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Legacy is everything in daytime, with soap operas passing from generation to generation both onscreen and off. And that’s why we couldn’t be more excited to learn that Days of Our Lives has cast not a legacy character (at least, that we know of just yet), but a legacy actor. Because, as TV Insider reports, Hank Northrop, son of the late Wayne Northrop (Roman, Alex) and General Hospital’s Lynn Herring (Lucy) has joined the show!
More: Is a long lost DiMera heading back to Salem?
And though it may be some time before we see him, the actor’s already starting filming — which should make his debut sometime around the show’s big 60th anniversary celebration!
Northrop spoke to TV Insider about the process of joining, saying that he auditioned and got a callback, but it was around when his father passed away, so his focus was, understandably, on his family. Northrop didn’t hear anything for a little while, which was fine, but then something “magical” happened. Days of Our Lives called him on his birthday to tell him he booked the job.
“It was so cosmic,” Northrop shared. “It was almost like my dad had given me a birthday present, the first birthday after his passing, to help me through the trauma of dealing with his passing.”
It was an incredibly special connection to the father he’d just lost, especially as Northrop grew up visiting the Days of Our Lives set with his father. And he knew how much the show meant to the elder Northrop. But that also lent itself to a whole lot of emotions as he started filming.
“I didn’t know what to expect,” he admitted. “I just wanted to do my best and be as nice to everyone as I could. So I showed up on my first day, and everybody was so friendly. It was just such an amazing, warm, welcoming experience, and it just made everything so much easier for me.”
Hank has done a lot of growing up over the years!
Credit: Tammie Arroyo/JPI
Though the actor hasn’t opened up about what his role will be — or how long he’ll be sticking around — he did share that he’s working closely with James Reynolds (Abe).
“He was so kind to me,” Northrop marveled. “We honestly couldn’t stop hugging each other. We were kind of holding up production a little bit because we were just wanting to connect, and he was just like, ‘Oh, my gosh, you’re Wayne’s son. This is the best thing. I’m so excited. I loved your dad so much.’”
Now that Abe and Kate have washed their hands of Body and Soul, the sky’s the limit on where the former mayor’s storyline will go next. So there really isn’t a whole lot to go off of as far as where Abe’s story will be by the fall when Northrop makes his debut.
While this is the actor’s first major daytime role, it isn’t his first foray into the soap opera world, as he appeared for a few episodes in 2017 as one of Il Giardino’s bartenders (and a waiter) on The Bold and the Beautiful. He’s also made a number of primetime appearances since he started acting on shows like S.W.A.T., 9-1-1: Lone Star and opposite Reese Witherspoon on Apple TV’s The Morning Show.
We can’t wait to see what brings Hank Northrop to Salem and are thrilled to welcome him back to the Days of Our Lives family.
