Days Of Our Lives Fans Blindsided By Apparent John Black Recast

Days of Our Lives spoilers and updates reveal fans were blindsided by an apparent John Black (Drake Hogestyn) recast, thanks to a leaked scene photo.

But there is an explanation to what happened, as those who’ve seen Monday, April 1st’s episode already know.

Fans And The Show’s Cast And Crew Are Still Grieving The Late Drake Hogestyn

Fans and the show’s cast and crew are still mourning the significant loss of beloved actor Drake Hogestyn, who passed away in September 2024.

He had been privately fighting cancer, which limited his ability to film for the soap opera; now, the show faces the daunting challenge of crafting a proper farewell for John Black.

Viewers were taken aback when they saw what they believed was a different actor portraying the character.

John Black has been out of touch with his family for some time; despite the perilous nature of his missions, he always makes it a point to check in with his cherished “Doc.”

Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall) has recently joined forces with Steve Johnson (Stephen Nichols) to find her missing husband.

John’s Sons Are Worried

Brady Black (Eric Martsolf) and Paul Narita (Christopher Sean), the sons of John Black, are anxious about their father’s location. Andrew Donovan (Colton Little), the son of Shane Donovan (Charles Shaughnessy), is also participating in the search.

Last week, Marlena was shocked to discover that Orpheus, aka Milo Harp (George DelHoyo), was in Estonia, where they had gone looking for John, and still intent on getting revenge.

After a confrontation, Marlena managed to tie up Orpheus and then went to assist in the search for her missing husband.

Fans Were Blindsided By An Apparent Recast

This week, fans reacted on social media after a photo from an upcoming episode was leaked; the image seemed to show Marlena and Steve with an unconscious John.

However, longtime viewers noticed that the actor playing John was not Drake Hogestyn-did the show make an unexpected casting change? This isn’t an April Fool’s prank; the episode airing on April 1st featured an apparent stand-in for John Black.

Marlena and Steve entered a room to discover a man with silver grey hair slumped against a desk, appearing lifeless, which alarmed them-upon closer inspection, they realized it wasn’t John.

The man was still alive and managed to share some details about what happened to John before succumbing to his bullet wound.

The Character Was A Nuclear Scientist Forced To Work For Orpheus

The character was a well-known nuclear scientist named Dr. Karl Pilkington (Allan Wayne Anderson). Before he died from his injuries, he informed Marlena and Steve that John had been in the room with him, but “they” had taken him along with the nuclear device. He passed away before he could share any further details.

Meanwhile, Andrew went to see Orpheus, only to be confronted at gunpoint after Orpheus managed to free himself from the ropes Marlena had used to tie him to the chair.

However, Paul gained the advantage when Andrew arrived and turned the situation around on Orpheus.

Drake Hogestyn Approved John’s Exit Storyline Before He Died

Paul aimed his gun at the villain, but they both understood he wouldn’t pull the trigger; “You truly are your father’s son,” Orpheus remarked to Paul. Andrew mentioned that the ISA would continue to interrogate Orpheus, hoping to uncover a lead on John’s whereabouts.

Meanwhile, Marlena and Steve searched through folders in the lab and stumbled upon something that left them both stunned, though viewers are still in the dark about it.

The quest to find John Black is a mix of emotions for the audience, as they realize that discovering him means the end of Drake Hogestyn’s storyline.

The actor’s final episode aired months ago, but some fans take comfort in knowing that he collaborated with the writers to shape John’s concluding chapter.

Be sure to catch up on everything happening with DOOL right now. Come back here often for Days Of Our Lives spoilers, news, and updates.