Daytime audiences know Mary Beth Evans as Dr. Kayla Brady Johnson on Days of Our Lives. But recently, the actress hopped on over to a streaming series with a major DAYS connection. She guest-starred on Prime Video’s Countdown, a 13-episode thriller starring Jensen Ackles, who played Eric Brady (Kayla’s nephew) for three years in the late nineties.
From Daytime to Primetime
Countdown is an action-packed thriller about a task force that’s assembled after a Department of Homeland Security agent is murdered in Los Angeles in broad daylight. Eric Dane’s Nathan Blythe leads this highly specialized group that recruits undercover agents from various branches of law enforcement, including the LAPD, the FBI, and the DEA.
Evans can currently be seen in the hit action drama’s eighth episode, where she plays the mom of one of the series regulars, Violett Beane, aka Evan Shepherd, the task force’s tech expert (but don’t call her a hacker). While the two-time Daytime Emmy-winning actress is in one scene, it’s pivotal in helping establish another element of Shepherd’s backstory.
The DAYS actress recently shared her excitement over the role on Instagram. In addition to a screenshot of her brief guest appearance, she included the poster for the series. She wrote, “Quick scene, big thrill! I had such a great time filming a guest spot on the new Amazon Prime series Countdown (starring fellow #Days alum @jensenackles) — catch me in Episode 8! It’s a blink-and-you-might-miss-it moment, but I’m so excited to be part of this fun show. Let me know if you spot me! #PrimeVideo #CountdownOnPrime #GuestStar“
Ever since the material for the new DAYS head writing regime started airing in April, Kayla has been a steady presence. As chief of staff, she has been doing everything she can to keep the hospital afloat, and now she regularly has to stand up to EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel) and the severe budget cuts he has demanded since purchasing the hospital.
As for Evans, she is an actress who continues to be featured in different projects outside of DAYS. She’s one of the leads of the streaming soap opera, The Bay. She also guest-starred in the third season of Netflix’s hit legal drama, The Lincoln Lawyer. And in 2021, she appeared in the fourth season of ABC’s hit cop series The Rookie. The show stars another DAYS alum, Eric Winter (Rex).
In addition to starring in Countdown, Ackles executive produces the series. The Supernatural and Big Sky actor’s other projects include guest-starring as Justin Hartley’s older brother, Russell Shaw, on CBS’s Tracker. In fact, he’s currently on set filming another episode. He is reprising his role as Soldier Boy in the final season of Prime Video’s The Boys. In August, he starts shooting a spin-off in The Boys universe called Vought Rising.
