about six months prior, so it made me really feel a little bit bit extra comfy that we have been going to be doing the scene there. It was much more relaxed than I anticipated it to be. Everybody simply made it a really inviting atmosphere for me.”
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That sense of welcome prolonged to his on-screen father, James Reynolds (Abe Carver). “I like working with Jim; he’s actually develop into one in all my greatest mates right here,” Andrews shares. “He’s been actually nice as a result of he’s so educated, and he’s been doing this for therefore lengthy. Should you simply watch him, he teaches you a large number about discovering the digital camera and discovering the sunshine. I like having the ability to go to his room and speak to him as a result of he’s all the time obtainable and he’ll let you know the outdated tales about again within the day and the way they used to movie and all these issues, and I actually get pleasure from that.”
Andrews has cherished attending to know extra of the forged — together with a well-recognized face from his childhood. “Jackée Harry (Paulina Value) is somebody that I grew up watching on Sister, Sister, 227, and Everyone Hates Chris,” he says. “I used to be excited to satisfy her, however I used to be additionally a little bit nervous to satisfy her. She is simply so humorous, and he or she makes it so pleasing to return to work. And Casey Moss, who performs JJ [Deveraux], we’ve develop into good mates, and we joke round so much.”
As for his character, Theo returns to city from South Africa, sizzling off his breakup with Claire Brady. “He’s coming again type of misplaced, however he’s looking for himself and he’s looking for that function that he wants in life,” previews Andrews. “He’s maturing, and he needs to solidify one thing in Salem for the long run.”
Theo may even be leaning into his darker household lineage with the DiMeras. “I actually love exploring the DiMera facet as a result of I get to work with actors like Thaao Penghlis [Tony DiMera], who actually welcomed me, and he’s actually been like an appearing trainer for me, simply watching him work,” Andrews shares. “It’s a special power working with that facet of the household, and it brings a special habits out of Theo. I believe the extra he will get concerned with the DiMera facet of the household, he may adapt a few of these attributes that you just’re used to seeing with them.”
Earlier than reserving Days, Andrews appeared in an episode of All American: Homecoming, however his highway to Salem wasn’t straightforward. “I didn’t wrestle in Los Angeles, however boy did I wrestle in Philadelphia,” he says. “I simply wished to be an actor, and I used to be touring backwards and forwards from Philadelphia to New York. So, for a few yr and a half, I simply lived in my automobile, touring backwards and forwards from the theater.”
Regardless of these early challenges, his household has remained his greatest cheerleaders, they usually have been thrilled when he lastly booked Days. However due to the cleaning soap’s distinctive capturing schedule, Andrews started taping in 2024 and had an extended look forward to his first episode to air. “Earlier than I grew to become an actor, I used to be simply in every single place, so once I advised them this, they have been over the moon about it,” he says. “However have been like, ‘Are you positive you have got a job?’ I used to be like, ‘Hear, you’re not gonna see me on TV for, like, possibly a yr.’ My mother, my dad, my brother, my sister — they’re the true purpose that I used to be capable of be an actor for therefore lengthy as a result of they only supported me always, particularly my dad and my mother. They’re in my nook 24/7. They wish to hear all the things about it, what’s happening with the present, with my character, they usually have mates that they know watch the present, so that they’re actually excited to have the ability to inform them that I’m on it.”
Now, together with his first episode lastly set to air, Andrews is prepared for his household — and followers of the cleaning soap — to see what he’s been engaged on. “It’s an enormous reduction,” he says. “I do know my household’s going to actually get pleasure from watching it as a result of I’m so distant from them. I don’t actually get to see them so much, so it provides them one thing to observe me on day by day. I’m actually excited for it to return out.”
Days of our Lives, Weekdays, Streaming on Peacock