After a few years away from the Emmy submission process, Linsey Godfrey found herself back in the running for a 2023 Daytime Emmy nomination thanks to some powerful scenes as Sarah on Days of Our Lives. The actress last put herself up for consideration in 2019 when she earned a nod for her work as the determined investigator.
“I just got lazy to be honest,” Godfrey admits with a candid chuckle. But that all changed when she filmed an explosive confrontation between Sarah and Xander after he learned baby Victoria was actually his daughter. “I knew when we did them that they were special,” she shares.
Godfrey was determined to give the emotional moments their due, even amid a rushed taping day. Fortunately, the soap’s co-executive producer Janet Drucker carved out extra time over the lunch hour for Godfrey and scene partner Paul Telfer (Xander) to dive deep into the material.
“Those scenes meant so much to Paul and I,” Godfrey explains. “I wanted people to see what he was doing as well as what I was bringing to it.” So rather than compile a reel with multiple highlights across the year, she opted to “keep it as short as possible” and hone in on that powerful exchange.
The focused approach paid off with an Emmy nod in the Outstanding Lead Actress category. But Godfrey found equal delight in celebrating her co-star Emily O’Brien’s nomination for her work as Sarah’s romantic rival Gwen.
“I can’t even tell you how excited I was,” Godfrey gushed. “I’m such a huge fan of Emily’s as an actor and person. To have this fun connection where our characters vie for the same love interest and our stories overlap… that was the best part for me.”
The Days leading ladies are part of an overall impressive line-up of Salem nominees, including co-stars Tamara Braun (Ava), Wally Kurth (Justin) and Eric Martsolf (Brady). “I adore all of them,” Godfrey raved of her nominated castmates.
While Tamara provided input on which of Godfrey’s scenes to include, the actress stuck to her gut on keeping her submission tight and impactful. “There were one or two I wish I’d kept, but we are where we are,” she said pragmatically.
No matter the outcome on Emmy night, Godfrey is already reveling in the sweet surprise of her nomination. “I forget how fun this can be!” As for potentially taking home another trophy, she remains grounded: “I’ve already done it. I’m already at where I want to be.”
