Judi Evans

Last updated
Judi Evans in 2023 Judi4 Original.jpg
Judi Evans in 2023

Judi Evans (also credited as Judi Evans Luciano, born July 12, 1964) is an American actress.

Contents

Evans began her career in daytime in 1983 when she was cast as Becki on Days of Our Lives. She shot to fame shortly after when she was cast as Beth Raines on Guiding Light, for which she won a Daytime Emmy Award at the age of 19.

In 1986, she left Guiding Light and immediately joined the cast of Days of Our Lives as Adrienne Johnson Kiriakis. In 1991, she took over the role of Paulina Cory Carlino on Another World, a role she would continue until the show ended in 1999.

She currently recurs as Bonnie Lockhart on Days of Our Lives.

Early life

Judi Jo Evans was born on July 12, 1964, while on the road with her family's circus: The Evans Family Circus. By the age of two, she was put to work as the baby clown who greeted patrons arriving to the tent. Her parents were professional trapeze artists and her three older brothers rotated various circus performer roles, including trapeze artists and clowns. Born into a family of entertainers, it's no wonder Evans chose a life in the arts.

She earned the role of Beth Raines on Guiding Light at just 18 years old and went on to win her first Daytime Emmy Award for Supporting Actress in a Daytime Drama just shy of her 20th birthday. She has worked consistently in soaps since then, with long runs on Guiding Light, Days of Our Lives and Another World.

Evans was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award in 2008 for Days of our Lives, 24 years after her first nomination and win for her role on Guiding Light.

Career

Judi Evans is a professional "soap-hopper" with multiple, successful appearances on four Daytime Soap Operas.

She began her career, in 1983, on Guiding Light as Beth Raines. In 1986, she moved over to Days of Our Lives to take on the role of Adrienne Johnson-Kiriakis. In 1991, she moved to New York to take over the role of Paulina Cory on Another World. After the conclusion of Another World in 1999, Evans moved back to Los Angeles to begin recurring again on Days of Our Lives, this time taking on double duty as Bonnie Lockhart and Adrienne Johnson-Kiriakis. In 2009, she took on the role of Maeve Stone on As The World Turns.

She currently recurs as Bonnie Lockhart-Kiriakis on Days of Our Lives opposite her longtime co-star Wally Kurth.

In addition to her roles in Daytime, Evans has had a very successful television movie career including roles in Getting Away with Murder: The JonBenet Ramsey Mystery , Love Is on the Air, I Am Not For Sale: The Fight to End Human Trafficking, and Blood Runs Thick.

She guest-starred on the hit CBS show The Mentalist from 2012-2013 and was a series regular on Venice: The Series playing the role of Logan. She also guest-starred on The Bay (online soap opera) in the role of Katherine Blackwell.

Personal

Evans was born in Montebello, California. [1] In 1993, she married Michael Luciano. They had one son, named Austin Michael Luciano, who died suddenly in late 2019 at age 23. [2]

In 2020, nearly six months after losing her son, Evans contracted COVID-19 while at the hospital recovering from an accidental injury she incurred during horseback riding. Doctors considered amputating both her legs as part of her treatment, but she, luckily, made a full recovery. [3]

A huge animal lover, Evans and her husband own 3 horses, 3 chickens, and 1 parrot.

Filmography

Credits
YearTitleRoleNotes
1983–1986 Guiding Light Beth Raines Series regular
1986 Dreams of Gold: The Mel Fisher Story Penelope CabotTelevision film
1986–1991,
2003–2008,
2010–present
Days of our Lives Adrienne Johnson/
Bonnie Lockhart-Kiriakis
Series regular
1991–1999 Another World Paulina Cory Carlino Series regular
2000 Getting Away with Murder: The JonBenet Ramsey Mystery Patsy Ramsey Television film
2008Screening PartyAmyTelevision film
2009 As the World Turns Maeve StoneContract role
2010Healing HandsConnieTelevision film
2011-2014 Venice: The Series Logan24 episodes
2013The GrovePrissyTelevision film
2012–2013 The Mentalist Senator Eillen Dawkins3 episodes
2014Ron and Laura Take Back AmericaDianaTelevision film
2014 The Bay Catherine Blackwell6 episodes
2016Mr. And Mrs. SmitMadam Secretary1 episode
2018The Dawn of Zombie ApocalypseDoctor ETelevision film
2018Deadly PatientNurse May WilliamsTelevision film
2019I Am Not For Sale: The Fight To End Human TraffickingJudieTelevision film
2019John Wynn's Mirror MirrorDebbie WilsonTelevision film
2021Love Is on the AirMiriam CassidyTelevision film
2021Blood Runs ThickCatherineTelevision film

Awards

Daytime Emmy Awards

Soap Opera Digest Awards

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melissa Reeves</span> American actress (born 1967)

Melissa Reeves is an American actress. She is known for playing Jennifer Horton on the NBC Daytime soap opera Days of Our Lives. She has been nominated for two Daytime Emmy Awards for her work on Days of Our Lives. She has also won four Soap Opera Digest Awards.

Mary Beth Evans is an American television actress, known for her role as Kayla Brady on the NBC daytime soap Days of Our Lives, and her role as Sierra Estaban on the CBS daytime soap As the World Turns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eileen Davidson</span> American actress, author and television personality

Eileen Marie Davidson is an American actress, author, television personality and former model. Davidson is best known for her roles in soap operas as Kristen DiMera and Susan Banks on NBC's Days of Our Lives and Ashley Abbott on CBS's The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jane Elliot</span> American actress

Jane Elliot is an American actress, best known for her role as Tracy Quartermaine in the ABC daytime soap opera General Hospital.

Sarah Joy Brown, sometimes credited simply as Sarah Brown, is an American actress. She is perhaps best known for originating the role of Carly Corinthos on the American daytime drama General Hospital from 1996 to 2001. For the role, she won three Daytime Emmy Awards. In 2008, she returned to General Hospital in a different role, Claudia Zacchara. She exited General Hospital once again in 2009 and began appearing on The Bold and the Beautiful in the newly created role of Aggie Jones.

Vincent Michael Irizarry is an American actor. He was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award in 1985 and 2002, and won in 2009.

Wallace "Wally" Kurth is an American actor and musician. He is best known for playing the roles of Justin Kiriakis on Days of Our Lives and Ned Quartermaine on General Hospital. He has received one Daytime Emmy Award nomination for his work on General Hospital and three nominations for his work on Days of Our Lives.

Lauren Alice Koslow is an American actress, best known for her long-running portrayal of Kate Roberts on the NBC dramatic serial Days of Our Lives, which she has played continuously since 1996. She previously appeared in the soaps The Bold and the Beautiful and The Young and the Restless.

TheSoap Opera DigestAwards, originally known as The Soapy Awards when introduced in 1977, was an awards show held by the daytime television magazine Soap Opera Digest.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarah Horton</span> Soap opera character

Sarah Horton is a fictional character from Days of Our Lives, an American soap opera on the NBC network. Created by Pat Falken Smith, and introduced by Betty Corday and Al Rabin, Sarah is the daughter of Neil Curtis and Maggie Horton. In 2018, under head writer Ron Carlivati, the character was reintroduced with actress Linsey Godfrey in the role. Godfrey's performance in the role garnered her a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2019. In March 2021, Godfrey departed the role, but returned in January 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mimi Lockhart</span> Soap opera character

Mimi Lockhart is a fictional character from Days of Our Lives. Mimi was portrayed by Doren Fein from August 17 to 19, 1999. The character is most recognized as played by actress Farah Fath who played the role from September 16, 1999, to March 1, 2007. In May 2018, it was revealed that Fath would be returning to the show after an 11-year absence. Fath resumed the role on October 5, 2018, and departed a month later on November 6. In November 2019, it was announced that Teressa Liane had been cast in the role of Mimi for the digital series "Last Blast Reunion".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alice Horton</span> Soap opera character

Alice Horton is a fictional character on the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives, portrayed by Frances Reid from the show's debut on November 8, 1965, until December 26, 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adrienne Johnson Kiriakis</span> Fictional character

Adrienne Johnson Kiriakis is a fictional character on NBC's daytime drama Days of Our Lives. She had been portrayed by actress Denise Wanner from November to December 1986 before Judi Evans took over the role from December 1986 to February 1991, from May 2007 to January 2008 and from March 2010 to January 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carly Manning</span> Soap opera character

Carly Manning is a fictional character on the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives. Crystal Chappell portrayed the character from June 12, 1990, to October 18, 1993. After a sixteen-year absence, she reprised the role on October 2, 2009, to September 22, 2011. Chappell's most memorable storyline was in 1993 when her longtime rival Vivian Alamain buried her alive, which has become one of the show's most notorious plots. Along with Vivian, most of Carly's stories revolve around her ex-husband Bo Brady and late husband Lawrence Alamain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justin Kiriakis</span> Soap opera character

Justin Kiriakis is a fictional character on the NBC daytime soap opera Days of Our Lives. Created by head writer Leah Laiman, he is portrayed by actor Wally Kurth from February 3, 1987, to February 5, 1991. From 2007 to 2008, Justin was mentioned but not seen on screen. Kurth reprised the role again August 10, 2009, remaining in the role for nearly five years before departing on April 3, 2014. However, he once again returned in February 2015. Justin is the nephew of Greek tycoon Victor Kiriakis. Justin married Adrienne Johnson Kiriakis, and together they have three sons while Justin has one by a past romance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caroline Brady</span> Soap opera character

Caroline Brady is a fictional character from the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives, a long-running serial drama about working class life in the fictional United States town of Salem. Matriarch of the series' Brady family, the character has been continually featured since her debut. Created by writer Margaret DePriest, the role was originated by actress Peggy McCay on February 7, 1983. Jody Carter stepped into the role briefly in 1984, followed by Barbara Beckley from 1984 to 1985. McCay returned to portray Caroline from July 17, 1985, to December 5, 2003, when the character was seemingly murdered by a serial killer. McCay returned in 2004 when Caroline was found alive. She played Caroline for another 12 years; last appearing in August 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marlena Evans</span> Fictional character from Days of Our Lives

Marlena Evans is a fictional character on the NBC/Peacock soap opera Days of Our Lives, a long-running serial about working life in the fictional town of Salem. She has been played by actress Deidre Hall since 1976, but the character was absent from the show from 1987 to August 1991 and again from January 2009 to September 2011. Marlena was created by scriptwriter Pat Falken Smith and executive producer Betty Corday, and has become one of Days of our Lives' most well-known characters. Hall made her debut on the soap on June 21, 1976, currently making her the second longest running actress on the serial, surpassed only by Suzanne Rogers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sonny Kiriakis</span> Soap opera character

Sonny Kiriakis is a fictional character from Days of Our Lives, an American soap opera on Peacock. The role was originally portrayed by Freddie Smith. Sonny is the only biological child of Justin Kiriakis and Adrienne Johnson Kiriakis. Sonny's birth was announced in 1991. Developed under head writer Dena Higley, Sonny was introduced in 2011 by executive producers Ken Corday and Gary Tomlin as Justin and Adrienne's openly gay son – the show's first regular character to be openly gay. His major stories included a gay bashing storyline and the development of his romance with Will Horton who is just coming to terms with his own sexuality. In 2014, Will and Sonny marry, becoming the first male-male couple to legally marry in the history of American daytime television drama. Sonny is also known for his friendship and business dealings with Chad DiMera – a friendship that nearly gets him killed when their sports website is taken over by an illegal gambling operation.

Justin Kiriakis and Adrienne Johnson Kiriakis are fictional characters and a supercouple on the American soap opera Days of Our Lives. Justin is portrayed by Wally Kurth and Adrienne is portrayed by Judi Evans. The couple was popular from 1987 to 1991. After remaining off-screen for more than 15 years, both characters have appeared on the show off and on since 2009.

References

  1. "About the Actors | Judi Evans | Days of our Lives on Soap Central". soapcentral.com. Retrieved 2020-06-16.
  2. Silver, Carly (December 16, 2019). "Soap Legend Judi Evans' Son Tragically Passes Away". Daytime Confidential. United States: Confidential Media, Inc. Retrieved July 7, 2020.
  3. "Soap star Judi Evans nearly had both legs amputated battling coronavirus". TODAY.com. 9 June 2020. Retrieved 2020-06-16.