Louise Sorel: Comings & Goings: Days of our Lives star Louise Sorel reveals the real reason she stayed away from Salem

Days of our Lives star Louise Sorel is back, stirring up trouble as Vivian Alamain, a role she created in 1992. The actress had already established herself with daytime fans courtesy of her run as August Lockridge on Santa Barbara. As Vivian, Sorel went to new heights, most famously, burying her rival, Carly, alive!

Days of our Lives, Louise Sorel

Robin Strasser played Vivian in 2019 on Days of our Lives | Image: JPI

Sorel recently chatted with TV Insider about her return to the show. She addressed the two instances over the last several years in which she did not reprise the part. In 2019, Robin Strasser (ex-Dorian, One Life to Live; ex-Rachel, Another World) stepped into the part of Vivian; in 2021, Linda Dano (ex-Gretel Rae Cummings, OLTL; ex-Felicia, AW) stepped in to play Vivian.

"That was because of COVID," recalled Sorel, (which would explain Dano's turn as Viv in 2021; however, Strasser's visit to Salem in 2019 was the year before the pandemic commenced).

"I just did not feel comfortable traveling," says Sorel, who has lived in New York. "I mean, I think anyone would say this, but I feel ownership of the role, and it’s hard for me to think of it not being mine, but, you know, things happen."

A fourth actress played the part of Vivian. In 1993, Marj Dusay (ex-Myrna, Capitol; ex-Alexandera, Guiding Light; ex-Vanessa, All My Children) briefly stepped in to play the part.

Vivian and Ivan, Happy DAYS

Ivan (Ivan G'Vera) and Vivian (Linda Dano) on Days of our Lives | Image: JPI

Sorel has fond memories of working with Ivan G'Vera, who played Ivan, Vivian's loyal associate. "It was full of life and a certain energy and madness about it that I love," Sorel said. "I think Vivian and Ivan were a wonderful add-on to the show. I felt that was a big loss [when they were written out] because there was something about that ridiculous relationship that had an edge and a humor about it that I think is vital."

Sorel recollected the madcap stories devised by late DAYS head writer James E. Reilly, who brought Carly (Crystal Chappell) being buried alive, Marlena's (Deidre Hall) possession, and Kristen's (Eileen Davidson) reign of terror to Salem in the 1990s.

When Reilly returned to the show again, he created the Salem Serial Killer story in which "Marlena" killed off several characters, who were all revealed to be alive on an island.