Latest news with #DrakeHogestyn
Toronto Sun
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Toronto Sun
'Days of Our Lives' cast shot funeral for Drake Hogestyn's character as he was dying
Actor died in September 2024 from pancreatic cancer Get the latest from Mark Daniell straight to your inbox Drake Hogestyn is pictured presenting the award for outstanding daytime talk series host during the 50th Daytime Emmy Awards on Friday, Dec. 15, 2023, in Los Angeles. Photo by Chris Pizzello, File / AP Photo As Drake Hogestyn was in the end stages of his battle with pancreatic cancer, his Days of Our Lives cast mates and creative team wondered how they were going to end the story for his long-running character John Black on the daytime soap. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Rather than recast the part, e xecutive producer Ken Corday went to Hogestyn's family and got permission to conclude his nearly 40-year arc by killing off Black. His funeral scenes were shot while Hogestyn was still alive last fall, but they offered closure to his co-stars. 'Drake, as the consummate storyteller that he is, said, 'Absolutely. You gotta tell the story,'' Eric Martsolf, who played his son Brady, told Variety this week. 'Drake knew what he was facing. He understood that this is a story fans would want to be told. So Drake graciously said, 'Yes, let's do it.' But knowing that this man was on the planet, and we were literally taping his funeral and his death, that was hard. It was really hard.' Hogestyn died the weekend after producers filmed Black's funeral sequence. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'There was literally zero acting going on during those three days,' Martsolf said. 'Everyone was holding hands to the point where our hands were getting white.' 'For us, it felt like our responsibility and an honour to do it the very best that we knew how,' Martha Madison, who played John's daughter, Belle, added. 'The fact that we were losing Drake at the same time, it was very hard on us emotionally, as we're losing someone we really love. We didn't really have to perform. It wasn't like we were having to dig for anything. It was just all right there.' Madison said that saying goodbye to Hogestyn onscreen allowed his colleagues to mourn together. 'None of us were able to really see him or be with him towards the end. This was our opportunity to do it as a family, and do it together. And I thought it was so beautifully written — all of the flashbacks and really honouring his whole 40-year career on that show. It was all just very special,' she said. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. According to the New York Post , writers figured out an exit for the character by crafting a story in which Black was injured in a lab explosion as he tried to help Steve (Stephen Nichols) discover a drug to save Bo (Peter Reckell). He later died in hospital with his wife, Dr. Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall), close by his side. Hogestyn died on Sept. 28, 2024, the day before what would have been his 71st birthday. His family announced his death on the show's Instagram page , telling fans he had shown ' unbelievable fight' during his battle with pancreatic cancer. 'It's with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Drake Hogestyn,' it read. 'He was thrown the curveball of his life when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, but he faced the challenge with incredible strength and determination. After putting up an unbelievable fight, he passed peacefully surrounded by loved ones. He was the most amazing husband, father, papa and actor. He loved performing for the Days audience and sharing the stage with the greatest cast, crew, and production team in the business. We love him and we will miss him all the Days of our Lives.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Hogestyn joined Days in 1986 as John Black — who Variety described as a 'mysterious and heroic spy, mercenary, police officer, private investigator and secret agent' — quickly becoming a fan favourite. Alongside Hall, Hogestyn helped form one of daytime's most enduring romances. Deidre Hall as Dr. Marlena Evans Black and Drake Hogestyn as John Black. NBC Universal Photo In a 2023 interview with PEOPLE , Hall reflected on the popularity of their Black and Evans' relationship over the years with Days fans. 'We're the couple that teaches you that people stay together through thick and thin, and they stay loving, and they stay sensual and sexual, and that's worth fighting for,' she said at the time. '(Fans are) able to suspend the disbelief long enough to really sink into the story.' mdaniell@ Read More NHL Celebrity Editorial Cartoons Toronto & GTA News
Pink Villa
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Days of Our Lives Cast Recalls It Was ‘Emotionally Hard' to Shoot Drake Hogestyn's Final Scenes Before His Demise
The cast of Days of Our Lives recently opened up about the heartbreak of filming John Black's final scenes, knowing that actor Drake Hogestyn was nearing the end of his life. Hogestyn, who portrayed the beloved character for nearly 40 years, passed away from pancreatic cancer in September 2024—just as production was filming his character's funeral. In a recent interview, cast members described the surreal and painful experience of acting out their on-screen goodbyes while coping with Hogestyn's real-life decline. Eric Martsolf, who played Brady, John's son, recalled that Hogestyn gave the show his blessing to move forward with the storyline: 'Drake knew what he was facing… He graciously said, 'Yes, let's do it.'' What followed was an outpouring of genuine emotion on set. 'There was literally zero acting going on during those three days,' Martsolf shared. 'Everyone was holding hands to the point where our hands were getting white.' Martha Madison, who portrayed Belle, said the scenes felt like a shared moment of closure: 'We were losing Drake at the same time. We didn't really have to perform—it was all right there.' She also spoke of her admiration for Hogestyn and how the tribute reflected the impact he had on everyone around him. With the episodes now airing, Days of Our Lives fans are witnessing a powerful tribute not only to a legendary character but also to the man behind him. As the cast mourned Drake Hogestyn both on screen and off, their performances became a heartfelt send-off to a cherished colleague and friend—honoring his memory in the most meaningful way possible.
New York Post
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
‘Days of Our Lives' cast shot funeral for Drake Hogestyn's character while actor was dying of cancer
When life imitates art. While Drake Hogestyn was dying of pancreatic cancer last year, the 'Days of Our Lives' cast and crew filmed his character John Black's funeral as they prepared to also say goodbye to the actor himself. Hogestyn's family, according to Variety, agreed to executive producer Ken Corday's plan for the actor's on-screen send-off. Advertisement 8 Drake Hogestyn in 'Days of Our Lives.' Peacock 'Drake, as the consummate storyteller that he is, said, 'Absolutely. You gotta tell the story,'' Eric Martsoff, who played Hogestyn's son Brady, told the outlet in an interview published Monday. 'Drake knew what he was facing,' Martsoff, 53, continued. 'He understood that this is a story fans would want to be told. So Drake graciously said, 'Yes, let's do it.' But knowing that this man was on the planet, and we were literally taping his funeral and his death, that was hard. It was really hard.' Advertisement 8 Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall) next to a dying John Black. Peacock 8 Deidre Hall as Dr. Marlena Evans Black and Drake Hogestyn as John Black. Black's funeral scenes airing this week were shot over three days in September. The following weekend, Hogestyn passed away at age 70. 'There was literally zero acting going on during those three days,' Martsoff said. 'Everyone was holding hands to the point where our hands were getting white.' Advertisement 8 Drake Hogestyn in 'Days of Our Lives.' ©NBC/Courtesy Everett Collection On the June 2 episode of the soap opera, Black was injured in a lab explosion as he tried to help Steve (Stephen Nichols) discover a drug to save Bo (Peter Reckell). He later flatlined in a hospital with his wife, Dr. Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall), close by his side. Black's body was completely covered in gauze to sidestep the fact that the character was no longer being played by Hogestyn. 8 John Black's death scene in 'Days of Our Lives.' Peacock Advertisement Martha Madison, who played Black's daughter, Bella, told Variety the 'Days' team felt a 'responsibility' to honor the character the right way. 'The fact that we were losing Drake at the same time, it was very hard on us emotionally, as we're losing someone we really love,' the 47-year-old actress explained. 'We didn't really have to perform. It wasn't like we were having to dig for anything. It was just all right there.' Madison also noted that shooting Black's funeral scenes was the cast's way of saying goodbye to Hogestyn. 8 The cast of 'Days of Our Lives.' 8 Mary Beth Evans and Drake Hogestyn at the 50th Daytime Emmy Awards in 2023. Getty Images 'None of us were able to really see him or be with him towards the end. This was our opportunity to do it as a family, and do it together,' she shared. 'And I thought it was so beautifully written — all of the flashbacks and really honoring his whole 40-year career on that show,' Madison added. 'It was all just very special.' 8 Drake Hogestyn, Deidre Hall in 'Days of Our Lives.' ©NBC/Courtesy Everett Collection Advertisement The show's official Instagram page announced Hogestyn's heartbreaking passing on September 28, just one day before his 71st birthday. 'It's with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Drake Hogestyn,' the statement read. 'He was thrown the curveball of his life when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, but he faced the challenge with incredible strength and determination.' Hogestyn joined 'Days of Our Lives' in 1986. He appeared on the hit soap opera for 38 years and filmed over 4,200 episodes.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Days of our Lives Spoilers Preview: Anna Returns…Plus, Sophia And Tate's Baby Update
Days of our Lives spoilers photos for the June 6, 2025 episode tease another beloved Salemite returning to remember John. As everyone grieves John (the late Drake Hogestyn), Salem will see another return: Anna DiMera (Leann Hunley). She'll reunite with her daughter Carrie (Christie Clark), then offer Marlena (Deidre Hall) her condolences. READ THIS: Here's what's coming up on GH. Over at the hospital, Sophia (Rachel Boyd) and Amy (Shi Ne Nielson) will have a run-in with Kate (Lauren Koslow), then it appears they may receive some baby news when Tate (Leo Howard) arrives. READ THIS: DAYS star Stephen Nichols (Steve) shares the magical moment that brought him to tears.
