As Nicole and Eric Say Au Revoir, Days of Our Lives’ Arianne Zucker Sends a Poignant Message
Credit: Howard Wise/JPI (3), Paul Skipper/JPI, Aaron Montgomery/JPI
Ahead of Days of Our Lives “Ericole” exits, Arianne Zucker reached out via social media with a heartfelt message for fans. “I loved my job. I loved my friends. I loved my co-workers, but most of all,” she said, “I love all of you.
“When someone says you are irreplaceable… maybe, but the heart of an individual is not,” she adds. “I gave all my heart and always will. I could never have had this job unless I had all of you. From the bottom of my heart and beyond, I can’t thank you enough for loving to hate Nicole and for loving her again as she changed in life with all of you.”
The actress joined Days of Our Lives in 1998 and was front and center from that moment on, as troublemaking Nicole tore through love interests almost as quickly as she did schemes (that inevitably blew up in her face). It was during her run on the show that she met former husband Kyle Lowder (first Brady and later Rex), with whom she has a daughter Isabella. Believe it or not, she’ll be 15 years old in December. Following the couple’s split, Zucker fell for another leading man, Shawn Christian (ex-Daniel), to whom she is now engaged.
In 2024, the longtime Days of Our Lives cast member filed a wrongful-termination lawsuit against the soap, executive producer Ken Corday and Corday Productions as well as former EP Albert Alarr, whom she alleges “sexually harassed, violated and degraded” her and other female co-stars. The case is still pending, with the show maintaining that Zucker was not dismissed in retaliation for her speaking out against Alarr. “Corday Productions offered to renew Ms. Zucker’s contract including offering her a pay increase,” the Peacock drama’s statement read. “Rejecting Ms. Zucker’s counteroffer does not constitute retaliation.”
In closing her farewell to her fans, the five-time Emmy nominee said, “Thank you for being a part of my journey. This is an adventure that will live with me forever. Thank you for standing up for what is right. Thank you for standing by me. Thank you for acknowledging what this industry so easily takes advantage of. I will forever stand for you. I love you!”
