‘A Day of Days’ Interview: Suzanne Rogers and John Aniston

Days of our Lives stars Suzanne Rogers (Maggie) and John Aniston (Victor) sat down for an interview with TVSource Magazine during the “Day of Days” fan event at Universal Studios this past Saturday. The actors discuss the big showdown between Maggie and Victor over his involvement with exposing Kristen and dissect their couple name, ‘Magic’. It’s a big week for Victor and Maggie Kiriakis, the surprise couple that took the show by storm when paired together unexpectedly a few years ago. Though the fan favorites are hitting a rough patch, Rogers doesn’t want fans to worry too much. “I don’t think it’ll be long term trouble [for them] when Maggie confronts Victor.” Maggie will be furious with Victor for using Marlena as a pawn in his quest to expose Kristen, and hurting Eric and Brady, his own grandson, in the process. As a result, she walks out on him! The actress says the pairing of Maggie and Victor was unexpected. “It kind of just took off. That is the best kind of story,” she tells us with proudly. As for the origins of their couple name, Suzanne Rogers shared an on-set discussion with Aniston regarding the portmanteau aka ‘shipper name’ for their characters. “John tells me ‘Magic? I don’t get it. Oh…I guess you’re the ”Mag” and I’m the ”Ic”?,” remembered the actress, chuckling. In recent years, the writers have utilized the actors in a capacity that has them working regularly with younger actors on the show. One of those actresses was Molly Burnett (ex-Melanie). “I just thought she was great,” says Rogers, remembering her fondly. “It was lovely that the audience thought we looked alike.” In the past, Burnett attributed the turnaround of her character to working with Rogers. That popularity eventually led to Daniel (Shawn Christian), Melanie’s long-lost father, turning out to be Maggie’s unknown, even to her, secret son! The actresses admits it took a lot of creative work to make them relatives. “That was kind of a concerted effort to see how I could, in anyway, be related to her. That is how that storyline, whether people liked it or not, came about.” John Aniston revealed that most of Victor’s quick witted, albeit sharp, barbs on-screen are actually written for him, putting a rest to rumors that he improvises his own dialogue. He amusingly recalled being told by an older fan at an event that she loves it when Victor swears. One of our readers wanted to know if Rogers still feels the presence of the late Francis Reid (Alice) when she films on the Horton House set. “Always. I see Francis there, in the chair. There are so many things that bring back lovely memories.” Aniston pointed out that Victor never got to spend a Christmas at the Hortons until recent years, when he was made an honorary Horton.