Olivia Rose Keegan talks 2020 Emmy win for ‘Days of Our Lives’ (Includes interview) (2024)

Keegan took home the 2020 Daytime Emmy Award for “Outstanding Younger Performer in a Drama Series” for her portrayal of Claire Brady in Days of Our Lives on NBC. “Oddly enough, even over a month after the virtual ceremony, it hasn’t fully registered,” she said. “It takes a few minutes of actually reflecting on how and why it happened. When it does register, it’s a lovely feeling.”

“I was honored to be among the nominees in that category this year. When I saw their reels, each one of them gave me chills,” she said.

She is drawn to her character, Claire, for a variety of reasons. “I love her passion and her wholeheartedness,” she said. “Whatever she does, she goes for it full-throttle without holding back, and a lot of the times, it comes off as obsessiveness but she is stubbornly committed to everything she does. She has a great heart at the bottom of it, she doesn’t know how to love things and people the right way.”

When asked how she handles being dialogue-heavy on the show, she said, “Daytime television is the best boot camp training in the world. After you come out of that world, you can literally handle anything. It’s a sink or swim type of situation.”

She praised her onscreen acting partner, Victoria Konefal, who plays her aunt Ciara Brady. “Working with Victoria is the best. Getting to work with your best friend feels almost unfair at times. It’s the most magical, blessed feeling in the world. Victoria is just a godsend.”

On being an actress in the digital age, she said, “That’s the way that everything has been going for a while. I think it’s cool, the bar is constantly getting higher since there is an overload of content that is released on all the art streaming services. Anybody can make anything and put it out there. It’s exciting that the bar is rising for people.”

For young and aspiring actors, she said, “If it’s what you really want to do, then do it. Go for it and pour your heart into it. Be prepared for rejection since this business is 99.9 percent rejection, but it makes it even more rewarding when it actually happens. If you are in it for the right reasons, then you will love the journey as well.”

Keegan had nothing but kind words for her acting teacher and coach, Lauren Patrice Nadler of Lauren Patrice Nadler Studios. “Lauren has helped me so much. I owe so much of my Emmy to her. I worked with her on a lot of scenes that I submitted in my Emmy reel. She has transformed my acting and she has improved my life in so many ways, and provided me with an amazing community of friends. She has the ability to attract such talented people, inside and out, to her studio. I feel so lucky to have found her. I can’t say enough beautiful things about her,” she said.

On the title of the current chapter of her life, she said, “Quarantine day 100 and something watching Outlander on Netflix.”

Aside from being an actress, she is also a singer. She listed Robert Plant, Paul McCartney, and the late Jeff Buckley as her dream duet choices in music. “It would be crazy to get in the studio with the rock gods,” she said. “I also like Bruno Major’s music, it is great and very soothing. I really love him.”

Keegan, enjoyed being a part of the Star Image Entertainment fan event last year in Montreal, Canada, which raises funds for Cedars CanSupport. “That was so fun. Penny MacGregor, the showrunner, is the best. I love Penny, she’s an amazing woman. Not only was it for a good cause, but she made the experience so smooth. Penny is doing necessary, amazing things with Cedars CanSupport,” she said.

She also complimented Brad Everett Young and his Dream Loud campaign, which helps promote art and music programs in schools. “That was very fun getting a chance to shoot with him,” she said. “Brad is a really talented photographer.”

Keegan defined the word success as “happiness.” “Whatever that is, go for it,” she said. “Don’t tie success to any material things because that will get you down. Success is a feeling of contentment and being proud of yourself. You are successful just for going on a journey of something that you want to do. You don’t need to get to that No. 1 spot, since sometimes that’s not the right goal and it won’t give you the happiness that you think it will. Going there in the first place is success in itself.”

“Thank you so much for giving me a job that has never felt like a job. I can’t wait to share more cool projects with you guys,” she told her dedicated fans.

For more information on Olivia Rose Keegan, check out her IMDb page, and follow her on Instagram and on Twitter.