Days Of Our Lives Paul Telfer Reveals The Initial Salemite He Was Supposed To Play

Days of Our Lives spoilers remind fans that Paul Telfer has been playing Xander Kiriakis for over a decade now, entering the role in 2015.

Telfer recently revealed on a podcast that this wasn’t the initial character he was supposed to start out with on the canvas.

Paul Telfer On Soapy

Telfer was the latest guest on Soapy, the YouTube podcast where daytime drama actors and actresses talk about their soap opera adventures.

The show is hosted by fellow Days of Our Lives star, Greg Rikaart (Leo Stark), as well as The Bold and the Beautiful’s Rebecca Budig (Dr. Taylor Hayes).

The actor covered multiple topics, including his recent 2025 Daytime Emmy win in the lead actor category, an award that Rikaart was also nominated for, too.

Telfer admitted that as the names were announced, he never thought the statue would go to a Days player. Still, that’s not the only thing he confessed to.

Wait … What?

Telfer also relayed a story where he *almost* played EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel). The actor notes that his managers called him and stated that the Peacock soap wanted him on ‘standby’ to fill in for James Scott, who played EJ at the time, due to a potential medical issue.

Telfer accepted right away and received several scripts of dialogue that he had to memorize. He was told that he’d know by 11 a.m. daily if he was needed, which meant he was constantly learning new lines.

After day two, he realized he couldn’t memorize everything, and in the end, he never filled EJ’s shoes.

With that said, some years later, he ended up scoring the Xander role and signed a one-year contract, only to be let go three months later. Still, it all worked out in the end for Telfer because he did come back, and despite Xandy’s behavior, he is a fan favorite.

What would Salem life be like if Paul Telfer played EJ DiMera? Comment your thoughts below. Watch your favorite Peacock soap daily to catch all the drama in Salem and visit this site often for the best Days of Our Lives spoilers, news, and updates.