Star of One of Daytime TV's Most-Watched Weddings Ever Reveals the 'Days of Our Lives' Plots She Actually Prefers
For over 40 years, on and off, Mary Beth Evans has portrayed Dr. Kayla Johnson on the soap opera Days of Our Lives. In honor of her 40th anniversary, the actress is reflecting upon the type of stories she loves the most.
Evans joined the, then NBC, soap opera on May 23, 1986, assuming the role of Kayla after Catherine Mary Stewart had portrayed the character for nearly two years in 1982.
Speaking with TV Insider's Stephanie Sloane, Evans reflected on the highs and lows of the last 40 years.
During the conversation, the actress discussed what her favorite types of stories are. For Evans, it isn't the action-adventure or sci-fi storylines that resonate the most, it's the more subtle family moments that stand out for her. "I love the family stories because I think that's really where Steven's and my hearts are in real life, too," she shared.
The actress added that some of her favorite memories on the show were shared with her on-screen brother, Bo Brady, played by Peter Reckell.
Another standout storyline for Evans involved her on-screen mother, Caroline Brady (Peggy McKay). "When Kayla's mother Caroline had dementia [in 2012], that was painfully heartbreaking, beautiful stuff to play with Peggy McCay, who was amazing."
The actress elaborated, sharing, "I would rather be in a heartfelt family story than a caper, or something that's not based in reality, any day of the week."
Kayla has been in her fair share of larger-than-life storylines over the years. From her husband Steve returning to Salem with the "essence" of their arch nemesis, Stefano DiMera (Joseph Mascolo), implanted inside him as a microchip, to her sister-in-law Hope (Kristian Alfonso) turning into the jewel thief Princess Gina.
But it is the moments surrounding family and friends that resonate with viewers, with Kayla and Steve's wedding remaining one of Days of our Lives and daytime television's most-watched weddings of all time.
Fans on social media shared their love for Evans portrayal of Kayla over the years. One user wrote on X, "Mary Beth has given Kayla everything and made her a character we all love."
Evans continues to portray Kayla with brand-new episodes of Days of Our Lives streaming weekdays on Peacock.
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This story was originally published May 28, 2026 at 12:52 AM.