Alice Halsey is heading back to Salem. The young actress, who leads Netflix’s Little House on the Prairie as Laura Ingalls, has filmed four episodes of Days of our Lives, stepping back into the role of Rachel Black, the part that earned her a Daytime Emmy nomination earlier this year.
Halsey is filling in for Lorelei Mote, who has played Rachel since March, after a scheduling conflict kept Mote from the set. Halsey last aired in the role on March 5, and she filmed her return episodes following her appearance at the 53rd Annual Daytime Emmys, where she was nominated for Outstanding Emerging Talent. TV Insider first reported the return.
“It was very exciting,” Halsey said. “My parents told me that I would be coming back for a few more episodes, and I was so happy. I was freaking out. I was like, ‘I get to go back to Days. I get to see everybody again.’ And I’m just really glad that I get to be here.”
Rachel has had a rough stretch while Halsey has been away, including time at Bayview Sanitarium and a recent hospitalization, and Halsey found a character who has grown up a little in her absence. “She is both innocent and guilty,” she said of Rachel. “She has her evil moments, but inside, I think she’s just a confused little girl. I think sometimes she counts on the wrong people for advice, like Kristen, her mother. But I really love playing Rachel and playing all of the weird sides to her. She’s a very complex character.”
The return also reunited her with Stacy Haiduk and Eric Martsolf, who play Rachel’s parents, Kristen DiMera and Brady Black. “I love both of my DOOL parents,” she said. “They’re the best. They’re really like best friends to me on set.” Trevor Decker News covered Halsey’s Daytime Emmy nomination for the role in July, months after she had set the timeline for her exit from the show.
Fans will need some patience to see her back on screen. Days of our Lives tapes well in advance, so Halsey’s four episodes are set to air in late 2027. The show streams weekdays on Peacock.
In the meantime, Halsey’s main job remains the prairie. She teased that Season 2 of Little House on the Prairie holds surprises: “I can say that there will be drama on the prairie, and it’s probably drama that some people will not expect.” She spoke about bringing Laura Ingalls to life in July. And if Salem calls again after this stint, her answer is ready: “If I could, yes, for sure. I love Days.”
(Photo: Peacock)