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Sami Brady is a fictional character from ''
Days of Our Lives ''Days of Our Lives'' (also stylized as ''Days of our Lives''; simply referred to as ''Days'' or ''DOOL'') is an American television soap opera that aired on the network NBC from November 8, 1965, to September 9, 2022; the soap has streamed n ...
'', an American
soap opera A soap opera (also called a daytime drama or soap) is a genre of a long-running radio or television Serial (radio and television), serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term ''soap opera'' originat ...
on the
Peacock Peafowl is a common name for two bird species of the genus '' Pavo'' and one species of the closely related genus '' Afropavo'' within the tribe Pavonini of the family Phasianidae (the pheasants and their allies). Male peafowl are referred t ...
streaming service, portrayed by
Alison Sweeney Alison Ann Sweeney (born September 19, 1976) is an American actress, reality show host, director and author. Sweeney is best known for her portrayal of Samantha "Sami" Brady on the NBC soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'', a role she played under c ...
since 1993. The character is first seen as a newborn baby in the episode of October 16, 1984, in which mom Marlena Evans (
Deidre Hall Deidre Hall (born October 31, 1947) is an American actress and model. She is best known for her portrayal of Marlena Evans on the NBC/Peacock (streaming service), Peacock daytime drama ''Days of Our Lives'', whom she has played for over 45 year ...
) gives birth to her and her twin brother Eric Brady. Initially played by a series of child actresses, Sweeney took over the role of Sami when the character was rapidly-aged from a
pre-teen Preadolescence is a stage of human development following middle childhood and preceding adolescence.New Oxford American Dictionary. 2nd Edition. 2005. Oxford University Press. It commonly ends with the beginning of puberty. Preadolescence is c ...
to a
teenager Adolescence () is a transitional stage of human physical and psychological development that generally occurs during the period from puberty to adulthood (typically corresponding to the age of majority). Adolescence is usually associated wi ...
, in January 1993, under the pen of
head writer A head writer is a person who oversees the team of writers on a television or radio series. The title is common in the soap opera A soap opera (also called a daytime drama or soap) is a genre of a long-running radio or television Serial (radio ...
s
Sheri Anderson Sheri Anderson is responsible for helming over 3000 hours of network television. She has been involved in every aspect of the writing process including long-term storyline, daily episode breakdowns, dialogue writing and editing, audition scenes a ...
and James E. Reilly. Sami is known for her outlandish trouble-making ways in pursuit of what she wants, her turbulent relationships with men, and fiercely fighting for her children. She has been described as vindictive and the girl "you love to hate", but like as she is "so over the top." Sami has been part of two daytime supercouples: with
Lucas Horton Lucas Horton is a fictional character on the American daytime soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'', portrayed by Bryan Dattilo. Introduced in 1993 as Lucas Roberts, the military cadet son of businesswoman Kate Roberts, he later discovers he is t ...
( Bryan Dattilo), and
EJ DiMera EJ DiMera is a fictional character from ''Days of Our Lives'', an American soap opera on the NBC network. Created by head writer James E. Reilly and introduced under executive producers, Ken Corday and Tom Langan, EJ is the son of crime boss St ...
(
James Scott James Scott may refer to: Entertainment * James Scott (composer) (1885–1938), African-American ragtime composer * James Scott (director) (born 1941), British filmmaker * James Scott (actor) (born 1979), British television actor * James Scott (Sh ...
); and is the mother of iconic LGBT character, Will Horton. Sweeney won a Special Fan Award for "America's Favorite Villain" at the 2002
Daytime Emmy Award The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York-based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NA ...
s; and in 2015 she was nominated for
Daytime Emmy Award The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York-based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NA ...
for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.


Casting

Seven child actresses portrayed Sami. Baby Ronit Arnoff initially represented Sami; and babies Lauren Ann Bundy (October 22, 1984 to April 10, 1985) and Jessica Davis (December 6, 1985 to May 20, 1986) followed. Sami was rapidly-aged about two years when Tiffany Nicole Palma (August 7 to September 9, 1986) stepped in to play Sami. Ashleigh Sterling became the first child actress to play Sami over an extended period (December 24, 1986 to June 5, 1990), followed by Christina Wagoner (August 10, 1990 to June 22, 1992). Finally the current actress
Alison Sweeney Alison Ann Sweeney (born September 19, 1976) is an American actress, reality show host, director and author. Sweeney is best known for her portrayal of Samantha "Sami" Brady on the NBC soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'', a role she played under c ...
took over the role of Sami as a teenager on January 22, 1993, and played her into adulthood. Sweeney has been portraying Sami for over twenty-one years. When Sweeney took maternity leave in 2005, Sami stayed on the show; ''Days'' achieved this by having Sami go under-cover, disguising herself as a man named Stan played by actor Dan Wells. Sweeney and Sami departed the show in 2014, but Sweeney has returned since for short-term appearances. Sami was not Sweeney's first role on the show; she had previously portrayed Adrienne Johnson as a child in 1987. Sweeney has talked about starting on the show as Sami: "I remember my first day at work. I was so excited to be a part of a show that I'd been a fan of ..My first two weeks on the show I was sneaking around Salem, so there weren't a lot of lines to memorize. My first scene was with Wayne Northrop (then-
Roman Brady Roman Brady is a fictional character from the NBC/Peacock (streaming service), Peacock soap opera ''Days of Our Lives''. The role was originated in 1981 by Wayne Northrop, who played the role until 1984 and from 1991 to 1994, and is currently bein ...
), who pulled a gun on me and said something like Freeze or I'll shoot!'''" Sweeney has cited Northrop,
Deidre Hall Deidre Hall (born October 31, 1947) is an American actress and model. She is best known for her portrayal of Marlena Evans on the NBC/Peacock (streaming service), Peacock daytime drama ''Days of Our Lives'', whom she has played for over 45 year ...
( Marlena), and Drake Hogestyn (
John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...
) as influences on her career playing the role, stating: "I learned so many lessons from them". When her 20th anniversary as Sami was approaching, fans speculated that she might depart from the series, but Sweeney inked a new deal with the show. She said, "I am super-excited to stay, and I am so honored that they asked me to stay. The job continues to surprise and challenge me. I have already shot my 20th anniversary episode, which airs on January 6
013 013 is a music venue in Tilburg, the Netherlands. The venue opened in 1998 and replaced the ''Noorderligt'', the ''Bat Cave'' and the ''MuziekKantenWinkel''. 013 is the largest popular music venue in the southern Netherlands. There are two concer ...
so I had this huge milestone and it's been such an amazing journey. I love my job, I love the people I work with and I love Sami." In January 2014, Sweeney announced she was quitting the series after 21 years. She revealed on ''
The Ellen DeGeneres Show ''The Ellen DeGeneres Show'' is an American first-run syndicated talk show that was hosted by Ellen DeGeneres. The show ran for nineteen seasons from September 8, 2003, to May 26, 2022, in which it broadcast 3,339 episodes. It was produced by ...
'', "I've been on ''Days of Our Lives'' for 21 years. I'm celebrating my 21st year and I decided that it's going to be my last year with the show," Sweeney announced. "I've been on Days of Our Lives since I was 16-years-old, and I have never had more than a two-week vacation in that whole time. It's awesome. I love Sami, I love Salem, I love my job, I love daytime, I love the fans—I love everything about it." Her departing episode aired October 30, 2014. In 2015, Sweeney returned to ''Days of Our Lives'' to be part of the soap's 50th anniversary celebration (appearing from October 12 to November 17); and in 2017, she again returned as Sami as a key-player in the story of Sami's apparently-dead son Will Horton, being found alive (airing from October 13 to December 14). Then in March 2018 it was announced that Sweeney would again be returning as Sami. Sweeney teased the new story, saying it is: "super exciting, definitely a roller-coaster ride and really fun." Sami featured from August 23 to November 8, 2018. Sweeney returned in June 2019 for the passing of Caroline Brady ( Peggy McCay), airing from June 18 to 24, 2019. In December 2019, Sweeney announced she would again reprise the role, which she did beginning on July 14, 2020. In August 2020, it was announced that Sweeney had signed a one-year deal with the soap. On May 7, 2021, Wells returned to the role for one episode when Sami once again masqueraded as Stan. On August 6, 2024, ''
TV Insider ''TV Guide'' is an American biweekly magazine that provides television program listings information as well as television-related news, celebrity interviews and gossip, film reviews, crossword puzzles, and, in some issues, horoscopes. The print ...
'' announced Sweeney would return for limited run; Sami returned on April 10, 2025.


Development


Characterization

Since Sweeney has stepped into the role, Sami has been showcased as the series' primary troublemaker and "the girl you loved to hate" through her lying and scheming. In recent years, Sweeney has established herself as a leading heroine, with the show centering on the popular and controversial relationships between Sami and her love interests Austin Reed (
Patrick Muldoon Patrick Muldoon (born September 27, 1968) is an American actor, film producer, and musician. Early life and education Muldoon was born in San Pedro, California, the son of Deanna, a homemaker, and William Patrick Muldoon II, a personal injury ...
& Austin Peck), Franco Kelly ( Victor Alfieri), Brandon Walker ( Matt Cedeno),
Lucas Roberts Lucas Horton is a fictional character on the American daytime soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'', portrayed by Bryan Dattilo. Introduced in 1993 as Lucas Roberts, the military cadet son of businesswoman Kate Roberts, he later discovers he is t ...
( Bryan Dattilo),
EJ DiMera EJ DiMera is a fictional character from ''Days of Our Lives'', an American soap opera on the NBC network. Created by head writer James E. Reilly and introduced under executive producers, Ken Corday and Tom Langan, EJ is the son of crime boss St ...
(
James Scott James Scott may refer to: Entertainment * James Scott (composer) (1885–1938), African-American ragtime composer * James Scott (director) (born 1941), British filmmaker * James Scott (actor) (born 1979), British television actor * James Scott (Sh ...
), and
Rafe Hernandez Rafe Hernandez is a fictional character on ''Days of Our Lives'', an American soap opera on the NBC network. Portrayed by Galen Gering and created by Dena Higley, Rafe is introduced in 2008 as the FBI agent assigned to protect the troublesome Sami ...
(
Galen Gering Galen Laius Gering (born February 13, 1971) is an American actor most known for his portrayal of characters on daytime soap operas. He currently plays the role of Rafe Hernandez on the long-running NBC soap opera ''Days of Our Lives.'' He also ap ...
). Originally characterized as the iron-willed daughter of Dr. Marlena Evans, Sami was transformed by writer James E. Reilly in the summer of 1994, converting the character from a stubborn moody teenager to a "conniving bitch", having her kidnap her baby sister, Belle and break up supercouple
Carrie Brady Carrie Brady (also Reed) is a fictional character from the soap opera ''Days of Our Lives''. Created by head writer Margaret DePriest, the role of Carrie has been most notably portrayed by Christie Clark, who took over the role in 1986 as a t ...
and Austin Reed, including blackmailing Nicole Walker and
Lexie Carver Lexie Carver is a fictional character on the NBC soap opera, ''Days of Our Lives'', created by head writer Leah Laiman. The role has been played most notably by actress Renée Jones, who appeared in the role from 1993 until departing in 2012. She i ...
on numerous incidents. However, as ratings declined in the mid-2000s, Sami's storylines proved to be "worn out" and in 2006, new ''Days'' head writers
Hogan Sheffer Hogan Sheffer (June 12, 1958 – September 28, 2019) was an American screenwriter. Personal life Sheffer was born in York, Pennsylvania. His full birth name was Mark Wayne Sheffer; his nickname of Hogan came from younger brother Craig, who thoug ...
and Meg Kelly converted the character to a heroine by pairing her with EJ DiMera and later
Rafe Hernandez Rafe Hernandez is a fictional character on ''Days of Our Lives'', an American soap opera on the NBC network. Portrayed by Galen Gering and created by Dena Higley, Rafe is introduced in 2008 as the FBI agent assigned to protect the troublesome Sami ...
. Recently, in 2013 head writers Christopher Whitesell and Gary Tomlin turned Sami back into a scheming vixen. With her son Will being tormented by Nick Fallon and her fiancé, EJ DiMera sleeping with
Abigail Deveraux Abigail Deveraux is a fictional character from ''Days of Our Lives'', an American soap opera on the NBC network. Abigail was created by scriptwriter Sheri Anderson and executive producer Ken Corday. Abigail's storylines often focus on young love ...
, Sami returned to her evil ways and culminated in her committing crimes such as planning revenge towards Abby and EJ for their affair and convincing Adrienne that her husband, Justin the father in law of her son, Will, was having an affair. The character has been described as "vindictive"; a writer from the American newspaper ''
Asbury Park Press The ''Asbury Park Press'', formerly known as the ''Shore Press'', ''Daily Press'', ''Asbury Park Daily Press'', and ''Asbury Park Evening Press'', is the third largest daily newspaper in the state of New Jersey. Established in 1879, it has been o ...
'' wrote that: "she's so bad, she's good". According to ''
Austin American-Statesman The ''Austin American-Statesman'' is the major daily newspaper for Austin, the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas. It is owned by Hearst Communications. The distribution of the following ''The New York Times'', ''The Washington Post'', '' ...
'' in 1996, Sweeney had talked about "longing to play a conniving troublemaker" and she got her wish and more. Sweeney stated: "It's kind of funny that I said that I had no idea that (the writers) would take me literally". Sweeney has said to have given a new word to "manipulative" during her portrayal of Sami. In 2005, Sami manipulatively created a male
alter ego An alter ego (Latin for "other I") means an alternate Self (psychology), self, which is believed to be distinct from a person's normal or true original Personality psychology, personality. Finding one's alter ego will require finding one's other ...
, Stan. During this period of time, from February to August, Dan Wells took over the role. Sami is known for her rivalry with Nicole Walker (
Arianne Zucker Arianne Bethene Zucker (born June 3, 1974) is an American actress and model. She is known for playing Nicole Walker on the NBC daytime soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'' since 1998. Early life Zucker was born in Northridge, California, and raise ...
) and Sweeney has said that Sami has never had "female friends".


Relationships

Sami is known for her relationships, and many "failed trips to the altar". Janet Di Lauro of
About.com Dotdash Meredith (formerly The Mining Company, About.com and Dotdash) is an American digital media company based in New York City. The company publishes online articles and videos about various subjects across categories including health, hom ...
said "No matter, Sami's always been a character who's fun to watch and root for as she's searched for her soul mate, time and time again." As a teenager, she developed a crush on Austin Reed ( Austin Peck), but was "devastated" when he began dating her sister
Carrie Brady Carrie Brady (also Reed) is a fictional character from the soap opera ''Days of Our Lives''. Created by head writer Margaret DePriest, the role of Carrie has been most notably portrayed by Christie Clark, who took over the role in 1986 as a t ...
( Christie Clark). She worked with Austin's brother Lucas to break up the couple. She ended up having a
one night stand A one-night stand is a single sexual encounter in which there is no expectation that there shall be any further relations between the sexual participants. It draws its name from the common practice of a one-night stand, a single night performanc ...
with Lucas in early 1995. Di Lauro said Sami's most "diabolical plot" was drugging Austin to have sex with her, which was "the start of an elaborate scheme" where she ended up pregnant and named Austin as the father, although Lucas was the actual father. The truth was eventually revealed and Austin, after nearly marrying Sami without loving her, reunited with Carrie. A bitter custody battle ensued between Lucas and Sami, who had a "love/hate" relationship over the years. Of the pairing, Sweeney said "their past is such a deep relationship and ultimately a friendship and a trust that they have with each other." They ended up marrying, but it was "permanently ended" when
EJ DiMera EJ DiMera is a fictional character from ''Days of Our Lives'', an American soap opera on the NBC network. Created by head writer James E. Reilly and introduced under executive producers, Ken Corday and Tom Langan, EJ is the son of crime boss St ...
(
James Scott James Scott may refer to: Entertainment * James Scott (composer) (1885–1938), African-American ragtime composer * James Scott (director) (born 1941), British filmmaker * James Scott (actor) (born 1979), British television actor * James Scott (Sh ...
) entered the picture. EJ, the son of longtime crime boss
Stefano DiMera Stefano DiMera is a fictional character from the NBC soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'', played by Joseph Mascolo. Created by Pat Falken Smith, Stefano was introduced on January 18, 1982 as the father of Tony DiMera (Thaao Penghlis) looking to exp ...
(
Joseph Mascolo Joseph Peter Mascolo (March 13, 1929 – December 8, 2016) was an American musician and dramatic actor. During his long career, he acted in numerous motion pictures and television series. He played villain Stefano DiMera on NBC's soap opera ''D ...
), developed an obsession with Sami, and ended up controversially "raping" her.''"New Twist in Days' Most Controversial Tale"'', ''
Soap Opera Digest ''Soap Opera Digest'' was a weekly magazine covering American daytime soap operas. It featured onscreen and offscreen news about the series, interviews with and articles about performers, storyline summaries and analysis, and related promotional ...
'', week of July 17, 2007.
Sami became pregnant and gave birth to twins; her daughter's father is Lucas, and son's paternity belonged to EJ. EJ had asked Sami for sex to save Lucas' life, while he was trapped and nearly died. This led to a sham wedding between EJ and Sami, in exchange for the DiMeras ending the fifty-year family feud between the Brady family. Although she initially hated him, the couple ended up in a "night of passion" resulting in another pregnancy. Of whether EJ or Lucas was Sami's "true love," Sweeney said "I personally think Sami and Lucas truly love each other, but obviously a lot has gone on between them that has pushed them apart. Right now, they are writing Sami more focusing on EJ." She also said that she enjoyed working with Scott, and called him "enchanting." Of working with Dattilo, Sweeney said "I am definitely a long-standing Lumi fan and I miss working with Bryan every day. He is so fun! I was in a scene the other day and looking around, like he and I have such a history together, for some inside joke and he wasn't on the set. It's just strange when I don't get to work with him all the time." ''
TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media In mass communication, digital media is any media (communication), communication media that operates in conjunction with various encoded machine-readable data formats. Digital content can be created, vi ...
''s Nelson Branco named Lucas and Sami one of soap's greatest
supercouple A supercouple or super couple (also known as a power couple) is a popular and/or wealthy pairing that intrigues and fascinates the public in an intense or obsessive fashion. The term originated in the United States, and it was coined in the earl ...
s, and said "For years all this couple could think of was breaking up Austin and Carrie, until one magical day, partners-in-crime and cohorts Sami and Lucas realized they were in love with each other! Now as Days’ reigning super couple, they face the evil wrath of EJ and his family, The DiMeras. Will Sami marry EJ, the man who raped her to end this family feud forever — and will Lucas be able to forgive her?" Despite this, the couple divorced and despite minor reunions since, haven't been a couple. James Scott said "They're not really re-visiting it. They have never done it. I think it's about time, frankly. There is a good opportunity for story there. Alison Sweeney (Sami) and I work very well together. It's sort of a fairy tale. They don't play it so much now, but the Bradys and the DiMeras have a history." Scott also noted that EJ and Sami "love each other" but not necessarily in a romantic way. ''On-Air On-Soaps'' said "legions of fans are waiting for their beloved EJami duo to finally start a full-blown romance ... something that has been teased, and teased, and teased for years." He romances with Lucas and EJ have been popular with viewers, who call the pairings 'Lumi' and 'Ejami.' Upon Lucas' return to ''Days of our Lives'' in 2012, a poll ran by ''
Soap Opera Digest ''Soap Opera Digest'' was a weekly magazine covering American daytime soap operas. It featured onscreen and offscreen news about the series, interviews with and articles about performers, storyline summaries and analysis, and related promotional ...
'' revealed that majority of fans wanted Lucas and Sami back together. While in the
Witness Protection Program Witness protection is security provided to a threatened person providing testimonial evidence to the justice system, including defendants and other clients, before, during, and after trials, usually by police. While witnesses may only require p ...
while pregnant with her second child with EJ, Sami fell in love with her body guard Rafe. When asked who out of Lucas, EJ or Rafe should be with Sami, Sweeney said "You can't ask that," because "that is one topic I am now scared to talk about because you say one thing and the fans get all kinds of crazy on you." She said that it's so interesting to see how Sami has "grown and changed" and feels that the "relationship with Rafe is definitely a different one from the way she's been in the past." Fans refer to Sami and Rafe as 'Safe'. Sweeney said that it's been fun getting "to know Galen" and said "We have fun working together, and it's nice. It's a new, different storyline for Sami."


Children

Sami is mother to Will Horton,
Johnny DiMera ''Days of Our Lives'' is an American soap opera broadcast on the NBC network. Created by Ted and Betty Corday, the series focuses on the residents of the fictional midwestern town of Salem, USA. It premiered on November 8, 1965. This is a list o ...
,
Allie Horton ''Days of Our Lives'' is an American soap opera broadcast on the NBC network. Created by Ted and Betty Corday, the series focuses on the residents of the fictional midwestern town of Salem, USA. It premiered on November 8, 1965. This is a list o ...
, Sydney DiMera, and Grace Brady (who Sami believed was her biological daughter). Janet Di Lauro of ''About.com'' said, "While Sami wouldn't exactly be called lucky at love, let's face it, most of her couplings have been wildly dysfunctional, her romances have produced four beautiful children: Will, Allie, Johnny and Sydney." Sami is known for fiercely fighting for her children. Sweeney told an interviewer: "For almost my entire run on ''Days'', Sami's overarching story was all about Will. She would lie for him, kill for him iguratively speaking Her fights over that kid were huge! She was always Mama Bear ...." By 2009, Will was 16 years old; Sweeney said, "It's sort of overwhelming to me sometimes to realize my character has a sixteen-year-old," considering she started working on ''Days of our Lives'' at 16, but she enjoys the dynamics between Will and Sami. In 2012, Sami and Lucas' son Will came out as gay. While Lucas was accepting, Sami was initially "responsible for the other point of view," according to Dattilo. Sweeney said that viewers can expect Sami to "have a traditional Sami reaction," because it's "such a vulnerable moment." Sweeney explained that Sami thinks it's because of her, and "she has to sort through all of those feelings and talk to lots of people in Salem about it." She added, "Sami loves her son so much, but she just always seems to say the wrong thing. She always puts her foot in her mouth."


Storylines

Samantha Gene Brady is born on October 16, 1984 (changed to October 16, 1977 when the character was rapidly-aged) with her twin brother Eric Brady to Marlena Evans and
Roman Brady Roman Brady is a fictional character from the NBC/Peacock (streaming service), Peacock soap opera ''Days of Our Lives''. The role was originated in 1981 by Wayne Northrop, who played the role until 1984 and from 1991 to 1994, and is currently bein ...
. Sami is named after her deceased aunt, Samantha Evans and Marlena's best friend,
Eugene Bradford A list of notable characters from the NBC soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'' that significantly impacted storylines and debuted between January 1, 1980, and the end of 1989, in order of first appearance. DJ Craig Donald Craig Jr., known as "DJ" a ...
. A feud between the Brady family and the powerful DiMera family puts the infants in danger. Roman sends them to live in Colorado after their mother's disappearance. In 1993, Sami reappears in Salem as a teenager. She develops a crush on her sister's boyfriend, Austin Reed (
Patrick Muldoon Patrick Muldoon (born September 27, 1968) is an American actor, film producer, and musician. Early life and education Muldoon was born in San Pedro, California, the son of Deanna, a homemaker, and William Patrick Muldoon II, a personal injury ...
). She is traumatized after seeing her mother having sex with John Black ( Drake Hogestyn) which leads to an affair that results in the birth of Sami's sister, Belle. At the time, Marlena was "married" to Roman. Sami's mental health spirals downward, and she becomes a
bulimic Bulimia nervosa, also known simply as bulimia, is an eating disorder characterized by binge eating (eating large quantities of food in a short period of time, often feeling out of control) followed by compensatory behaviors, such as self-induc ...
in an attempt to lose weight. Sami later tells Marlena that she witnessed her having sex with John. Knowing that she is John's child, Sami, who volunteers at the Salem Hospital, switches Belle's blood test. She then kidnaps Belle and places her on the black market. John rescues Belle on Christmas Eve. On Belle's christening,
Stefano DiMera Stefano DiMera is a fictional character from the NBC soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'', played by Joseph Mascolo. Created by Pat Falken Smith, Stefano was introduced on January 18, 1982 as the father of Tony DiMera (Thaao Penghlis) looking to exp ...
(
Joseph Mascolo Joseph Peter Mascolo (March 13, 1929 – December 8, 2016) was an American musician and dramatic actor. During his long career, he acted in numerous motion pictures and television series. He played villain Stefano DiMera on NBC's soap opera ''D ...
) shows Roman Sami's diary which reveals the affair and Belle's paternity. Roman leaves Marlena, devastating Sami. Sami befriends
Lucas Roberts Lucas Horton is a fictional character on the American daytime soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'', portrayed by Bryan Dattilo. Introduced in 1993 as Lucas Roberts, the military cadet son of businesswoman Kate Roberts, he later discovers he is t ...
( Bryan Dattilo) and dates his friend Alan Harris (Paul Kersey), whom her family strongly opposes. Sami's best friend Jamie overhears Alan talk about being in love with Carrie, but keeps this from Sami. Frustrated by his unrequited love for Carrie, Alan rapes Sami. Sami confides in Lucas, but without corroborating proof, the press vilifies Sami as a liar once the news gets out. Alan tries to rape her again, and she stops him by shooting him in the groin. Distraught, Lucas manages to comfort Sami; and they have sex. She still, however, has a crush on Austin and drugs him into bed so he would believe she was Carrie. After her divorce from Roman, Marlena becomes vulnerable and is possessed by the devil. While possessed, Marlena tells Sami to seduce Austin. She tries, but Austin rejects her. Sami leaves town in February 1995. Sami returns in July of that year and crashes Austin's wedding to Carrie claiming that she is carrying his child. After a rough teen pregnancy, Sami gives birth to William Robert Reed on November 16, 1995. Sami hides the fact that Will is actually Lucas' son, and passes him off as Austin's. Austin and Sami are engaged and plan to wed. However, he leaves her at the
altar An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religion, religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, Church (building), churches, and other places of worship. They are use ...
after Carrie uncovers the truth about Will's paternity. Sami renames her son William Reed Roberts and leaves town. She returns and befriends Franco Kelly ( Victor Alfieri). They become engaged; Franco is using her to get a greencard and stay in the country. He is murdered on their wedding day. Sami sees the body and faints near it. Lucas's mother Kate Roberts ( Lauren Koslow) frames Sami for the murder so that she will go to jail and Lucas can have full custody of Will. Sami is convicted and sentenced to death for the murder. In the middle of her execution via injection, Lucas confesses to the murder in an attempt to save her life. Unbeknownst to Lucas, Roberto signed a false confession on his death bed which leads to a stay of execution from the governor. Sami is freed and falls in love with Brandon Walker ( Matt Cedeno), who helps her regain full custody of Will. Brandon and Sami are married briefly. However, her lies and schemes end the marriage. Sami has an accident at the DiMera mansion and falls through the window. Lucas helps her recover and they fall in love. They become engaged, much to Kate's chagrin. Kate drugs Sami and places her in Brandon's bed the night before her marriage to Lucas in a bid to end the engagement. Lucas leaves Sami. Sami's sorely compromised psychological state deteriorates to such a degree that Sami begins to work for
Tony DiMera Tony DiMera is a fictional character from the Peacock (streaming service), Peacock American soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'', played by actor Thaao Penghlis on and off from November 6, 1981, until October 24, 1985, and from July 19, 2007, until Ap ...
(
Thaao Penghlis Thaao Penghlis (; born 15 December 1945) is an Australian actor. He is best known for roles in United States daytime soap operas such as ''Days of Our Lives'', ''Santa Barbara (TV series), Santa Barbara'', and ''General Hospital'', but has also g ...
), becomes a transvestite under an assumed name, "Stan", and sells illicit drugs to a pain-wracked John Black, all out of a base-born, suppositious need for revenge. Attempting to redeem herself, Sami convinces Lucas that Kate had set her up; that she was never unfaithful. The two reunite and agree to marry once again. Lucas believes that Sami has changed for the better, but Kate reveals Sami's misdeeds as "Stan," and Lucas calls off the wedding. Austin Reed returns to Salem and befriends Sami. Carrie Brady also returns after ending her relationship with Mike Horton. Lucas and Austin, now business rivals, attempt to buy out Carrie's company. Lucas backs out, finding out that Carrie runs the entire company, and that once again, Sami manipulated him. Austin and Carrie fall back in love and plan their future together when Carrie learns that Austin's company has taken over Highstyle. Carrie dates Lucas on the rebound. Austin does the same with Sami, and both couples become engaged. Sami's relationship to Austin is tested however, when EJ Wells (
James Scott James Scott may refer to: Entertainment * James Scott (composer) (1885–1938), African-American ragtime composer * James Scott (director) (born 1941), British filmmaker * James Scott (actor) (born 1979), British television actor * James Scott (Sh ...
), an English race car driver, moves into the apartment next to theirs. When Sami and Austin's wedding ends in disaster, EJ and Sami kiss for the first time. Carrie ends her relationship with Lucas and remarries Austin before they both leave Salem. Sami turns to EJ, and the two begin dating. Sami then discovers that not only is he sleeping with Kate but that he is also Stefano's son. Sami and Lucas rekindle their love in spite of Kate, and the two decide to take a road trip. Their car breaks down in a snow storm, and they seek shelter in an abandoned cabin where they make love. Weighed down by snow, the crumbling ceiling caves in. Lucas is trapped, Sami runs to get help, meets up with EJ in a snow drift, and asks him to help her. Revealing himself as a true DiMera, EJ agrees to help Sami only if she has sex with him. In subsequent weeks, EJ continues to taunt Sami with reminders of the deal they made that night. Sami tells Lucas about her pregnancy and they get married; the night of their wedding, he learns about EJ raping her. Her pregnancy is full of speculation about who the father of her unborn twins were. She later gives birth to: John "Johnny" Roman Roberts (later legally changed to John Roman DiMera) and Alice "Allie" Caroline Horton. It was revealed after a paternity test that EJ was Johnny's father and Allie was Lucas' daughter. Sami makes the painful decision to end her marriage to Lucas and marry EJ to end the Brady-DiMera feud. At her wedding to EJ, Lucas, Marlena and Kate attempt to shoot EJ Lucas is arrested and sent to prison, and Will leaves for Switzerland. It is later revealed that Will was the actual shooter and Lucas went to prison to protect his son. EJ tries to take custody of Johnny. But immigration wants to deport EJ, and Sami helps him by moving into the DiMera mansion with Johnny to show to immigration that they are a happily married couple. They have sex, and Lucas, released on house arrest, sees them at it. Although Sami ends her marriage to E.J., Lucas doesn't forgive her. EJ moves on to Nicole Walker (
Arianne Zucker Arianne Bethene Zucker (born June 3, 1974) is an American actress and model. She is known for playing Nicole Walker on the NBC daytime soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'' since 1998. Early life Zucker was born in Northridge, California, and raise ...
), and Sami finds out she is pregnant again. She doesn't tell E.J., and after witnessing a murder, she goes into witness protection. She befriends her guard,
Rafe Hernandez Rafe Hernandez is a fictional character on ''Days of Our Lives'', an American soap opera on the NBC network. Portrayed by Galen Gering and created by Dena Higley, Rafe is introduced in 2008 as the FBI agent assigned to protect the troublesome Sami ...
(
Galen Gering Galen Laius Gering (born February 13, 1971) is an American actor most known for his portrayal of characters on daytime soap operas. He currently plays the role of Rafe Hernandez on the long-running NBC soap opera ''Days of Our Lives.'' He also ap ...
), and gives birth to a daughter. Nicole miscarries E.J.'s child but pretends to still be pregnant and secretly illegally adopts a baby girl to pass off to EJ as their own. Nicole then finds out that Sami's baby daughter is actually EJ's and she secretly switches the two baby girls, so that EJ will be raising a child that is biologically his. Nicole's switch works and she begins raising Sami's child, Sydney DiMera, as her own. Sami is in love with Rafe, and together they raise the baby, named
Grace Grace may refer to: Places United States * Grace, Idaho, a city * Grace (CTA station), Chicago Transit Authority's Howard Line, Illinois * Little Goose Creek (Kentucky), location of Grace post office * Grace, Carroll County, Missouri, an uni ...
, believing Sami gave birth to her. Grace contracts meningitis and dies, and Sami confesses to EJ that Grace was "his", and EJ is furious. Eventually, the baby switch is revealed and Sami is reunited with Sydney. But for revenge against Sami, E.J. kidnaps Sydney and makes everyone think she is dead. But he falls back in love with Sami and returns Sydney to her, pretending to be the hero. EJ and Sami reconnect, and after her relationship with Rafe ends, she becomes engaged to EJ However, at the wedding, Rafe presents evidence to Sami that E.J. was behind Sydney's kidnapping. She leaves EJ for Rafe, and discovers that he had a plan to kidnap both his children and take them away forever. To stop him, she shoots him in the head. Rafe proposes to her while EJ narrowly escapes death. He later wins full custody of the children and Sami marries Rafe. Johnny is diagnosed with eye cancer and she regains joint custody. After allowing Johnny and Sydney back into their mother's life, Stefano and EJ switch Rafe with an impostor whose face they surgically alter so he can pose as Rafe's double. The DiMeras' schemes are eventually revealed, and after some months, the real Rafe is reunited with Sami. During a family get-together, Johnny goes missing and Sami rushes to the DiMera mansion insisting that EJ has him. They see in a news report that Johnny has "died" and in their grief, have sex. However, the news report turns out to be false and Johnny is found alive and well. Will is angry with his mom for being unfaithful to Rafe, and when Rafe finds out about it Sami's marriage to Rafe ends. Lucas returns to town and Sami and Lucas reconnect. They are taken aback when Will reveals to them that he is gay. Sami initially runs out on Will, but she soon comes round to support him. Stefano is apparently murdered, and EJ is held responsible, and Sami decides to help prove his innocence, much to Lucas's dismay. Sami's reunion with Lucas ends. Stefano is revealed to be alive, and EJ is cleared for murder. Sami starts to feel torn between EJ and Rafe. Rafe and Sami agree to give their relationship a second chance. Sami plans Gabi Hernandez ( Camila Banus) and Nick Fallon's (
Blake Berris Blake Everett Berris (born August 24, 1984) is an American actor. He played the role of Nick Fallon on NBC/Peacock's ''Days of Our Lives''. In 2023, he returned to the soap in the role of Everett Lynch. Early life Berris graduated from Univers ...
) wedding, wanting to tell EJ her decision after the wedding. However, during the wedding, it is revealed that Nick isn't the father of Gabi's unborn baby – Will is. Sami is furious with Gabi, and Rafe defends his sister, insulting Will in the process. Sami is furious and breaks up with Rafe. Sami eventually tells EJ about Rafe and her plan to leave him. EJ forgives her, and they reunite. Nick demands Will sign away his paternal rights to the baby. When Sami, Lucas, and EJ try to stop him, Nick reveals that he knows Will was responsible for shooting E.J. in 2007. Will signs away his rights to avoid being prosecuted, and Sami is devastated. She and E.J. team up to stop Nick's blackmail of Will. When Stefano returns, Sami and EJ decide to get his help to destroy evidence the police has against Will. Sami and E.J. stay together through the situation, and become engaged in April 2013. Soon after, Rafe is attacked, and ends up in a coma. Initially, the police suspect EJ, as does Sami, but she eventually realizes his innocence. The real attacker, Jensen, is revealed to be targeting Nick. He kidnaps Nick and Gabi, and ends up shooting Will when he tries to rescue Nick. Sami comes to the hospital and finds out Gabi's baby was born; she meets her granddaughter, Arianna Grace, for the first time. Sami visits Rafe while in the hospital, and while there, sees a man come in with a knife about to kill Rafe. Sami shoots him to protect Rafe. EJ tries to calm her down, while Roman and the police search for the missing knife. Sami and EJ realize the man she shot was a police officer who was working for Stefano; the officer dies after surgery, and the knife is never recovered. Sami is arrested for murder by Roman. Once exonerated, Sami and E.J. marry, only for EJ to be arrested for tax fraud; Sami confronts both E.J. and
Abigail Deveraux Abigail Deveraux is a fictional character from ''Days of Our Lives'', an American soap opera on the NBC network. Abigail was created by scriptwriter Sheri Anderson and executive producer Ken Corday. Abigail's storylines often focus on young love ...
( Kate Mansi) for the affair the pair had behind her back, and uses her power to take DiMera Enterprises away from the DiMera family with Kate. Sami begins to forgive and re-trust EJ and they re-unite, but EJ is shot in the Salem park, and Sami finds him just before he dies. It is October 2014, and Sami, overcome with grief, accepts a movie deal with Hollywood executives to build a story about her life, with Will penning the screenplay, and she and the children relocate to
Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
. When Will is fired from the movie, he goes back to Salem where, in October 2015, he is apparently murdered by Abigail's new fiancé, Ben Weston. Sami comes back to Salem to mourn Will. Whilst in Salem she discovers that Ben's father Clyde was the one who had gotten EJ shot, and she also finds a letter from EJ which leads her to believe EJ might be alive. The letter contains instructions which lead Sami to a safe deposit box containing the passwords to Stefano's bank account, but she is kidnapped by Stefano's son Andre DiMera who wants the passwords from her. Sami escapes and she steals Stefano's fortune. She takes the kids around Europe as she pursues clues that EJ may still be alive. In October 2017 she learns that Ben Weston has escaped from custody, and is claiming that Will is alive, and Sami once again returns to Salem to find out the truth.


Reception

Sweeney's portrayal of "Salem's resident bad girl" has earned her various fan awards during her run, including a Special Fan Award for "America's Favorite Villain" at the 2002
Daytime Emmy Award The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York-based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NA ...
ceremony; she has won multiple ''
Soap Opera Digest Awards ''The Soap Opera Digest Awards'', originally known as ''The Soapy Awards'' when introduced in 1977, was an awards show held by the daytime television magazine ''Soap Opera Digest''. History 1977–1983 The Soapy Awards were an award presented ...
'': "Best Youth Actress in a Soap Opera" (1994), "Best Performance in a Daytime Drama — Young Actress" (1997), and three wins for "Outstanding Villainess" (1996, 1998 and 1999). In 2015, Sweeney earned a nomination for the
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series The Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series is an award presented annually by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) and Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). It is given to honor an actres ...
(in the 42nd Daytime Emmy Awards) for her portrayal of Sami. In 2020, Charlie Mason from ''Soaps She Knows'' placed Sami fourth place on the list of the 35 most memorable characters from ''Days of Our Lives'', commenting "So infamous a scheme queen is Alison Sweeney's impetuous troublemaker — and, just ask half-sister Carrie, deservedly so — it's hard to fathom that a plot was ever hatched in Salem without her".


See also

* Lucas and Sami * EJ and Sami *
Supercouple A supercouple or super couple (also known as a power couple) is a popular and/or wealthy pairing that intrigues and fascinates the public in an intense or obsessive fashion. The term originated in the United States, and it was coined in the earl ...
*
List of soap opera villains A list is a set of discrete items of information collected and set forth in some format for utility, entertainment, or other purposes. A list may be memorialized in any number of ways, including existing only in the mind of the list-maker, but ...


Notes and references


External links


Sami Brady profile at SheKnows SoapsSami Brady profile at soapcentral.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brady, Sami Days of Our Lives characters Fictional rapists Twin characters in soap operas Female villains Television characters introduced in 1984 American female characters in soap operas Fictional criminals in soap operas Fictional victims of sexual assault Fictional teenage parents Fictional characters with bulimia nervosa Fictional crime victims Brady family (Days of Our Lives) Fictional people sentenced to death