The drama on Days of Our Lives got deeply personal when Gwen discovered that her husband, Dimitri, was cheating on her with her bestie, Leo. Their once-close bond was destroyed in an instant, and Gwen left town angry and bitter. Now that she’s returned to Salem, the tension between them is thicker than Dr. Rolf’s accent. However, long-time fans hold out hope that the two could eventually reconcile, and the actors opened up about it.
A Friendship Worth Fighting For
Greg Rikaart (Leo) had a conversation with Soap Opera Digest about Leo’s uncomfortable reunion with Gwen (Emily O’Brien). He admitted that he wasn’t surprised that O’Brien would reprise Gwen, noting that he’d heard rumors long before it was official. He stated that it always seemed to be inevitable and relished the thought of working with his favorite scene partner again. He recalled the first scene where Leo only needed to hear her voice, remarking, “Without even turning around to see that it’s her, obviously Leo knows it’s her.”
While Gwen’s anger over Leo’s betrayal is still raw, Rikaart emphasized that his character has been trying to bridge the gap. He described shooting scenes where Leo left her heartfelt voicemails, proof of how badly he longed to repair their friendship. Though Gwen remains guarded, he sees hope in the long game. “I think he definitely feels regret and would love nothing more than for their friendship to reignite,” Rikaart said, while noting it won’t be an easy road back.
Laughter Behind the Drama
For O’Brien, returning to DOOL and reuniting with her long-time co-star has been pure joy. She was also on hand to talk to the outlet, and praised Rikaart for keeping her return light, referring to him as “just a bag of giggles all the time!” Because their off-screen friendship often results in laughter, sometimes in the middle of an intense scene, O’Brien remarked that it helps them shift seamlessly between drama and humor.
Although Gwen is extremely angry with Leo, O’Brien stated that she also feels a reconciliation in the near future is inevitable. To her, Leo and Gwen are two halves of a whole and they’ll ultimately make up. “They truly need each other and they love each other,” she reflected, while acknowledging that forgiveness will take time and come with plenty of complications.
She used their squish name of ‘Gweo,’ noting that their platonic love is far deeper than any rift that could come between them.
