Reel Tears, Real Heartbreak: Susan Seaforth Hayes Navigates Unimaginable Grief On and Off the Set of ‘Days of Our Lives’

Imagine living through the most profound heartbreak of your life, the loss of your soulmate, and then having to portray that exact scenario for millions to see. Sounds like a plot twist from a dramatic TV show, right? Well, for Susan Seaforth Hayes, the iconic Julie Williams on NBC/Peacock’s “Days of Our Lives,”

this isn’t fiction – it’s her incredibly raw and poignant reality. Since the devastating loss of her real-life husband and on-screen love, Bill Hayes (the cherished Doug Williams), in January 2024 at the remarkable age of 98, Susan has been tasked with navigating Julie’s widowhood, a storyline mirroring her own painful journey.