While he’s best known for his portrayal as Jason Morgan on “General Hospital,” Daytime Emmy Award winner Steve Burton actually made his daytime debut as Harris Michaels on “Days of our Lives” in 1988, and that’s who he’ll be playing when he appears in “Days of our Lives: Beyond Salem” (Chapter 2).
In an interview with SoapHub, the actor told the publication, “Joining ‘Beyond Salem’ — the limited digital series for the peacock — has been a lot of fun and very nostalgic.” He added, “I started my daytime career on ‘Days of our Lives’ in 1988 while on a hiatus from the sitcom I was doing called ‘Out of This World’ when I was a senior in high school. It’s been really cool to reprise the character I started with, Harris Michaels.
“Daytime is a small world, so I knew a lot of the cast and crew already and met some new peeps,” Burton continued. “Everyone has been so welcoming, and I am always grateful for new opportunities. Looking forward to the finished product. Stay tuned.”
In November 2021, Burton exited his role as Jason Morgan on “GH” after he was let go from the soap which had implemented a vaccine mandate. “I did apply for my medical and religious exemptions and both of those were denied, which, you know, hurts. But this is also about personal freedom to me,” said the actor at the time. “I don’t think anybody should lose their livelihood over this, but with that being said, you know me, I’ll always be grateful for my time at ‘General Hospital.’ I love it there. I grew up there. I grew up with some of you, so, I’ll always be grateful.”
The ABC drama series remains the only daytime drama to officially have a vaccine mandate for its cast and crew.
In addition to “DAYS” and “GH,” Burton has also starred in “General Hospital: Night Shift” and “The Young and the Restless.” He’s voiced numerous characters for video games, including the “Final Fantasy” and “Kingdom Hearts” series. He played Captain Russell Keys in the TV mini-series “Taken” in 2002 and played Captain Peretz in the film “The Last Castle” alongside stars Robert Redford and James Gandolfini. Mark Ruffalo also appeared in the film which was directed by Rod Lurie. In “Out of This World,” Burton played Chris Fuller the on-again and off-again love interest of Evie Ethel Garland (Maureen Flannigan).
On “Beyond Salem,” Burton joins a cast that includes returning veterans Kristian Alfonso and Peter Reckell, reprising their roles as Hope Williams Brady and Bo Brady, respectively. Also starring in the series are Deidre Hall as Dr. Marlena Evans, Drake Hogestyn as John Black, Stephen Nichols as Steve “Patch” Johnson, Mary Beth Evans as Kayla Brady Johnson, Lucas Adams as Tripp Johnson, Camila Banus as Gabi Hernandez, Victoria Konefal as Ciara Brady, Robert Scott Wilson as Ben Weston, and Remington Hoffman as Li Shin. Additional casting announcements will be made in the coming weeks and months ahead of the season premiere in July on Peacock.
In Chapter 2, fans can look forward to an epic, action-packed tale that spans the entire globe, from Monte Carlo to Hong Kong with beloved characters from “Days of our Lives” once again going “Beyond Salem” as they trade the comforts of home for an adventure of a lifetime! Over the course of five thrilling episodes, heartwarming family reunions take a dangerous turn as a mysterious adversary wreaks havoc on their lives. As they trade the comforts of home for an adventure of a lifetime, heartwarming family reunions take a dangerous turn as a mysterious adversary wreaks havoc on their lives. It all leads up to larger-than-life romances, jaw-dropping twists, and high-stakes drama – and it all connects back to a memorable plot that originated on “Days of our Lives” long ago.
A premium subscription for Peacock will be required to watch the all-new season. A paid subscription starts at $4.99 a month (with ads) or $9.99 a month (without ads*). The higher tier requires some advertising for select programming and the ability to watch select titles offline with download capability.
For more information on how to stream the series, or to register/subscribe, visit PeacockTV.com.
Check out an episode of “Out of This World” below.