Days of Our Lives will soon bid a permanent farewell to Drake Hogestyn’s beloved character, John Black, with upcoming death and funeral scenes that the actor personally approved before his passing.
In a recent interview with Soap Opera Digest, executive producer Ken Corday revealed that John Black’s death was filmed prior to Hogestyn’s real-life passing in September, following a battle with pancreatic cancer. Although the airdate for these pivotal episodes has not yet been announced, Corday confirmed that the actor had signed off on his character’s final moments. “We wanted to make sure Drake signed off on everything, and he was totally in favor of it,” Corday said.
The decision to move forward with John’s death scene while Hogestyn was still alive was not taken lightly. Corday explained, “It’s difficult to tell a story about a character’s death while the actor is still living. We were rolling the dice. But we had to tell the story, especially since Drake hadn’t been on the show in nine months. We needed a reason for John’s absence.”
Corday added, “Had Drake, God willing, beaten his illness, he would’ve come back, and it would have been something different. But the story had to be told. It was extremely difficult and painful for everyone — the cast, the crew, all of us. Drake was a big part of this show, and he was the consummate actor.”
While neither Corday nor the cast have disclosed the specific details surrounding John’s final moments, actor Stephen Nichols (Steve Johnson) described filming the death scene as “the hardest thing I’ve ever done.” Nichols initially struggled with the storyline, especially given that Hogestyn was still alive at the time. “At first, I didn’t agree with what was going on,” he admitted. “But once I learned that Drake had approved it, I knew I had to do my part.”
Hogestyn’s final appearance on Days of Our Lives aired on September 9, 2024, though it was filmed earlier in the year, back in February. In that episode, John shared a poignant moment with his grandson Tate (played by Leo Howard), offering some grandfatherly advice as Tate grappled with feelings of guilt over revealing the truth about his father’s death.
As Days of Our Lives prepares to air these emotional farewell episodes, fans will have the opportunity to see John Black’s journey come to a close, as the soap honors the legacy of one of its most enduring characters—and the actor who brought him to life for over three decades.
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