It's been more than twenty years since Leann Hunley appeared on the popular daytime soap "Days of Our Lives as Anna DiMera. What has she been up to since then?
With the exciting news to many Days of Our Lives fans that several of their favorite characters are returning to Salem this summer, this daytime show is sure to sizzle once again. Villian Stefano and his equally devious son Tony DiMera undoubtedly wreaked havoc during their tenure in Salem and most certainly will again. Many fans may not be quite as familiar with the character of Anna Fredericks Brady DiMera, who was played by actress Leann Hunley from 1982-1986. Anna is a fashion designer currently living in Europe. She is Carrie Brady’s biological mother and the ex-wife of Roman Brady and also of Tony DiMera. Leann portrayed Anna oftentimes using her comedic talents in the process.
Leann originally hails from Forks, Washington, and is the youngest of four children. She won second-runner up for Miss Hawaii in 1977. Her first TV role was through a modeling agency where she appeared in two episodes of Hawaii Five-O in 1968. Notably, Leann won a Daytime Emmy Award in 1986 for Outstanding Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Anna DiMera. In addition, she was also nominated for a Soap Opera Digest for an Outstanding Comic Relief Role on a daytime show in 1986. Leann has been quite busy during the past twenty-one years since she last made her mark in Salem. After she left Days of Our Lives, she played Dana Waring Carrington on the nighttime serial Dynasty from 1986-1988. As a result, she earned a nomination from Soap Opera Digest for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a prime time drama. This talented actress went on to play numerous guest roles on hit TV shows such as Who’s the Boss, Matlock, L.A. Law, The Nanny, 7th Heaven, Gillmore Girls, and many others. She also made an appearance in the 1993 movie The Beverly Hillbillies. One of her most memorable roles was that on Dawson’s Creek in 1998 where she played Tamara Jacobs, a high school teacher who had an affair with one of her students.
How her character Anna makes her entrance into Salem and who she mingles with remains to be seen. Her ex-husband, Roman Brady, could sure use a love life, since he hasn’t had a love one in quite a while. This could create quite a stir with "Kaman," or Roman and Kate fans. She and Kate could either become bitter rivals or close comrades. It’s too bad that her daughter Carrie is now living in Switzerland with husband Austin. Whether Anna intermingles with Tony, Roman, or another leading man, she’s sure to make heads turn in Salem once again.
