Days of our Lives has been telling surprise paternity puzzles for decades. Soap Hub asked Paul Telfer, who plays Xander, and Linsey Godfrey, who plays Sarah, to weigh in on a recent one at the Day of DAYS fan event.
Paul Telfer: Father, May I?
Fans were shocked to learn that Victor (John Aniston) supposedly had a romantic dalliance with the late Anjelica (Jane Elliot), resulting in Alexander’s (Robert Scott Wilson) birth. Needless to say, Justin (Wally Kurth), Alex’s presumed father, was devastated. However, veteran viewers were left scratching their heads as to how this could have happened, as Victor and Anjelica were never shown being intimate.
There’s already speculation on the Web, seemingly confirmed by the Winter Extended Promo, that Xander — not the similarly spelled Alexander (hmmm) — is actually Victor’s offspring. “We used to speculate [on plot twists] a lot more about what may happen,” Telfer tells Soap Hub. “You learn to stop that. You’re not [always] going to get what you want.”
A Twist In Time
That said, Telfer wouldn’t mind at all if the writers eventually reveal that Victor is his TV dad. “I always hoped that [Victor would be Xander’s father],” the actor adds. “But even if that happens, it could all change again. All I hope is that the spirit of Victor is kept alive very much the way Joe’s [Mascolo, ex-Stefano] is. “
Like the rest of the DAYS cast that attended the annual event known as Day of DAYS in downtown Los Angeles, Telfer and Godfrey spent half of the day on the plaza at L.A. Live meeting fans and the other half doing press. They say that fans happily share how Xander and Sarah’s love story has touched them. “Oh, I did my job,” Godfrey says as to what her reaction is to hearing positive feedback. “You got what I was trying to do.” Adds Telfer: “That’s what we’re hoping for.”
Paul Telfer and Linsey Godfrey: “V” for Victoria
Xander and Chloe (Nadia Bjorlin) recently called it quits, potentially paving the way for a #Xarah reunion. In fact, many fans think that Sarah and Xander are each other’s OTP (One True Pairing). “We’re friends,” Godfrey says of Sarah and Xander. “They raised a child together [actually, Kristen’s daughter Rachel — one of those baby switches!]. Then, they mourned her loss. Xander did twice. There’s a trust between them, and they continue to be friends.”
Along the way, Xander’s lies and actions have resulted in Sarah being hurt on more than one occasion, but he never means for that to happen. “They do love each other,” Telfer says. Naming their daughter Victoria helps fuel the speculation that Xander is indeed Victor’s true son.
Social Media Savvy
In the meantime, Telfer continues to keep his finger on the pulse of what’s going on in Xander’s world. Whether he’s giving Soap Hub a shoutout for being named our Performer of the Week or posting one of his “Today’s Theme Tune” tweets, Telfer remains engaged on social media with wit and charm.
“A lot of that is a survival mechanism,” the actor suggests. “This is a version of Paul that I get to show you. We’re having fun. Let’s all be nice. It’s very simple. I’m never going to defend Xander’s [more outrageous] actions. That allows me to join in on the fun.”