User:Nk3play2/Kristen Blake

Kristen Blake is a fictional character from the original NBC soap opera, Days of our Lives. The role was originated by soap opera veteran, Eileen Davidson in 1993 and Davidson departed from the series after a 3 years stint. After a 16 year absence, Davidson returned to the role of Kristen in the fall of 2012. Kristen and her brother, Peter were legally adopted by super villain, Stefano DiMera at a very young age, following the deaths of their parents; however, their mother Rachel was later revealed to be alive.

Casting
The role of Kristen Blake was originated by soap actress Eileen Davidson, who was best known for her portrayal as Ashley Abbott on the CBS Daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless and as the final actress to portray the character of Kelly Capwell on the soap opera Santa Barbara on May 17, 1993. During Davidson's run on the soap, she also portrayed four other characters; Susan Banks (1996–98), Sister Mary Moira Banks (1997–98), Thomas Banks (1997) and Penelope Kent (1998). Davidson departed the role of Kristen on April 24, 1998. After Davidson's 2006 release from The Young and the Restless, rumors began to circulate that she would return to Days of our Lives. This speculation was later debunked when it was announced that her Y&R alter-ego would crossover to its sister series The Bold and the Beautiful.

In May 2012, Davidson informed followers on her Twitter page that she had been let go from The Young and the Restless. Davidson further confirmed she did not know why she was let go, but was seeing the positive light from it. It was then announced by Nelson Branco that Sony Pictures Entertainment wanted Davidson on both The Young and the Restless and Days of our Lives, but that Y&R would not share the actress, leading to Sony terminating her contract with the show, believing that DAYS needed the actress more than the prior series. Thus it was announced that Davidson would reprise her dual roles of Kristen Blake and Susan Banks on the NBC Daytime soap. The Hollywood Reporter later confirmed that Davidson had signed on to return to Days of our Lives in the role of Kristen, and possible some of her other Salem alter-egos down the line. In a statement she said:

"I'm thrilled to embark on this new adventure at Days and excited to revisit Kristen and who knows who else! Not to mention my old friends in the cast and crew."

Davidson will first air on October 11, 2012. In an interview with Megan Masters of TV Line, Davidson discussed what brings her and her Salem alter-ego back to town. She revealed:

She's said, I've said in so many scenes, which I've loved, she's years of intense therapy; a lot of therapy. And she wants to come back now and show the world how she's changed. And how she's grown. And there's also, ah, some business matters in Salem that she needs to attend to.

1993–96
Kristen first appears in Salem being attacked by a mugger and she is rescued by a mysterious stranger. Kristen is grateful until she realizes her savior is none other than John Black, Stefano's longtime rival. Alice Horton notices the attraction between the two and sets it up for the two to continue running into one another. They later end up at the Horton family cabin where they make love for the first time. John soon discovers that she is Stefano's daughter, but he is still very much in love with her. However, Kristen had promised her ailing father that she would marry Tony. When Roman and Marlena Brady's daughter, Belle is kidnapped by their oldest daughter, Sami, Kristen and John pose a married couple to help get her back. Stefano quickly breaks them up by revealing that John is actually Belle's father. Realizing John will go back to Marlena, Kristen goes through with the marriage in February 1994 only for John to show up at the wedding accusing Stefano of Curtis Reed's murder. After Stefano is presumably killed by John, she goes through with her wedding to Tony, who was later revealed to be Tony's look-a-like, André. Kristen later travels to the family estate in New Orleans, Maison Blanche where she is taken captive by a very much alive Stefano forcing John to come to the rescue. She later discovers "Tony's" schemes to impregnate her and moves in with John. She and John are about to marry when it is revealed that John is actually a priest; Kristen a devout Catholic returns to "Tony." In 1995, when Marlena becomes possessed by a demon, Kristen assist Father John in her exorcism. Later, John and Kristen reunited after he is released from his vows and her marriage to "Tony" is annulled. Kristen is diagnosed with a medical condition that will cause her to be infertile and she immediately begins trying to have a child. In November 1995, Kristen goes to Aremid as Peter is preparing to marry Jennifer Horton. While there, "Tony" fakes his death and frames John. Though she believes in John's innocence, Peter forces Kristen to testify against him despite John being exonerated.

In 1996, the mysterious Woman in White came to Salem and moved into the DiMera mansion with Kristen, John and Marlena. Kristen soon discovers she is pregnant and Marlena agrees to move out due to her pregnancy being very high risk. The Woman in White is soon revealed to be her presumed dead mother, Rachel. Realizing John would always love Marlena more than her, Kristen helps Stefano fake her death in a plane crash. John discovers Marlena is alive and goes to rescue her in Paris forcing Rachel and Kristen to follow. In August 1996, Kristen is hospitalized after an explosion kills her mother and she miscarries her child. Stefano soon reappears in Salem and hires Kristen's look-a-like, Susan Banks to carry a child that Kristen would raise as her and John's. With the help of her father and Peter, Kristen fakes her pregnancy. When Susan goes into labor, Kristen disguised as a nurse is forced to watch as John marry Susan, believing she is really Kristen. Kristen gets custody of the child long enough to name him John Black, Jr. and Susan soon returns to claim her child and "husband". Kristen enlist Vivian Alamain and Ivan in keeping Susan locked in a secret room but Marlena puts the pieces together and Kristen is forced to lock her away. When Susan discovers the truth, sick of Kristen's manipulations she locks Kristen inside the room and attempts to marry John until Laura Horton confronts her at the wedding. After being rejected by John due to her scheming, Kristen's failed attempt to kill Marlena lands her in jail. After being released on bail, she attempts suicide after hearing about John and Marlena's engagement. She then revealed Marlena's presumed dead husband, Roman Brady; John and Kristen then pretended to marry to keep Roman becoming suspicious. When John and Stefano ruin her attempt to get back Susan's son, Elvis (aka John, Jr.), she reveals that Roman and Marlena have been seeing one another. Kristen's attempt to force Susan into giving the child back ends with the death of Susan's identical sister, Sister Mary Moira. Fearing she'll be charged with murder, Kristen pretends to be Susan and is forced to marry Susan's boyfriend, Edmund Crumb. In the meantime, "Susan" and Edmund went on a honeymoon and Laura is arrested for Kristen's murder. Edmund admits to Kristen's "murder" and they soon run into the real Susan who explains that Kristen sold her into a harem; it is then revealed that revealed that the dead person was Susan's other sibling, Penelope Kent. To get revenge against Kristen, Susan exchanges her freedom for Kristin the the harem.

2012—
Stefano visits Kristen in Europe, where she has been living thanks to Stefano's help. During his encounter, he pleads with her to return to Salem in order to mend the relationships in the DiMera family; and she instantly rejects him. After some pushing, Kristen finally agrees to return to Salem for Stefano's safe, however, they agree that she should return alone and Stefano would follow.