Days Of Our Lives: Who Plays The Latest Philip & Why Is He Familiar To Soap Fans?

"Days of Our Lives" fans who are tuning into the Salem scandals during Season 59 are noticing something different, yet familiar, about one big-name character. Soap opera watchers are used to seeing multiple actors play one person, and to cite an example from this particular show, "Days of Our Lives" matriarch  Kate Roberts has undergone a few changes over the years. She was portrayed by Deborah Adair until Lauren Koslow started playing the character in 1996. That's also the case for Philip Kiriakis, who is now being played by John-Paul Lavoisier.

Soap Opera Digest broke the news that Lavoisier is returning to the show as Philip, the son of businessman Victor Kiriakis (played by the late John Aniston) and Kate Roberts. He returned to the role in August 2023 after playing Philip during much of 2015 and 2016. Since his first departure, the role had been filled by Jay Kenneth Johnson, who played the former Marine for much of the 2000s and 2020s.

Meanwhile, Lavoisier is probably best known to soap fans for his role as Rex Balsom on "One Life to Live," having played the character from 2002 until the show's cancellation in 2012. And now that he's back on "Days of Our Lives" as Philip, the actor was shocked to be asked to return and even more surprised at what Philip had been up to since he left.

Philip Kiriakis (Jay Kenneth Johnson) is facing tough times during "Days of Our Lives" Season 57, Episode 39, and things continue to go downhill for him as he tries to get a confession from Chloe Lane (Nadia Bjorlin) about her possible affair with Brady Black (Eric Martsolf) during Episode 50. The 2021 storyline later finds Philip faking his death with Brady set up as the main suspect in his demise. While reprising the role in 2020, Johnson told Soap Hub, "There's been a beginning, a middle, and now this. This is the third phase."

The soap opera is proving that there is even more drama for Philip to explore, with John-Paul Lavoisier stepping back into the role during Season 59, Episode 1, which unravels his deep, dark secret amid his return to Chloe. Upon learning about what his character's dastardly deeds, Lavoisier told Soap Opera Digest, "I was like, 'Oh my God. This is crazy ... This is unforgivable.' But as an actor you have to commit to this, you have to fall in love with it, and it's real."

Lavoisier wondered if he'd be asked to reprise his role after John Aniston died on November 11, 2022. However, he wasn't sure if he would get the chance. "I was incredibly shocked and flattered that I was being considered to be an employee of the show again, because the last time I was there they let me go. I kind of felt they had me there, they were done with me, the end," he said.