Kristian Alfonso

American actress (born 1963)

Simon Macauley

(m. 1987; div. 1991)

Danny Daggenhurst

(m. 2001)

Children2Websitewww.kristianonline.com

Kristian-Joy Alfonso (born September 5, 1963)^[1]^[2] is an American actress, former figure skater, and fashion model. She is best known for playing the role of Hope Williams Brady on the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives (1983 to 1987, 1990, 1994 to 2020, return appearances from 2023 to present). She was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actress (then known as Outstanding Ingenue) in 1985 for her role on Days. Alfonso also played Pilar Ortega on Falcon Crest (1988 to 1990) and Lauren Ethridge on Melrose Place (1993 to 1994).

Early life

Alfonso was born in Brockton, Massachusetts. Her birth name is Kristian-Joy Alfonso. Her grandparents hailed from Sicily and Calabria, giving her full Italian heritage.^[3]^[4] She has one sibling, an older sister.^[5] As a teenager, she was an above-average student. Her extra-curricular activities were focused on ice skating and dance classes. Alfonso won the gold medal in figure skating at the Junior Olympics when she was thirteen years old. A sledding accident ended her skating and dancing careers, but Alfonso received opportunities that led to a modeling career. She graduated from Brockton High School in 1982.^[6]

Career

Early works

After her skating career ended, Alfonso was signed to Wilhelmina Models. By the time she was fifteen, she had appeared on the covers of 30 international magazines, including Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. She appeared on the cover of Seventeen in 1979.^[6]^[3] She was first seen on TV playing opposite Rock Hudson in the TV movie The Starmaker in 1981.^[4]

Days of Our Lives

Alfonso's career took off in April 1983, when she landed the contract role of Hope Williams on the soap opera Days of Our Lives. The character of Hope became involved in a popular pairing with the character of Bo Brady (played by Peter Reckell). She received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series in 1985.

Alfonso left in 1987, returning in 1990 for a brief stint, and full-time in 1994. In November 2019, it was announced the entire cast of Days of Our Lives were released from their contracts.^[7]^[8] Alfonso returned to the soap in February 2020.^[9]^[10] Five months later, she announced she had quit the role of Hope, and would not be returning when the soap resumed production after it shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.^[11]

While part of the show, she also appeared in Season 6 of Friends in an episode titled "The One That Could Have Been, Part 1" as Hope.

Other work

After Alfonso exited Days of Our Lives in April 1987, she was cast as Pilar Ortega on Falcon Crest for its last two seasons. In 1993, she starred alongside Dolph Lundgren in the film Joshua Tree,^[6] in which she played a cop abducted by an innocent convict on the run.

Alfonso's other film and television credits include MacGyver ("The Negotiator" and "Unfinished Business"), Blindfold: Acts of Obsession, Full House, Burke's Law, Murder, She Wrote, Melrose Place, Baywatch, Amazing Stories, “Out of Time” (1988 TV movie with Bill Maher), Love Stories, and Who's the Boss?. She also co-starred with Kate Jackson in the CBS movie "Whatever Happened to Bobby Earl.^[12]

Personal life

Alfonso was married to Simon Macauley from 1987 to 1991. They have a son, born in October 1990. She married Danny Daggenhurst on October 6, 2001.^[13] The couple have two children.^[1]^[14]^[15]

In November 2006, Alfonso created her own jewelry line called Hope Faith Miracles and a fashion line, Hope by Kristian Alfonso. Ten years later, she announced the company had been purchased, and she was no longer involved.^[16]

References

^ ^a ^b "Official Kristian Alfonso Website". Official Kristian Alfonso Website. Archived from the original on April 16, 2013.
^ Waldo, Garren (September 5, 2022). "Days of our Lives Alum Kristian Alfonso Celebrates Her Birthday". Soap Hub. Archived from the original on September 23, 2022. Retrieved July 7, 2024.
^ ^a ^b "Kristian Alfonso Biography". TVGuide.com. Archived from the original on March 31, 2023. Retrieved July 7, 2024.
^ ^a ^b "Kristian Alfonso Archives". Soap Opera Digest. Archived from the original on March 31, 2023. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
^ "Kristian Alfonso, Danny Daggenhurst Biography". MySportDab. September 26, 2020. Archived from the original on March 3, 2024. Retrieved July 7, 2024.
^ ^a ^b ^c "About the Actors - Kristian Alfonso". soapcentral.com. Archived from the original on January 30, 2023. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
^ Ausiello, Michael (November 12, 2019). "Days of Our Lives: Entire Cast Released From Contract — Is the End Nigh?". TVLine. United States: Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on February 6, 2023. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
^ Todisco, Eric (November 12, 2019). "Days of Our Lives Put on Hiatus — But Source Says Soap Will 'Almost Definitely Get Renewed'". People. United States: Time Inc. Archived from the original on February 28, 2023. Retrieved November 17, 2019.
^ Ausiello, Michael (January 29, 2020). "Days of Our Lives Renewed at NBC — Which Cast Members Are Returning?". TVLine. United States: Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
^ "DAYS to Resume Production February 3". Soap Opera Digest. United States: American Media, Inc. January 30, 2020. Archived from the original on August 15, 2023. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
^ Andreeva, Nellie (July 6, 2020). "Kristian Alfonso Exits Days of Our Lives After 37 Years". Deadline Hollywood. United States: Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on November 25, 2023. Retrieved July 6, 2020.
^ "Hope Alice Williams played by Kristian Alfonso: Actor Bio". NBC. Archived from the original on June 4, 2017. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
^ Kroll, Dan J. (October 19, 2001). "Alfonso's double commitment". Soapcentral.com. United States. Archived from the original on March 17, 2024. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
^ "Kristian Alfonso 411". Soap Opera Digest. Archived from the original on December 16, 2013.
^ "Heiress who casts herself as a struggling actress". September 20, 1996. Archived from the original on April 9, 2014. Retrieved June 26, 2018 – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
^ Kroll, Dan J. (November 11, 2016). ""Days" Kristian Alfonso bows out of jewelry world". Soapcentral.com. United States. Archived from the original on March 17, 2024. Retrieved August 24, 2020.