‘Days of Our Lives’ Star Eric Martsolf Talks on His Unexpected Casting as Brady Black on ‘Soapy’
At one of the most uncertain moments of his life, everything changed with a single phone call.
Struggling to make ends meet while raising his young children in Porter Ranch, he found himself wondering how he would continue paying the mortgage and supporting his family. Then his phone rang. On the other end was casting director Marnie Saitta, whose urgent tone immediately caught his attention. Expecting another disappointment, he was stunned when she told him to get to the studio as quickly as possible. There was a possibility that Days of Our Lives wanted him for the role of Brady Black, a character who had been absent from the canvas for several years.
The timing could not have been more dramatic. His wife was out of town, and he had no one to watch the children. True to her supportive nature, Marnie told him to bring them along. He dropped the kids off in her office and rushed to meet executive producer Gary Tomlin. The meeting was brief but life-changing. Tomlin looked at him and said, “You’re Brady now. Here’s your backstory. Welcome to the show.”
The moment was overwhelming. After years of uncertainty, he had landed the role that would redefine his career. He returned to Marnie’s office to find his children enthusiastically exploring the room—one pounding a remote control on her desk, the other playing with her keyboard. Laughing, Marnie congratulated him and jokingly suggested it was time to remove his tiny assistants before they caused any more damage.
When he finally got home and shared the news with his wife, the emotions hit all at once. They hugged, cried, and celebrated together, knowing this opportunity had arrived exactly when they needed it most. What began as an ordinary day filled with worry and uncertainty ended as the start of a new chapter—one that would lead to a lasting home on Days of Our Lives and a career-defining role that continues to this day.
