Which role did Jensen Ackles play on Days of Our Lives? Character explored

The NBC daily soap, Days of Our Lives, has featured many award-winning actors playing interesting and complex characters. One such character is Eric Brady, currently played by Greg Vaughan. Eric has been played by various actors over the years, representing stages of development for the character. Initially, played by child actors, Eric's early adult life was portrayed by Jensen Ackles in the soap opera.

Days of Our Lives, as viewers know, is a long-running soap opera created for NBC, which currently airs on Peacock. It became one of the first few daily soaps to switch from television to a streaming platform as it moved from NBC to Peacock in 2022. The setting for the storyline is the fictional city of Salem in Illinois and revolves around the few families of Brady, Horton, Kiriakis and DiMera. Jensen's Eric Brady is part of the Brady family.

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Days of Our Lives: Jensen Ackles played a teenage Eric Brady

Jensen was part of the show for three years (Image via Instagram/@jensenackles)

Jensen Ackles first appeared on Days of Our Lives on July 28, 1997, as a young adult Eric Brady. His Eric was last seen on the show on August 23, 2000. During this period, Jensen's character was seen working as a photographer for Countess Wilhelmina Cosmetics.

The brief period of three years of Jensen as Eric saw the exposure of complexities in the morally straight character. Starting with Eric's displeasure with his mother's relationship with John Black to his taking a stand against Sami's plan of marrying Austin. Eric showed his moral stand at this time when he opposed his twin, Sami's strategy to trick Austin into marrying her.

The show provided an initial platform for Jensen's career (Image via YouTube@Days of Our Lives)

However, his most long-running relationship had been with Nicole. He started dating Nicole Walker when he was a photographer, even though he was uncomfortable about her past. However, Nicole started taking interest in Lucas Horton, pushing Eric towards Greta Von Amberg in a rebound.

As such, Jensen's Eric continued to love Nicole which enraged Greta and she eventually dumped him. In such a state of affairs, Eric professed his undying love for Nicole and left Salem in the year 2000.

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Jensen Ackles on his experiences in Days of Our Lives

Jensen worked in Supernatural and The Boys (Image via Instagram/@jensenackles)

Jensen Ackles moved on to many other projects over the years and is popularly known for his roles in Supernatural and The Boys. Moreover, he has also been a voice actor in many animated productions.

Jensen was nominated for Emmy Awards for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series in a row for three years, 1998, 1999 and 2000, for his role in Days of Our Lives. While he didn't win them, he appreciated the recognition the role gave him.

At the 70th World Science Fiction Convention, Ackles spoke about how senior actors from Days of Our Lives taught him to reinvent the character for long-term daily soaps. He claimed that this helped him portray his character in Supernatural.

He also expressed delight over the fan reactions he got from his role as Eric Brady. While speaking to Teen People in 1999, Ackles revealed that he received small gifts from fans which he found both supportive and fun.

Not all was fun and a cakewalk for the Smallville actor on the soap. While his first day on the set was tempered by a prank from Drake Hogestyn, who played John Black, Ackles took it in good spirits, as he told the talk show Leeza in 1998.

In the Donny & Marie talk show presented in 1998, he spoke about an unpleasant incident during one shoot in Days of Our Lives. He needed to kick a three-panelled wooden door open and he was advised to kick hard. Unfortunately, his kick went through the door, breaking it, without opening it. The disgruntled crew had to spend an extra half hour to repair the door.

Jensen Ackles is appearing in the CBS series Tracker. Meanwhile, continue watching Days of Our Lives, available to stream on Peacock on weekdays.