Nicole Walker

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For the American writer, see Nicole Walker (writer). For the English actress, see Nicola Walker.

Nicole Walker
Days of our Lives character
Portrayed byArianne Zucker
Duration
  • 1998–2006
  • 2008–present
First appearanceFebruary 27, 1998 (1998-02-27)
ClassificationPresent; regular (departing)
Created bySally Sussman Morina
Introduced by
Spin-off
appearances		Days of Our Lives: A Very Salem Christmas (2021)
In-universe information
Other names
  • Nicole Mendez
  • Nicole Stella Walker
  • Nicole Roberts
  • Nicole Kiriakis
  • Nicole DiMera
  • Nicole Brady
  • Nicole Hernandez
  • Misty Circle
  • Mary Smith
  • Mary
  • Bridget Smith
Occupation
  • Businesswoman
  • Journalist
  • Secretary
  • Campaign manager
  • Editor-in-chief
  • Model
  • Waitress
  • Pornographic actress
FatherPaul Mendez
Mother
Brandon Walker
Husband
SonsDaniel DiMera
Jude Roman Brady
Daughters
Sydney DiMera
(2009, 2011-12, 2023-)

Nicole Walker is a fictional character on the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives, a long-running series about working-class life in the fictional town of Salem. She was introduced in 1998 by head writer Sally Sussman Morina, and executive producer Ken Corday. Actress Arianne Zucker has portrayed the character since her introduction to the series in 1998.[1] In 2006, Zucker left the soap in pursuit of other acting possibilities. She returned to the role in 2008. In 2016, Zucker also appeared as Helena Tasso, a deceased woman who bears a resemblance to Nicole, in flashbacks. In March 2017, Zucker announced she would once again leave the role.[2] She made her final appearance in the role on October 20, 2017. Following her departure, media outlets began to report that Zucker was to reprise the role for a short-term visit in December 2017 after being spotted on-set;[3] Zucker explained her visit, stating that her daughter was included in the annual telling of the Christmas Story at the University Hospital.

In June 2018, it was announced that Zucker would reprise the role of Nicole later the same year.[4] She appeared for a few weeks in October 2018. Zucker later returned in April 2019, but as Kristen DiMera, who was posing as Nicole. Zucker then returned to the role of Nicole in September 2019. In a February 2024 wrongful termination lawsuit filing, accusing producers/production of retaliating against her for a sexual harassment complaint she made against co-executive producer/director Albert Alarr (who was fired in August 2023 following an internal investigation), it was announced Zucker's deal with the soap was not renewed.[5][6][7]

Many of Nicole's storylines have focused on treachery, death, and love, with the character being portrayed as always in pursuit of finding true love and having the family she never had as a child growing up. The character is the daughter of

Fay Walker and Paul Mendez. During her childhood, Nicole was a victim of child sexual abuse at the hands of her father, Paul, who forced her to do pornography in her adolescence under the name "Misty Circle". The character came to Salem as a small-town waitress, but almost immediately started getting involved with the major families that the show revolved around. While once being seen as a scheming gold-digger, Nicole has grown into a woman committed to finding love and being a good mother. She is known for her longstanding feud with her enemy, Sami Brady, her relationships with Eric Brady, Victor Kiriakis, Brady Black and EJ DiMera, and the 2009 Baby Switch story line which featured Nicole having a miscarriage; lying to her husband; and stealing Sami's baby, Sydney.[8][9]

Zucker's performance in the role has been met with favorable reception from audiences and critics, having garnered her two nominations for the

Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2010 and 2013. In 2014 and 2020, she received her third and fourth Daytime Emmy nominations in the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series
category.

Storylines

1998–2006

Overworked and underpaid waitress Nicole comes to Salem with dreams of becoming a model and meets

Austin Reed (Austin Peck). In 2006, she agrees to move to Los Angeles to manage the newly acquired branch of the company. Before leaving town, Nicole has a one-night stand with Sami's father, Roman Brady (Josh Taylor).[10]

After her departure, it is mentioned that Nicole had plans to marry "some soap actor." This was presumably a nod to Zucker's marriage to her former Days of Our Lives costar Kyle Lowder, who played Brady.[1]

2008–present

Nicole resurfaces in 2008 and announces that she and Victor are still legally married. Nicole hires

Sydney only for her lies to be exposed when the child's father, Chad Peterson-Woods (Casey Deidrick) tries to sue for custody. Nicole is sent to prison for her crimes and later released with the help of Anna DiMera (Leann Hunley
).

Seeing that Nicole is still attached to Sydney, EJ arranges for her to be a part of Sydney's life and live in the mansion leading him to propose to her for Nicole to be a "mother figure" to EJ's children. Nicole accepts leading her to start falling in love with him again. On their wedding day, EJ meets Nicole's sister Taylor (

Daniel Jonas (Shawn Christian
). During their talk Nicole faints and Daniel takes her to the hospital only to find out that Nicole is pregnant.

Nicole worries about her pregnancy ending in a miscarriage again and, wanting to get away from EJ, she hides her pregnancy from him with the help of Daniel and Rafe Hernandez (Galen Gering). EJ finds out that Nicole is pregnant and Rafe steps in, claiming the child is his, leading him and Nicole to fabricate this story to keep the baby from EJ. In May 2012, Nicole stresses over EJ and starts having pains in her stomach but gets to the hospital in time and everything turns out to be fine. Nicole begins a romantic relationship with Daniel but due to his daughter's priorities at the time, he broke it off. In August 2012, an earthquake hits Salem and Nicole goes into preterm labor, but luckily Daniel manages to stop the contractions and keep the pregnancy healthy. She then starts a rivalry with Jennifer Horton (Melissa Reeves), fearing that Daniel will get back together with Jenn. In October 2012 and at 37 weeks pregnant, Nicole goes to her prenatal visit but her doctor informs her that her baby is dead. A distraught Nicole grieves her second loss but does not tell Daniel fearing that he will get back together with Jenn seeing there is no baby. That same day Nicole gets into a fight with Jennifer on the stairs of the Town Square and Nicole falls down going into labor. Nicole gives birth to her stillborn son and seeing the opportunity she blames Jennifer in pushing her. A month later the truth comes out and seeing she is left with nothing, she tries to commit suicide but Rafe and Daniel step in just in time to stop her.

Nicole's first love, Eric Brady (

Daniel Jonas. This makes Maggie Horton
the baby's paternal grandmother.

Nicole gets engaged to

Deimos Kiriakis but she later breaks up with him. In 2017, Nicole begins seeing Eric again, who has recently been released from prison. A jealous and heartbroken Brady blackmails Nicole, and forces her to break up with Eric and leave town. In 2018, Eric finds out the truth about why Nicole left, and that October, it is revealed that Nicole has been living in Nashville, Tennessee at Sarah Horton (Linsey Godfrey
)'s old apartment with Holly. When Eric arrives to confess his love for her, she reveals she is married to Xander, who is blackmailing her with a recording that reveals her as Deimos' killer. When Nicole escapes Xander's hold, she travels to a warehouse to meet with Eric; there, she becomes trapped, and ostensibly dies after an explosion. The following year, "Nicole" suddenly reappears alive, but is revealed to be Kristen in a mask and wig, using Nicole's identity to try and seduce Brady into taking her back. Kristen's plan ultimately backfired after she was exposed at John and Marlena's anniversary party. That September, the real Nicole is revealed to be alive and living in Chicago. It is revealed that she willingly let Kristen steal her identity to protect Holly. Eric brings them back to Salem and resumes a relationship with Nicole. The pair briefly split up when it is revealed that Nicole kept the secret of Eric being the father of Sarah's baby, Mackenzie Horton. However, it is revealed that the child was switched at birth by Xander with Rachel Black, the baby of Kristen and Brady. After 23 years since meeting, Nicole and Eric get married in July 2020 (set in 2021).

Reception

In 2020, Charlie Mason from Soaps She Knows put Nicole on their list of the 35 most memorable characters from Days of Our Lives, commenting "Can you point to another character on this list who, like Arianne Zucker’s, has been everything from a porn star to a church secretary? No? Then sit the frack down. Nicole deserves her damn spot at No. 14."[11]

References

  1. ^ a b "Arianne Zucker – Nicole – Actor Page – DAYS OF OUR LIVES". Soapoperadigest.com. Retrieved April 15, 2010.
  2. American Media, Inc. March 1, 2017. Archived from the original
    on March 1, 2017. Retrieved March 1, 2017.
  3. SheKnows Media
    . Retrieved October 23, 2017.
  4. American Media, Inc.
    Odyssey Magazine Publishing Group Inc. Retrieved June 7, 2018.
  5. ^ Rice, Lynette (February 7, 2024). "Days of Our Lives Vet Arianne Zucker Alleges Sexual Harassment In Lawsuit Against Corday Prods., Albert Alarr; Show Claims Accusations Are 'Without Merit'". Deadline Hollywood. United States: Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on February 8, 2024. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  6. OCLC 794712888. Archived
    from the original on February 8, 2024. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  7. ISSN 0164-3584. Archived
    from the original on February 8, 2024. Retrieved February 8, 2024.
  8. ^ "Yearly Summaries". Sony.com. Archived from the original on September 16, 2011. Retrieved April 15, 2010.
  9. We Love Soaps
    . February 26, 2010. Retrieved April 15, 2010.
  10. ^ a b c d e "Nicole Walker Bio". NBC.com. Retrieved April 15, 2010.
  11. ^ Mason, Charlie. "Days of Our Lives' 35 Most Memorable Characters Ever [PHOTOS]". Soaps She Knows. Retrieved July 11, 2023.

Notes

  1. Trent Robbins
  2. ^ After their divorce on August 5, 2008, Victor and Nicole's marriage was deemed invalid when it was revealed that she was still legally married to Trent Robbins

External links

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