Thaao Penghlis, the Australian actor who played Tony and Andre DiMera on Days of our Lives off and on since 1981, claims his soap career is over. He was last seen on-screen as Tony in 2023. Tony's look-alike cousin Andre was killed in 2019.
Penghlis began his soap career on General Hospital, briefly playing Victor Cassadine in 1981. He reprised the role for a return visit in 2014. From 1992 to 1993, the actor played Micah DeAngelis on the now-defunct NBC soap Santa Barbara.
"No, I'm leaving the soap world," Penghlis told Soap Opera News when asked if he was leaving acting altogether. "There are changes happening that I can't discuss right now. It feels like it's coming from somewhere else, maybe with a different writer. When people start taking you for granted, you change. I love where I am now. It's a sort of an awakening."
Penghlis didn't have a bad word to say about his time on the soap but admitted that it was time to move on.
"The fans may not be happy, but at the end of the day, creators need to follow their own path. Our audience has grown older, and they have remained loyal to the show. They're the ones who continue to support us," he said. "After over 40 years, I've realized that some friendships in this industry are quite shallow. It's rare to find meaningful connections. I treasure the few relationships that resonate with me. It's been an awakening for me...While I cherish my time on the show, my life has taken a different path now."
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