Curious why Alison Sweeney’s name is trending among Days of Our Lives fans? Rumors swirled about her absence from John Black’s emotional funeral episodes earlier this year, sparking questions about Sami Brady’s storyline. But the real reason for her delayed return reveals a much more personal explanation.
Here’s why Alison Sweeney returned and how she honors John Black on Days.
Alison Sweeney previews Sami’s return to ‘say goodbye’ to John Black on Days of Our Lives
Alison Sweeney returns as Sami Brady on August 4, 2025. She appears to honor John Black after missing his funeral due to scheduling conflicts.
“I was so devastated that my schedule didn’t allow me to film the funeral scenes for John Black with the rest of the cast,” Sweeney told TV Insider. “But I had a great talk with [then-Co-Executive Producer] Janet Spellman-Drucker, and she said she and the writers would figure something out for me to return as soon as I was able, which meant so much to me.”
Sweeney revealed that although Sami and John had reconciled on-screen, Sami continues to carry emotional weight over their troubled history. “Especially after the last time Sami was in town and had that talk with [her son] Johnny, she mentioned that she was going to therapy and that kind of self-reflection would really make her aware of how poisonous she was to John,” she said. “Even though the writers reminded me that there had been this mea culpa moment where Sami apologized, I still think Sami wouldn’t forgive herself that easily.”
Sami’s scenes with Marlena reflect the ongoing nature of grief. “Mourning doesn’t always happen [when] everyone gets together on one day. Sometimes, that’s an ongoing thing,” Sweeney said. “Having Sami come back and share those moments with Marlena” allowed the writers to tell the story and gave her character the opportunity to honor John. Sweeney said Drake Hogestyn felt like a dad and praised him as a role model on set.
