As soon as news broke that former General Hospital star Tyler Christopher (ex-Nikolas Cassadine) had joined Days of our Lives, rumors began swirling that perhaps the actor had taken on the role of über popular character E.J. DiMera. But the soap's new head writer, Ron Carlivati, reveals Christopher isn't a replacement for the role former portrayer James Scott made famous.
In an interview with Soap Opera Digest, Carlivati teases that Christopher's entrance is somehow related to Louise Sorel's return as Vivian Alamain and that the explosive moment will take place as the show rings in 2018. But don't start congratulating yourself on guessing Christopher might be playing Vivian's nephew Nicholas, because Carlivati reveals he has penned a brand new character for the actor's DAYS debut.
"The fans that know [Christopher] as Nikolas [on GH] know somewhat what to expect, and he's a talented actor. He brings a certain gravitas with him, and he was the perfect fit for what I wanted to do with this story," Carlivati reveals. "I always think of New Year's Eve as a great time to have something big happen at midnight, so that is kind of a key to the return of Vivian and the entrance of Tyler, and I am wanting it to remain somewhat of a mystery for now of who he will be. But he is the first new character I have created here."
Though Carlivati wouldn't reveal anything more about the new character Christopher will be bringing to life, the actor himself gave a tease of his own that includes a juicy little morsel about comedy.
"I promise I'll do [the character] justice -- and hopefully give [viewers] a little laughter, too," Christopher says. "I'm trying to give this guy a pretty good sense of humor. The story is so good, and I'm not just saying that. It's funny, it's interesting, it's all of the drama you would expect from daytime but I just feel like it's jazzed up a little bit. It's just got so many nuances that I didn't expect, and it's really fun to play."
For more from Christopher on his decision to join DAYS, check out the original story about his GH exit and move to NBC here.
What do you think about the reveal that Christopher has taken on a brand-new DAYS character? Are you bummed he won't be playing E.J. or Nicholas? What do you hope to see from the new character Carlivati has created? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.
