As the countdown to the 2025 Daytime Emmy Awards begins, all eyes are on Days of Our Lives star Emily O’Brien, whose breathtaking portrayal of Teresa Donovan has earned her a nomination for Best Supporting Actress—and it’s no exaggeration to say she’s never been more deserving. What began as another dramatic year in Salem quickly transformed into a tour de force of emotional depth, deception, and tragedy that showcased O’Brien at the peak of her craft.

When 2024 dawned, few could have predicted the spectacular chaos that awaited Teresa Donovan. What followed wasn’t just a soap opera storyline—it was a masterclass in acting. Through every deceit, betrayal, and desperate decision, Emily O’Brien turned Teresa’s rollercoaster journey into one of the most compelling performances the show has seen in years. She didn’t simply play a scheming troublemaker; she embodied a woman consumed by her own ambition, fear, and vulnerability.

The Salem Storm That Defined a Year

At the heart of Teresa’s chaotic year lay one of Days of Our Lives’ most shocking twists—the inheritance scandal that rocked the Kiriakis family to its core. Working with the manipulative Constantine Meleounis, Teresa forged a letter connected to Victor Kiriakis’ will, convincing her new husband Alex Kiriakis that he was Victor’s long-lost son. What followed was a tangled web of lies so convincing that Salem’s most shrewd residents were caught off guard.

When the truth finally emerged—that Xander Cook was Victor’s true heir—the fallout was explosive. O’Brien’s portrayal of Teresa during this unraveling was riveting. Her trembling voice, darting eyes, and desperate attempts to hold the lie together revealed a woman on the edge of collapse. She wasn’t just acting panic—she was panic incarnate, balancing guilt, fear, and the faint hope that she could still salvage something from the wreckage.

But the collapse was inevitable. The double wedding that turned into a public exposure of Teresa’s deceit left her world in ruins. Alex’s rage burned with betrayal, and O’Brien met that fury with raw, heartbreaking emotion. Viewers saw Teresa not as a cartoonish villain but as a human being watching her carefully built life crumble, one lie at a time.

A Descent into Darkness – The Kidnapping Plot

Just when fans thought Teresa couldn’t sink lower, the shocking baby Victoria kidnapping storyline proved otherwise. Joining Constantine’s twisted scheme to abduct the infant, Teresa crossed a moral line from which there was no return. The brilliance of O’Brien’s performance shone brightest here—she portrayed a mother torn between her love for her own son, Tate, and her willingness to commit a crime that would haunt her forever.

O’Brien didn’t shy away from the ugliness of Teresa’s choices. She let us see the cracks—the guilt, the self-loathing, the horrifying realization of what she had become. Even as she tried to rationalize her actions, her eyes betrayed her soul. That emotional transparency, that willingness to show the monster and the mother in the same breath, is what made O’Brien’s performance unforgettable.

Prison Walls and a Shattered Heart

When the truth came out, Teresa’s downfall was swift and merciless. Her sentence to Statesville Prison wasn’t just a plot twist—it was poetic justice. Yet even behind bars, O’Brien delivered scenes of haunting beauty. No longer manipulating or seducing, Teresa became a woman forced to face herself. The quiet moments—her trembling hands, her tear-streaked face as she spoke of Tate, her guilt-laden letters to Brady—captured the essence of a woman whose lies had cost her everything.

Her scenes with Eric Martsolf (Brady Black) were particularly powerful. Brady’s heartbreak and anger collided with Teresa’s remorse, creating moments that felt painfully real. O’Brien allowed us to feel Teresa’s shame as a mother who had failed her son in the most profound way possible. Her devastation wasn’t melodrama—it was truth. And it’s in those moments of stripped-down honesty that Emily O’Brien transformed soap opera theatrics into something deeply human.

The Woman Behind the Characters

For longtime fans, O’Brien’s rise to Emmy recognition has been years in the making. Born in Bedfordshire, England, and trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, she built her reputation on complex, emotionally rich performances. Her earlier work as Jana Hawkes on The Young and the Restless earned her three consecutive Emmy nominations between 2008 and 2011, setting the stage for a career defined by nuance and authenticity.

Beyond daytime television, O’Brien has made her mark as a voice actor in major projects like Death Stranding, Guardians of the Galaxy, League of Legends, and Final Fantasy XIV. Her versatility—moving seamlessly from soap operas to animation to video games—proves she’s one of the most multifaceted performers working today.

But Days of Our Lives gave her a rare challenge: the opportunity to play two distinct characters on the same show. From 2020 to 2023, O’Brien portrayed Gwen Rizczech, a deeply flawed but sympathetic figure. Then, in a brilliantly theatrical twist, she transitioned into the role of Teresa Donovan, essentially handing the torch from one persona to another. The feat of embodying two entirely different women—each with unique speech patterns, emotions, and moral codes—cemented her reputation as a powerhouse performer.

Recognition at Last

Her 2025 Daytime Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actress marks her fifth overall and her second consecutive for Days of Our Lives. Last year, she was honored for playing Gwen; this year, she’s recognized for transforming Teresa Donovan into one of Salem’s most layered and unforgettable figures. Few actors achieve back-to-back nominations for two distinct roles on the same series—a testament to her extraordinary range and dedication.

As the Emmy ceremony approaches, competition is fierce, with formidable nominees from General Hospital, The Young and the Restless, and her own Days co-star Linsey Godfrey. Yet win or lose, Emily O’Brien’s legacy is already secure. She’s shown fans and critics alike that daytime drama can rival primetime television in emotional impact when placed in the right hands.

Why Fans Can’t Stop Talking About Her

What makes O’Brien’s Teresa Donovan so unforgettable isn’t the outrageous storylines—it’s the truth beneath them. Her Teresa is selfish yet frightened, manipulative yet desperate for love. Every lie she tells carries the weight of pain and longing. When her schemes crumble, we don’t just see a villain punished; we see a woman consumed by regret.

O’Brien’s genius lies in her ability to keep audiences conflicted. We know Teresa deserves what’s coming, yet we can’t help but root for her redemption. Through her eyes, we see a woman clawing at the edges of her own destruction, hoping—against all logic—that forgiveness might still be possible.

That’s what makes this Emmy nomination so special. It’s not just a recognition of performance—it’s a celebration of artistry. Emily O’Brien has elevated Days of Our Lives into something profound: a mirror reflecting the messy, contradictory nature of humanity itself.

As October 17th approaches and fans eagerly await the Emmy results, one truth is undeniable—Emily O’Brien has already won. She’s reminded us why we fall in love with these stories, why we root for the broken and the flawed, and why, in the world of Salem, redemption is never entirely out of reach.

Win or lose, this moment is hers. And for fans everywhere, that’s reason enough to celebrate.