Days of Our Lives’ James Reynolds Reveals Parkinson’s Diagnosis

Days of our Lives star James Reynolds (Abe Carver) revealed on Entertainment Tonight on November 10 that he has Parkinson’s disease — and that his diagnosis has been written into his Salem storyline.

James Reynolds

In a sitdown interview with Nischelle Turner, Reynolds shared that he first sensed something might be wrong when he experienced a tremor “that didn’t want to go away,” some balance issues and shortness of breath.

“I realize,” he said, “that I may have had this as long as 15 or 20 years ago, because you get what they call the hallucinations. My wife [Lissa] would say, ‘You were hitting me last night in bed,’ and I would say, ‘What?!’ I was having these really horrible dreams.”

And sometimes, he added, he would fall out of bed. “I realize that was an early symptom of Parkinson’s,” Reynolds said.

After receiving his diagnosis, Reynolds acknowledged, “I kept it quiet for quite a while.”

In time, he did share the news about his health with the cast and crew of DAYS, and the actor described his colleagues as “extraordinarily helpful and supportive” in response.

Reynolds’ real-life condition will be explored on DAYS when Abe receives a Parkinson’s diagnosis.

In recent weeks on the show, Abe has been experiencing troubling neurological symptoms, such as hand tremors, that led him to seek testing from Dr. Kayla Brady Johnson (Mary Beth Evans). And in the video promo teasing this week’s episodes, Abe and Kayla are shown together, heavy-hearted, with Abe telling Kayla that he will do something “when the time is right.”

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder that affects movement and develops when nerve cells in the brain that produce dopamine, a chemical messenger involved in controlling movement, become damaged or die.

Symptoms can include tremors, muscle stiffness, slowed movement and problems with balance and coordination, along with nonmotor symptoms such as sleep disturbances and changes in memory.

Although Parkinson’s disease currently has no cure, medications and other treatments can help manage symptoms and improve quality of life. The condition progresses differently from person to person.

Celebrities who have publicly disclosed their Parkinson’s diagnosis include Michael J. Fox, Alan Alda, Carly Simon and Neil Diamond.

Reynolds, who turned 80 in August, celebrated the 45th anniversary of his DAYS debut as Abe this past October 29. In 2018, he became the third Black actor to win the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor, and in 2025, he was inducted into the Daytime Emmys’ Silver circle, which honors performers with “distinguished service within the television industry, setting standards for achievement, mentoring, leadership, and professional accolades” for a minimum of 25 years.