For almost five decades, Deidre Hall has been a staple on Days of Our Lives, portraying the beloved Marlena Evans. A character known for her calm demeanor, intelligence, and grace, Marlena has become one of daytime TV’s most iconic figures. But when Hall reflects on her time in Salem, she admits there’s another character she enjoys playing even more than the steady and predictable Marlena: Hattie Adams, Marlena’s trash-talking, gum-spitting twin.

Hattie Adams, a character introduced as a more outrageous, devil-may-care version of Marlena, first appeared on the show in the early 2000s. Hattie was introduced as a wild, unpredictable woman who often clashed with Salem’s more restrained residents. Hall took over the role in 2004 after her sister Andrea Hall originally portrayed Hattie, and it wasn’t long before the character became a fan favorite. “I’ve played Marlena for so many years,” Hall explained in a recent interview on the Soapy Podcast, “and she’s so rigid, by the numbers, and predictable in a pleasant way. But getting to play Hattie is just… oh golly, you know, spitting gum on people, spilling things on people.”

The more she described Hattie’s character, the more Hall’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “Hattie just doesn’t care. She’s all over the place. And for me, that’s been a blast,” she said with a smile. While Marlena is predictable and often the voice of reason, Hattie brings chaos and laughter into the mix, which Hall relishes.

But one of Hattie’s most infamous moments came in a scene from 2004 that fans will never forget: she spat gum in Bo Brady’s (played by Peter Reckell) face. The moment has gone down in Days history as one of the most shocking, and it was completely unscripted.

In the interview, Hall recalled the scene fondly, saying, “There was no rehearsal for it. I said to Peter, ‘You know, it’s Hattie. We can’t predict her.’” Reckell was not expecting anything out of the ordinary when they rolled the cameras. Hall continued, “He told me, ‘Don’t be cute.’ But with Hattie, you just can’t predict what she’s going to do. So, we rolled tape, and I thought, ‘Yeah, alright.’”

As the scene unfolded, Hattie, clad in leather and wearing a choker, confidently reintroduced herself to Bo, who was shocked by her appearance. When Bo demands, “Who the hell is this?” Hattie boldly replies, “I got a tongue in my head! Ask me… I’m Hattie Adams. Who the hell are you?” The moment is filled with sass, and when another character points out Hattie’s resemblance to Marlena, Hattie fires back, “Don’t insult me! I’m younger, I’m thinner, my blonde didn’t come out of a bottle.”

But then came the unforgettable moment—Hattie spits her gum directly onto Bo’s forehead. Hall laughed as she remembered it, “That was a hard moment, but we all kept it together. No one broke character.” The scene became an instant classic, and even now, Hall and Reckell laugh about it whenever they talk.

Deidre Hall even revisited the scene recently, sharing a clip on her Facebook page with the caption: “Funny Friday!! Reckell and I STILL howl over the gum moment. Heroic that nobody broke!!” She explained how, even years later, they still find the moment funny.

For Hall, playing Hattie has allowed her to explore her comedic side. While Marlena is known for being calm and collected, Hattie is a free spirit who never hesitates to speak her mind and create chaos in Salem. Hall reflected, “I adore comedy. I get very few chances to do any. But playing Hattie has been my chance to let loose and have fun.”

Though Hall is best known for her role as Marlena Evans, she’s had an impressive acting career beyond Days of Our Lives. She’s appeared on shows like Murder, She Wrote, Columbo, and more recently, she played a slightly fictionalized version of herself on Hacks, where she showcased her comedic talent. “The offer was just: ‘Would you come and play the legendary Deidre Hall?’ And I thought, ‘Oh, that’s hilarious,’” she said about her role on Hacks.

As long as Hattie continues to raise hell in Salem, Hall will have plenty of opportunities to flex her comedic muscles, much to the delight of Days fans. And while Marlena will always be the face of Hall’s iconic career, Hattie gives her a chance to dive into the unpredictable, hilarious moments that make Hattie Adams one of daytime television’s most memorable characters.

Will Hattie’s next outrageous moment top the gum-spitting scene? Fans can’t wait to see what she’ll do next!