‘Days of Our Lives' Star Deidre Hall Slaps Craig Melvin During ‘Today' Segment
Deidre Hall is a soap opera icon, and that's why she showed Today's Craig Melvinhow it's done.
Hall, 78, has played Marlena Evans on the NBC/Peacock daytime series Days of Our Lives for 50 years. The Daytime Emmy winner's character has seen endless storylines over those five decades, ranging from being possessed by the devil to having an evil twin. But in a new appearance on Today, the soap opera icon showed host Craig Melvin how she's secured her stardom on the series over the years: Her iconic slap.
"Of all of the storylines that you've been a part of over the years, what I've always enjoyed is your ability to slap," Melvin told Hall. "You're a great slapper."
"Well, thanks," Hall replied, laughing, adding that she "couldn't begin to imagine" how many on-screen slaps she's had over the years.
"It would be one of the greatest professional honors of my life if you could slap me," Melvin told her.
Hall explained how she performed so many slaps over the years, noting that she would "draw my hand back and I'm going to come very close to your face," she explained. "And when you feel that happen, you're going to snap your head."
Check out the hilarious video below!
Does Deidre Hall Plan to Leave Days of Our Lives?
After 50 years in Salem, the Midwestern town where Days is set, the soap opera icon is making it clear that she has plans to depart anytime soon.
"As long as my key card opens the gate, I'm there. It's my family, I love that place," she said.
It's also quite an accomplishment that the series is still on the air, seeing as several soaps have faded from existence.
"Nobody had done 50 years at that point. The fact that we stayed on the air is a thrill. We kept on going and going and going and I got to stay ... and keep working," Hall added.
Days of Our Lives streams on weekday mornings on Peacock.
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This story was originally published June 19, 2026 at 7:51 AM.