Victoria Konefal on DAYS Return, ‘Incredible’ Scenes with Peter Reckell (Exclusive)

Victoria Konefal returns to Days of Our Lives as Ciara to comfort her mother, Hope, as the pair sit by the dying Bo’s bedside and prepare themselves for the worst. The actress, who joined the soap as the famed supercouple’s daughter back in 2017 and has come and gone ever since, spoke to Soap Opera Digest about the tearjerker storyline, how honored she was to be part of it and what it was like to finally be in scenes opposite her TV dad, Peter Reckell (Bo).

Soap Opera Digest: What has it been like being back at DAYS for this story arc?

Victoria Konefal: There are a lot of friendly faces at DAYS, so it’s always good to go back on the set, particularly for this story. I’ve always kind of missed [Peter Reckell], whenever I would film. We would have scenes together, but never actually together. We would either use his stunt double to be his angel or when he was in a coma. So it was incredible just to meet him and be around him, [even though] Bo was unconscious the first time I worked with him.

Digest: You do get to have actual scenes with Peter Reckell this time around. What can you share about finally getting to work with him?

Konefal: I mean, it was incredible. Bo is a legendary character on the show, and Bo and Ciara’s relationship was always so important. I never got to experience that as Ciara. I know the other Ciaras did, but I never got to. So it felt legendary.

Digest: Was it easy to connect with Peter? Did you feel an instant rapport?

Konefal: We connected years ago when we first met [behind the scenes], so picking back up wasn’t difficult at all. He’s an incredible actor, and it was very easy to create chemistry with him. I’m excited for the fans, because this is something that’s been a long time coming for them as well, and they definitely deserve a sweet father-daughter reunion.

Digest: Did you fall back into character easily as Ciara?

Konefal: Absolutely. It was like not a day had gone by. I was that character for so long. She’s definitely a part of me, so it’s easy for me to access her.

Digest: What can you share about your emotional first scenes with Kristian Alfonso (Hope), where Ciara entered Bo’s hospital room knowing that he’s dying?

Konefal: Working with Kristian is always a pleasure. She and I love each other very much. It’s not hard to emote when I’m looking at a sad Kristian. It makes it very easy for the waterworks to turn on. Her range is very tangible, and she sets the tone for the room. I kind of just follow her lead, and it’s heartbreaking to watch her. She is incredible, and it’s a sweet mother-daughter bond. Hope and Ciara are so close. They’re both so strong and they’re trying to stay strong, but they’re both really vulnerable and breaking at the same time. Only they really know that about each other. They can speak without words. That’s how close they are. I think it’s really beautiful. It’s vulnerability and strength at the same time.

Digest: Hope leaves Ciara alone with her dad, and Ciara recalls moments from her life. What’s going through her head at that point?

Konefal: What’s going through her head is not to get her hopes up, because every time she does, she gets let down. She’s also praying with as much hope as she can that this time her father does wake up, but she doesn’t want to get hurt again.

Digest: Where does Ciara draw her strength to get through this?

Konefal: Ciara is a mother now. So she’s a lot stronger than when she was a teenager, because she’s not only being strong for herself, but she’s being strong for her family and her children. Being a mother has instilled this new dynamic in her where she just wants to keep her kids and her family safe. I think that’s what Ciara is holding onto. She is hoping for the best, but not getting her hopes up in case she gets let down.

Digest: Things take a dramatic turn when the alarms go off on the machines monitoring Bo. Is this a heightened moment for Ciara where she’s feeling it could be the end for her father?

Konefal: It’s definitely a dramatic moment. Hospital alarms are scary. Being a resident of Salem she’s been in the hospital many times for many different occasions, and it’s never good when the alarms go off. So she’s definitely traumatized.

Digest: Trauma usually leads to tears. How easy or hard was it for you as an actress to evoke them in this scene?

Konefal: Tears come very easily to me. I’ve always been lucky. I’m a very empathetic person, and I really feel for my characters. So it’s easy for me to emote. Also with this scene in particular, I lost my father in real life. It was easy for me to draw from my own pain and my own experiences and bring it to life on the show and through Ciara.

Digest: The doctor stabilizes Bo, yet Ciara feels the end is near, until Hope and Shawn arrive with the miracle drug that could save him. Does Ciara have renewed hope?

Konefal: What Ciara’s feeling when she sees [Hope and Shawn arrive] is relief. They are her family. They’re her rock. Shawn and Hope are Ciara’s touchstone in a way. Seeing them and seeing their drive to save Bo makes Ciara feel stronger. But she’s also confused, because they come in and they’re yelling. It’s a chaotic mess, and she kind of reverts back to a little girl for a second, her inner child. Her big brother and her mom come in and are going to save the day, and she kind of feels helpless. She takes a step back and lets them take the lead and take control.

Digest: The doctor administers the drug to Bo, and Ciara, Hope and Shawn rally together as a family and pray for Bo. How powerful and special were those scenes?

Konefal: They were incredible. I love both Brandon [Beemer, who plays Shawn] and Kristian dearly, so they already feel like family. It just felt like a strong familial unit, and the love in the air… You could cut it with a knife. It was really beautiful to work with my Brady family.

Daddy’s Girl: Konefal shares emotional scenes with Peter Reckell (Bo) during her most recent Salem stint.