Paul Telfer. Photo Courtesy of Bjoern Kommerell
Emmy-nominated actor Paul Telfer of the Peacock daytime drama series “Days of Our Lives” chatted about his latest endeavors.
Originally from Scotland, Telfer is known for his portrayal of Xander Kiriakis on “Days of Our Lives.”
Xander: A character with Greek roots
On playing a character that has Greek roots, Telfer said with a sweet laugh, “I always bring it up whenever I go to a Greek restaurant. Obviously, Xander has strong Greek and Scottish features, which is a very unusual combination especially because I don’t have a Greek or Scottish accent anymore, but I love it.”
“I very much hope that someday we can film scenes in Greece or at the very least a Greek greenscreen so we can get some nice sunshine. I think Xander spends enough time in motels. It would be fun to find an excuse to go back there for sure,” he said.
Xander and Chloe storyline on the show
On being a part of the latest Xander and Chloe (Nadia Bjorlin) storyline, he said, “It has been fantastic. I’ve known her for a while but I’ve never had scenes with her. Xander and Chloe have had thrashing interactions, and they hadn’t really interacted up until that point.”
“The first romance that Xander had was with Sarah (Linsey Godfrey),” he admitted. “With Sarah, he was trying so desperately to force it to happen. The same with Gwen (Emily O’Brien). With Chloe, they gravitate towards each other, so it feels completely different, especially story-wise.”
“I’ve been on the show almost 10 years now, and Nadia has been on the show for a couple of decades. Most of my romantic interactions were with ladies that have been on the show less than I have,” he said.
“To actually get to work with a veteran on the show such as Nadia has been really cool, so it has been fun to work with her each day,” he admitted.
Paul Telfer: The 2020 Emmy nominee
In 2020, he earned an Emmy nomination for “Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series” for playing Xander. “Obviously, that was very nice,” he admitted. “That was the first time that I ever submitted.”
“To be fair, I didn’t get the Emmy experience that year because it was all virtual via Zoom,” he said. “It was nice to be nominated and everything beyond that feels like a bonus. I didn’t feel any sense of loss, I felt like I won the nomination so that was nice.”
“We will see, I might submit again next year, and give it another chance,” he foreshadowed.
Remembering the late John Aniston
Telfer paid a moving homage to the late but great John Aniston, who played the legendary Victor Kiriakis on the show. “There is such a big hole in the show without him, especially in my little corner,” he said.
“As much as our characters Xander and Victor were estranged, John was such a huge part of the characterization of Xander, who is so dependent on his relationship to Victor,” Telfer explained.
“John was a very strong, funny, and caring presence whenever he was on set. John enjoyed the privilege of getting to act for a living. He was a superb actor and a consummate professional,” he added.
In-person fan events
On September 3, he will be a part of a “Bad Boys” Star Image Entertainment fan event in Montreal, Canada, along with his “Days of Our Lives” co-star Remington Hoffman. “Remington is a great guy and I can’t wait to go to Canada with him,” he said. “I haven’t been to Montreal since 2009 so I am looking forward to going up there and meeting the fans, especially since I’ve met most of them only via Zoom.”
Later in the year, on December 9, Telfer will be a part of another fan event, a “Christmas Tour” along with fellow actors Eric Martsolf and Robert Scott Wilson in Asheville, North Carolina. “That event involves a wine tasting,” he said with a sweet laugh. “They didn’t have to bend my arm to say ‘yes’ to that.”
Success
On his definition of success, Telfer said, “Success has changed a lot over the years. Now, my definition is to be happy and free from worry about the future or career-wise. Having a bit of confidence, and being able to take care of myself and the people that I care about.”
“Success is being happy in what you are doing,” he concluded.
To learn more about Scottish actor Paul Telfer, follow him on Instagram.