‘Days of Our Lives’: Deidre Hall Opens Up About Life on Set After Drake Hogestyn’s Death

Days of Our Lives star Deidre Hall has opened up about the passing of her co-star Drake Hogestyn and how she and her fellow castmates have been coping since he died September 28 at 70 years old.

Speaking to Access Hollywood about how life has changed on set, Hall said of her late co-star: "He loved being here, just loved it. And I miss that for him... I will sometimes just be sitting on the set and thinking, 'John is gone! Oh my gosh!'"

Hogestyn played John Black on Days of Our Lives, joining the cast in 1986. He quickly became a fan favorite, particularly for his on-screen romance with Hall, who has portrayed Marlena Evans on and off on the soap opera since 1976.

Cast and crew working on the soap have tried to focus on their work since Hogestyn's passing even though they miss him a lot. "Truly, we don't talk about it," said Hall. "There isn't even really as much as somebody walking by and putting their hand on you."

"We don't live there, you know. We're living in Salem," she continued, referring to the daytime drama's fictional setting.

Hall recalled her first chemistry test with Hogestyn and how she instantly knew he was the right man for the job. "When I screen-tested with him, I knew," she shared. "They called me upstairs and said, 'So there's seven actors here, what did you think? It was sort of, 'Oh, please say Drake.'"

Hogestyn died September 28, shortly after revealing his pancreatic cancer diagnosis. Hall said the news came as "a shock" to her and her fellow Days castmates, noting how "I think we've all talked about it privately."

"The resounding comment was, 'Not Drake!' Drake, I mean, the healthiest, most positive... and then there it was," she added. "I miss that he doesn't get to come to work. I miss that he doesn't get to play with us. [But there is] so much that I have stored up with him over the years."

Hogestyn's final Days episode aired on September 9, three weeks before his passing.

Speaking about the Days fans who are also grieving, Hall said, "We feel like they are a family" and encouraged them to "stick with us; we're always gonna be your family."