Adrienne Johnson Kiriakis is a fictional character on

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...

's daytime drama ''

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 streams on the streaming service Peacock. The soap, which aired on the American television net ...

''. She had been portrayed by actress Denise Wanner for one month (November to December 1986) before

Judi Evans Judi Evans (also credited as Judi Evans Luciano, born July 12, 1964) is an American actress. Her career began in 1983 when she was cast as Beth Raines on ''Guiding Light''. After her exit in 1986, she joined the cast of ''Days of Our Lives'' a ...

took over the role from December 1986 to February 1991, from May 2007 to January 2008, and again from March 2010 to January 2020.

Casting and characterization

The role was initially played by Denise Wanner, as a mysterious character whose face wasn't shown until

debuted in the role on December 26 of that year after a widely popular run on the

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainmen ...

soap opera ''

Guiding Light ''Guiding Light'' (known as ''The Guiding Light'' before 1975) is an American radio and television soap opera. It is listed in ''Guinness World Records'' as the third longest-running drama in television in American history. ''Guiding Light'' a ...

'', where she played

Beth Raines Beth Raines is a fictional character from the long-running American soap opera, ''Guiding Light''. Beth is the stepdaughter of the late Bradley Raines and daughter of Lillian Raines. She is the mother of Lizzie, James, and Peyton Spaulding and ...

from 1983 to 1986. Her run on the

soap opera centered on her battles with childhood abuse and her relationship with

Justin Kiriakis Justin Kiriakis is a fictional character on the NBC daytime soap opera ''Days of Our Lives''. Created by head writer Leah Laiman, he is portrayed by actor Wally Kurth from February 3, 1987, to February 5, 1991. From 2007 to 2008, Justin was m ...

, played by

Wally Kurth Wallace Kurth (born July 31, 1958) is an American actor. He began his career in 1987 when he was cast in the role of Justin Kiriakis on ''Days of Our Lives''; he departed the role in 1991. That same year, he joined the cast of ''General Hospital' ...

. After she left the show in 1991, she joined '' Another World'' that year as Paulina Cory Carlino until the show ended in 1999. After a short break from daytime, she returned to ''DAYS'' in 2003 as an entirely different character,

Bonnie Lockhart ''Days of Our Lives'' is an American soap opera broadcast on the NBC network. Created by Ted Corday, 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 ...

and remained in the role until 2007 when she was immediately brought back as Adrienne from 2007 to 2008 and then since 2010. In between her second and third runs on ''DAYS'', Evans joined the cast of the

soap opera ''

As the World Turns ''As the World Turns'' (often abbreviated as ''ATWT'') is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS for 54 years from April 2, 1956, to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created ''As the World Turns'' as a sister show to her other soa ...

'' as Maeve Stone in 2009. The role lasted for several months and followed her almost-relationship with

Holden Snyder Holden Snyder is a fictional character on the CBS daytime soap opera ''As the World Turns''. He was portrayed by Jon Hensley from 1985 to 1988, 1990 to 1995 and 1997 until the show's final episode on September 17, 2010. Hensley's character is part ...

, played by

Jon Hensley Jon Hensley (born August 26, 1965, in Browns Mills, New Jersey) is an American actor, singer and songwriter, best recognized for his portrayal of Holden Snyder on the CBS daytime soap opera ''As the World Turns'', a role he held from 1985 unt ...

. Evans' casting on ''ATWT'' coincided with Kurth's return to ''DAYS'', ending plans for a Justin and Adrienne reunion but she eventually returned a year later. At the time of her 2010 return, Evans spoke to the

Sony Pictures Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Sony Pictures or SPE, and formerly known as Columbia Pictures Entertainment, Inc.) is an American diversified multinational mass media and entertainment studio Conglomerate (company), conglom ...

''Days of our Lives'' website about her character's onscreen reunion with Justin and their struggling marriage.

"...The way they wrote the characters...they really matured them, they really caught the gist of what their relationship had been as opposed to what it is now. Wally and I kept marveling at how wonderful the writing is. And true to form, true to life, true to the characters." —Judi Evans, ''Sony Pictures/Days of our Lives''

In February 2015, nearly five years since her return Evans has been upgraded to contract status alongside

and

Mary Beth Evans Mary Beth Evans (born March 7, 1961) is an American television actress, known for her role as Kayla Brady on the NBC daytime soap ''Days of Our Lives'', and her role as Sierra Estaban on the CBS daytime soap ''As the World Turns''. Career Evans ...

. In December 2015, Evans and Kurth were downgraded back to recurring status. Evans exited the role on January 24, 2020.

Storylines

1986–1991

Adrienne Johnson, an abused teenager runs away to Salem, where she becomes friends, and moves in with

Kayla Brady Kayla Brady Johnson is a fictional character from ''Days of Our Lives'', a soap opera on the NBC network. She made her first appearance in 1982. Kayla was created by Pat Falken Smith as one of the original members of the Brady family. She is know ...

. At that time Kayla is falling in love with Adrienne's oldest brother Steven Earl "Patch" Johnson. Their abusive father Duke comes to Salem in search of his daughter. He beats and rapes Adrienne when he finds her alone. After the attack she finds a gun, and shoots him. Steve takes the blame and goes on trial for his murder. Adrienne confesses to the crime but after explaining everything does not go to jail. After the murder trial she meets

. In 1987 they marry in Greece. Adrienne doesn't like Justin's ties to his uncle Victor Kiriakis' business and makes him choose between her and his work. He ultimately chose her, and they move out. It is however short lived when

Victor Kiriakis Victor Kiriakis is a fictional character on NBC's ''Days of Our Lives''. The role was portrayed by John Aniston from 1985 until his death in 2022, with a storyline driven absence in 2004 when his character was "killed off" but found alive on the ...

is shot, Justin returns, without Adrienne. Justin & Adrienne are having trouble conceiving, so when their housekeeper JJ Bagwood gets pregnant she offers them her twins. After a custody battle with the father, Stanley, they receive custody. Later Adrienne becomes pregnant with a baby of her own,

Jackson Jackson may refer to: People and fictional characters * Jackson (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the surname or given name Places Australia * Jackson, Queensland, a town in the Maranoa Region * Jackson North, Q ...

. Before leaving town Justin, Adrienne, and Victor all reconcile. The family is offscreen throughout the nineties. They do not appear for Adrienne's younger brother

Jack Deveraux Jack Deveraux is a fictional character from ''Days of Our Lives'', an American soap opera on the NBC network, most famously played by actor Matthew Ashford since 1987. He is a member of the Johnson family and first appeared onscreen in 1987. Ash ...

's funeral in 2003 (years later, Jack is discovered alive), however Adrienne makes a call to his wife Jennifer Horton Devereaux offering her condolences.

2007–2020

Adrienne finally returned home in 2007 at her sister-in-law Kayla's request to help Adrienne's amnesiac brother Steve. After accomplishing her goal, she, Justin, and the kids left Salem again for Dubai. In March 2010, Adrienne came back to Salem and she was engulfed in a struggling marriage with Justin, who has feelings for

Hope Williams Brady Hope Williams Brady is a fictional character from ''Days of Our Lives'', an American soap opera on the NBC network. Created by writer William J. Bell, she was portrayed by Kristian Alfonso on and off from April 1983 to October 2020. Hope is a memb ...

. Hope did not return the feelings and pressured the couple to reunite. Adrienne and Justin divorced but the couple found their way back to one another and remarried. The couple soon welcomed their son

Sonny Kiriakis } Sonny Kiriakis is a fictional character from ''Days of Our Lives'', an American soap opera on the NBC network. The role was originally portrayed by Freddie Smith. Sonny is the only biological child of Justin Kiriakis ( Wally Kurth) and Adrienne ...

back to town and it is revealed that he is gay. They support him as he comes out to his uncle Victor and as he makes a home for himself with his new life. After remarrying Justin, Adrienne is killed when she is involved in a car accident caused by supervillain Orpheus.

Notes

References

External links

Adrienne at soapcentral.com
{{Days of Our Lives characters Johnson, Adrienne Johnson, Adrienne Johnson, Adrienne Johnson, Adrienne