Suzanne Rogers, who plays Maggie Simmons on Days of Our Lives, revealed that she’d initially auditioned for The Young and the Restless. She also shared that she’d never watched a soap opera before her auditions and had planned a meeting for a different show. It led her to a seven-year contract in Salem.

Suzanne Rogers looks back on The Young and the Restless casting rejection

Suzanne Rogers revealed in an interview with TV Insider that The Young and the Restless considered her for a role before the show even aired. She flew to Los Angeles and met producer John Conboy. He told her that the part called for a certain look. She revealed, “The first thing he said to me was, ‘Where’s your blonde hair?’ And I said, ‘I’ve never been a blonde.’ And he said, ‘Well, in the main story, all the girls are blonde.’”

That meeting did not pan out; however, it opened the door for something else. The casting director on the set sent her audition tape to the Days of Our Lives producer. Soon, she was invited for a screen test, and it ended up making a strong impression.

“I was one of eight women that read for two of the executives at NBC and Betty and John Clarke (Mickey Horton),” Rogers shared. “And John started to cry. We were doing a sad scene, but it was the very first time that Maggie appeared, and whether it was because I was on crutches or whether it was just the scene, I don’t know, but they thanked me and I left.”

Continuing, she added, “As I was driving out of the lot, this car pulled up beside me, and it was John. He motioned for me to roll my window down, and he said, ‘You just knocked me out.’ And I said, ‘Oh, my goodness. Well, thank you very much.’”

After The Young and the Restless turned her down, Rogers started playing Maggie Simmons on Days of Our Lives, a role she held for 52 years.