Days of Our Lives‘ Stacy Haiduk gave Emmy-worthy work in August. Soap Hub‘s Rachelle Lewis singled her out for her performances as Kristen DiMera the week of August 18. The actress continued to shine on Monday, August 25, as well.

The Mother of All Sacrifices

Kristen (Stacy Haiduk) felt forced into a corner thanks to her brother EJ (Dan Feuerriegel). He didn’t want Johnny (Carson Boatman) to go to jail, and he would do whatever it took to save his son. In this case, he dropped it all on Kristen’s lap. Rachel (Alice Halsey) was the one who shot EJ, and now Kristen needed to figure out how to keep Johnny out of prison.

Haiduk had to play a wide range of situations. This included despair over her daughter being the one to shoot EJ. She was also frantic as she contemplated EJ’s demand that she figure out a way to free Johnny, but also keep the target off of Rachel’s back.

Haiduk was wonderful in her scenes with DAYS’ April 2025 Performer of the Month, Dan Feuerriegel. Thanks to EJ, Kristen was in a precarious position. The actress played every emotional beat with perfection. And she would continue to do so as the drama reached the courtroom and the jail.

READ THIS: Here’s who earned DAYS’ July 2025 Performer of the Month honors.

Chaos and Despair

Shortly before the verdict in Johnny’s trial, Kristen rushed into the courtroom and dramatically confessed to the crime. Little did she know that if she had just waited two more seconds, the jury would render a not-guilty verdict and Johnny would be free.

Unfortunately for Kristen, that scenario didn’t happen. Instead, DAYS fans were treated to powerhouse scenes where Haiduk had to plead with the judge to hear her out in front of the entire courtroom. Later, she had to make the judge and Belle (Martha Madison) believe she was telling the truth. The multiple Daytime Emmy nominee pulled out all the stops.

Kristen knew she was in for an uphill battle. After all, her earlier testimony would now be seen as perjury. For once, however, the long-time villain did something selfless. And even though we know Kristen’s sordid history, she had us almost feeling bad for her.

Haiduk did that, especially in Kristen’s scenes with Marlena (Deidre Hall). When she asked Marlena to take care of Rachel for her, that might have gotten to us (a little).

Jailhouse Blues

Finally, Kristen faced Brady (Eric Martsolf) while locked up behind bars. Brady obviously tore into her. He didn’t know that his daughter was EJ’s shooter. EJ, Kristen, and Marlena are keeping that from him.

Needless to say, Brady couldn’t believe Kristen was selfish enough to let their daughter suffer and take the stand, not to mention let Johnny experience the trauma of this courtroom battle.

Brady called her heartless and a monster, even labeling her a “terrible mother.” You could tell Kristen wanted to tell Brady the truth, but she held back. She kept it to herself.

And then after Brady left, she broke down in tears. She knew that even though she was keeping her daughter out of trouble, she would still suffer knowing that her mother would go to prison…again.

Haiduk conveyed every ounce of desperation Kristen must have felt over making the biggest sacrifice of her life. In August, she also managed to show the comedic side of herself when she joyfully played Susan Banks. What can’t Haiduk do?