Gwen on DAYS OF OUR LIVES — Everything You Need to Know
The actress who plays Gwen on DAYS OF OUR LIVES might look familiar to viewers of THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS as the character is played by Emily O’Brien, who played Eden on the CBS sudser from 2006-2001. The actress made her DAYS debut on June 5, 2020, and very quickly made quite a splash in Salem!
Gwen Rizczech first appeared in Bayview suggesting Claire Brady sing for the patients. She then noticed the “save the date” card Claire had and questioned her about Ben and Ciara’s upcoming wedding. Jake Lambert had been looking for his ex-girlfriend who took something valuable off him because some goons want the item back and when he showed a photo of Gwen to Ben and Ciara, it was Claire’s new pal! It turned out that Gwen has possession of a book that Jake took from the mob containing important names and numbers, and they wanted it back!
When Gwen showed up at Claire’s she revealed the copy of Crime and Punishment the mob wanted so desperately, and while Claire wanted to turn it in, Gwen wanted to sell it to the highest bidder! Eventually, Jake convinced Gwen the mob would rather kill her than pay her for it and she handed it over. She also flirted with Jake and reminded him of how hot they were together, which served to drive Gabi Hernandez crazy, as she was convinced that Jake was really her husband, Stefan DiMera!
Although DNA tests proved Jake was actually Stefan’s twin, Gwen was excited because it meant he was part of the wealthy DiMera family! Chad DiMera encountered Gwen at the bar and they struck up a friendship over drinks. So when Gwen and Jake moved into the DiMera mansion, Chad asked her to help spy on Gabi for him! She agreed, and Chad also flirted with her to help make Jake jealous. Unfortunately, Jake ended up sleeping with Gabi and dumped Gwen, who turned to Chad for comfort. But then his wife, Abigail Deveraux, came home to throw a monkey wrench into that plan!
Although everyone believed Gabi had been the one who had drugged Abigail into suffering terrifying hallucinations, it turned out that it was really Gwen who had slipped the drug into Abigail’s champagne months ago! And she had been in cahoots with Dr. Rolf, who gave her the dangerous drug in the first place!
As Gwen continued to live at the DiMera mansion and ingratiate herself into the family, she helped Abigail plan her parents’ anniversary party. Of course, she also made sure that Abigail conveniently stumbled upon Jack Deveraux‘s letter to Kate revealing they’d slept together while Jennifer Horton was in a coma! And with some nudging by Gwen, Abigail exposed the secret at the party, blowing up her family! Unfortunately, Gwen was upset when Abigail and Jack reconciled relatively quickly.
Gwen continued to plot against Abigail, making Chad think his wife was cheating on him, and managed to get the guy drunk and into her bed on New Year’s Eve! Revealing that split Chad and Abigail up, much to Gwen’s delight. And when Jack and Jennifer confronted the Brit about why she hated Abigail so much, Gwen revealed she was her sister because Jack was also her dad! Jack protested he didn’t remember anyone named Tiffany Rizczech, but a DNA test proved Gwen was his daughter!
When Laura Horton tried to explain her role in keeping Jack away from Gwen, the argument grew heated and Gwen accidentally caused the woman to fall, suffering a fatal blow to the head! Jack promised to support his daughter and finally do right by her, but Abigail wanted revenge and roped Gabi into the scheme! They stashed Gwen in the DiMera tunnels, but Gabi changed her mind and let her go. Jack tried to broker peace between his daughters but things got even more complicated when Gwen threw up all over Abigail and later learned she was pregnant!
Chad agreed to be there for his child, which naturally upset Abigail, but Gwen was heartbroken when she miscarried. After an argument with Abigail that sent her tumbling down the stairs, Gwen blamed Abigail for killing her baby, though she later admitted she hadn’t actually pushed her. Dr. Snyder agreed to help Gwen keep her secret but forced her to act as his drug mule to ensure his silence!
Trapped between a rock and a hard place, Gwen worried when Xander Kiriakis found out about her deal with the doc but he turned out to be on her side. Unfortunately, she was horrified when Dr. Snyder had a fatal heart attack when Xander threatened him, and then had to worry about that coming out as well! When Jack accused her of running drugs for Snyder, Xander took the blame, and his relationship with Gwen got serious. Eventually, Gwen felt guilty and wanted to confess the truth to her father, but in the end, used Xander’s suggestion and lied that he was blackmailing her because she used to be a prostitute!
Ultimately, the truth about Gwen’s miscarriage was revealed, and on top of that, she found herself being pressured to help Kristen DiMera escape from prison! Kristen threatened to tell Xander what had really happened to his ex, Sarah Horton, so Gwen teamed up with Ava Vitali to help Kristen and keep her quiet. Maggie and Abigail both convinced Jack to reconcile with Gwen for her lies, and they buried the hatchet before he left town.
When Abigail began investigating Sarah’s disappearance, Ava gave Gwen Kristen’s Sarah mask so she could pose as Xander’s ex and close the book on their relationship for good. As Abigail realized the truth about the mask, Gwen knocked her out and sent her to the same island where Kristen was holding Sarah. Gwen was delighted when Xander popped the question and happily accepted, but worried her house of cards could come tumbling down!
When Sarah was rescued and returned to Salem with Kristen’s other captives, Gwen and Ava threatened to expose each other. Xander was reluctant to commit to a future with Gwen until Sarah was cured, so Gwen switched Rolf’s antidote with more of the mind-altering drug that left Sarah thinking she was a little girl! Xander decided to marry Gwen, who agreed to a double wedding with her old friend Leo Stark, who was marrying Craig Wesley. But at the ceremony, Abigail revealed all of Gwen’s many crimes, leaving everyone stunned! As she was arrested, Gwen whispered to Abigail that she’d killed Laura on purpose and later refused to confirm or deny the murder, leaving Abigail twisting in the wind.
Gwen took a plea deal and wished Xander well with Sarah, though she and Leo plotted to destroy Chad and Abigail’s happiness. But when Abigail was murdered, the friends accused each other of the crime! Ava reminded Gwen that she’d helped get her out of prison temporarily the night Abigail had been killed, but Gwen insisted she was innocent. When Kristen DiMera became Gwen’s new cellmate, she included her on the list of pardons that Orpheus blackmailed the governor into granting.
When Gwen became the prime suspect in Abigail’s murder, she turned in Leo but it was ultimately revealed that Clyde had killed her. After Jennifer Horton blackmailed her into keeping her drug use quiet, Gwen still told Jack. Gwen was struck by a hit-and-run driver and although it had been a drugged-up Jennifer, she promised not to tell the police. She began working for Jack at the paper and tried to continue turning over a new leaf, although she did help Xander out when he tried to cover up his involvement in Susan Banks and Bonnie Lockhart’s kidnappings, enlisting Leo for assistance. The truth soon came out, though, as it always does.
Stay tuned to DAYS as Gwen’s story continues to unfold!
