| Gwen Rizczech | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||||||||
| Days of Our Lives | |||||||||||||||||||
| Portrayed by | Emily O'Brien | ||||||||||||||||||
| Current status | Present; Contract | ||||||||||||||||||
| Duration | 2020–present | ||||||||||||||||||
| First appearance | June 5, 2020 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Created by | Ron Carlivati | ||||||||||||||||||
| Introduced by | Ken Corday, Greg Meng and Albert Alarr | ||||||||||||||||||
| Profile | |||||||||||||||||||
| Fullname | Gwendolyn Rizczech | ||||||||||||||||||
| Nickname(s) | Gwen Gabi 2.0 (by Abigail) Gwennie (by Tiffany) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Alias(es) | Gwendolyn Deveraux | ||||||||||||||||||
| Gender | Female | ||||||||||||||||||
| Residence | Salem Inn Salem, Illinois | ||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
Gwendolyn "Gwen" Rizczech is a character from the soap opera Days of Our Lives, portrayed by Emily O'Brien.
Casting and Characterization
In February 2020, Emily O'Brien was seen among a cast photo, leading to speculation that she would be joining Days of our Lives. Because O'Brien is British, fans speculated she may be a recast of Greta Von Amberg (last played by Julianne Morris) since Hope Brady (Kristian Alfonso) had been brainwashed to believe she was Gina Von Amberg.
In April 2020, Brandon Barash (ex Stefan DiMera) returned to the show as a new character named Jake Lambert. Jake alluded to a "crazy ex", and spoilers confirmed that O'Brien would be playing Jake's ex called Gwen. Further spoilers indicated that Gwen would be in Bayview Sanitarium, and first appear June 5, 2020 as a friend of of Claire Brady (Olivia Rose Keegan).
In September 2020. it was announced that O'Brien had been upped to contract status with the show.
Background
Gwen and Jake Lambert were lovers during his time in Philadelphia. Gwen is close friends with Claire Brady and became good friends with Chad DiMera after she learned they share a mutual hatred towards Gabi Hernandez. However, it's later revealed that she's behind Chad's wife, Abigail Deveraux's drugging in early 2020.
In January 2021, It's revealed that Gwen is Jack Deveraux's long lost daughter with Tiffany Rizczech, and she despises him for supposedly abandoning her as an infant, which is why she despises her younger sister, Abigail for getting all the attention that should have been hers. However, Jack claims he doesn't remember her mother. However, it is later confirmed that Jack didn't about her or her mother, because Jack's mother in-law, Laura Horton was the one who was paying Tiffany to stay away in order to preserve her daughter Jennifer's marriage to Jack.
Despite her life long burning hatred for her father and his family, she still desires to be connected to her father and be loved by him.
Storylines
On June 5 2020; Gwen visited Claire in her room, and asked why she wasn't in the recovery room. Claire said that if she had to play one more game of bingo, she would go crazy. Gwen told Claire they all missed her singing, but Claire thinks she is just saying that. Claire got up, and Gwen sat on her bed. They talked about the other patients, and Gwen casually scratched ear as she noted that everyone there was whack job, except for them, which Claire laughed at in in agreement.
Gwen noticed Claire holding something, and asked what she had. Claire tried to hide it, but Gwen snatched it and asked who the people in the photo were. Claire said that the guy was Ben Weston and the woman was Ciara Brady, her dad's little sister. Gwen notes that Ciara would be Claire's aunt, and Claire says she never calls her that since they are practically the same age. Claire said Ciara was her best friend till they had a falling out, and Gwen quickie realized Ciara was the one that Claire had mentioned she had tried to kill in group therapy.
Gwen inquired about Ciara still inviting Claire to her wedding, and Claire said she took the picture with the invitation on the back from her shrink's office because he was Ben's old shrink, and got invited to the wedding. Gwen asked Claire if she is going to crash the wedding, but Claire said she wants to be in the wedding as a bridesmaid or maid of honor. Claire believed she was getting out soon because of her grandmother Marlena Evans, who has a lot of clout and will believe Claire is sane.
Gwen stared inquisitively at Claire with a sneaky smile, and asks Claire if she really wanted to reconcile with Ciara, or finish her off. When Claire just stared at Gwen in shock, Gwen sing songs that Claire never answered her question, Claire yelled that she was offended that Gwen would think that and proclaims she has changed and is no longer that person. Gwen said that everyone says that, and then ended up back in Bayview. She finally decides to believe Claire and wished her well. They shake hands as Claire said that means a lot, and then pulls Gwen into a hug.
Gwen continued to be inquisitive about Claire's plans, and Claire openly told Gwen she regretted telling her. Gwen also told Claire that she didn't belong in there. Claire sarcastically asked where she had heard that before, and them "remembered" that everyone has said that. Gwen smiles that she faked a breakdown, and Claire laughs that that's a crazy thing to to. Gwen admits she was hiding, and Claire asks who she was hiding from. Gwen said she was hiding from her ex, and she stole his stuff when they broke up. Claire and Gwen make a pinky promise not to tell anyone their secrets, and Gwen asks Claire to remember when she is on the outside.
After Claire is released, she later tells Jake where to find Gwen, but Gwen gets word and leaves the institution before Marlena and Ben Weston can speak with her. She tracks Claire down at her grandparents, who is worried by Gwen's sudden presence since her grandpa John Black was just in the next room, making her tea. Gwen knew Claire had broken their promise and was eager to confront her about it. Claire pulled Gwen aside and told her to wait in her room.
Once they were in Claire's room, Gwen accused Claire of betraying their deal. Claire went to deny it, but Gwen told her not to, so Claire admitted she did, but she didn't have any other choice. Claire told Gwen that someone's life was in danger because of what Gwen took from Jake. The man that jake had worked for had wanted it back. Gwen asked if Claire had anything to eat since she was starving, so Claire gave her a package of candy. Gwen showed Claire what the guys were after. It was first edition copy of the book "Crime and Punishment".
Claire told Gwen they have to go to their grandparents, saying her grandfather worked for the ISA and was the closet thing Salem had to a real life James Bond. Gwen smiles that now she sees where Claire gets it from. Gwen tells Claire that she'll be gone but the time she gets back, and contemplates selling the valuable book for money, but she agrees to do the right thing.
Claire presents Gwen to John and Marlena, who are furious with Claire for lying to them again. Gwen asks them not to be too hard on Claire since she convinced her to do the right thing, and also showed up unexpectedly. Gwen is allowed to stay the night by John and Marlena.
Gwen manipulates Jake into admitting their break up was all his fault before handing him the book. Gwen continued to spar with Gabi and be a friend to Claire as she sought reconciliation with Ciara, but was then accused of wrecking her wedding dress, stealing the ring, and making her ill. Gwen asked if Claire really did all those things, but Claire swore she didn't.
Gabi was convinced that Jake was her deceased husband Stefan DiMera, bht Gwen refused to believe it. Gwen seduced Jake and they slept together. Gwen also became friends with Chad DiMera, who hated Gabi as much as she did. Gwen was thrilled to learn that Jake wasn't Stefan, but he was also his twin, giving him a claim to the DiMera fortune.
Gwen and Jake moved into the mansion and she formed a secret alliance with Chad to undermine Gabi's efforts to claim control of DiMera Enterprises. Jake and Gabi continued to get close, which infuriated Gwen. Chad's wife Abigail DiMera returned to Salem and Gwen used their mutual hatred of Gabi to bond with her.
Jake slept with Gabi and broke up with Gwen, but then Gabi left town abruptly after telling Jake she was just using him. Gwen smugly thought she could get Jake to take her back after making him beg, but Jake told Gwen that they were over regardless.
It was revealed that Gwen had been the one who drugged Abigail and was in league with Dr. Wilhelm Rolf. Rolf cautioned Gwen about drugging Abigail some more since the believed culprit Gabi had left town. Instead, Rolf encouraged Gwen to target Abigail in other ways.
Gwen found out that Abigail's father Jack Deveraux and Kate Roberts had slept together while Abigail's mother Jennifer Horton was in a coma. Gwen got Abigail drunk and tricked her into exposing the affair in public. Gwen was furious when Jack forgave Abigail soon after.
Knowing Chad was jealous of Jake, Gwen used this jealousy to make Chad think Abigail was having an affair with Jake. This all came to ahead on New Years Eve where a drunk Chad presumably slept with Gwen. Gwen initially used it to blackmail Chad to stay in the mansion, but told Abigail soon after and moved into the Salem Inn since her leverage was gone.
Jack and Jennifer confronted Gwen about her desire to destroy their family, and Gwen revealed that she was Jack's daughter with Tiffany Riczchech. Jack was stunned and didn't remember Tiffany. Gwen claimed that Tiffany tracked Jack down in Salem, and he had his secretary pay her mother off to go away.
Gwen encountered Abigail in the square where she accused Gwen of drugging her, saying that Rolf confessed everything to Chad. Gwen laughed that no one would believe Rolf as a creditable witness. Gwen said there was no proof, so Abigail couldn't do anything. Abigail said there was one thing she could do, and Gwen smirkingly asked what it was. Abigail then slapped Gwen and gave her a red eye.
Gwen used make up to make the red eye look like a black eye, so she could have Abigail charged with assault. A DNA test confirmed that Gwen was Jack's daughter. Jack wanted Gwen to leave Abigail and offered to pay her off, resulting in Gwen smacking him and storming off. Chad paid Gwen a visit and wiped the make up off of Gwen's eye, exposing her lie.
Abigail soon joined them and confirmed Jack didn't know she existed, saying someone else paid off her mother without telling Jack. Gwen vowed to kill whoever it was, but Abigail refused to tell her for that reason. Jack later visited Gwen and apologized, saying he now knew the whole truth and confirmed it was Laura Horton. Jack said he would like to make it up to Gwen, and asked her to leave Abigail alone. Gwen said she would consider it.
Laura went to visit Gwen to apologize and explain everything. Laura said she lied to spare Jennifer's feelings because she already had hurt her. Gwen pushed a reluctant Laura to admit what she did that hurt Jennifer, and Laura admitted that she had slept with Jack. Gwen burst into laughter, and realized if that hadn't happened, then she may have told Jack about her.
Gwen lamented that she and Abigail could have maybe been close, and Laura encouraged her to reach out to Abigail, but Gwen said it was too late, and that Abigail would never want to be her sister after all she did to hurt her. Laura went to leave, but Gwen grabbed her arm and said she wanted Laura to pay for ruining her life.
Laura ended up dead with what appeared to blunt force trauma, and Gwen called Jack to her room. Gwen swore it was an accident and that she never intended to hurt Laura. Jack said he believed Gwen, but refused to cover it up. He called Rafe Hernandez and left to tell Jennifer about Laura's while Rafe took Gwen to the station for questioning. Gwen thanked Jack for believing her and being there for her.
