‘Days Of Our Lives’ Casts Sami’s Daughter; Plus, ‘Heated Rivalry’ Actor Joins Peacock Sudser

EXCLUSIVE: Deadline has learned that Days of Our Lives has big plans for newly-cast actress Sydney Malakeh. She’ll be playing the only daughter of Sami (Alison Sweeney) and EJ (Dan Feuerriegel).

Her character, who is named Sydney DiMera, was last seen as a pre-teen on Peacock’s 2021 movie Days of our Lives: A Very Salem Christmas. Malakeh will show up in Salem starting Sept. 9.

Malakeh is part of a new wave of casting for the Peacock sudser. In addition to the recent hiring of Brandon Butler (13 Reasons Why) as Mason Whitfield, DOOL has recruited Franco LoPresti from Heated Rivalry to portray Dante.

Dante is arriving in Salem on Sept. 14 and has links to Sami, as well. LoPresti played Cliff Marleau on the Canadian sports romance series that was picked up by HBO Max. His other credits include Tracker and Chucky.

Malakeh’s credits include Grey’s Anatomy, Shrinking, Loot and The Sex Lives of College Girls.

Days of our Lives follows the lives, loves, and conflicts of the Horton, Brady, DiMera, Kiriakis, and Hernandez families and their many friends and colleagues. As one of the longest-running scripted television programs in the world, it airs in several foreign territories including Canada, Sweden, New Zealand, Israel, and Australia.

Peacock is the exclusive home of Days of our Lives. Audiences can access the past season and new episodes every weekday. Days of our Lives is produced by Corday Productions Inc. in association with Sony Pictures Television.