Days of our Lives Performer of the Week: Paul Telfer as Xander Kiriakis 

Xander Kiriakis, played by Daytime Emmy nominee Paul Telfer, has a ways to go to regain the trust of Sarah and others on Days of our Lives. As Xander embarks on this journey, Telfer is displaying moments of vulnerability, anger, and wit. He's a treat to watch, and Soap Central is honoring the fan favorite with our Performer of the Week for DAYS feature.

Paul Telfer, Days of our Lives, Performer of the Week

Xander got a little inebriated this week after he spied estranged wife Sarah (Linsey Godfrey) dining out with Brady (Eric Martsolf). Gabi (Cherie Jimenez) attempted to get Xander to back off, but he was too far gone. Telfer knows that the best way for an actor to play drunk is to play against it.

Xander acted as if everything was okay, and the reality is that Xander was unaware of just how sloppy he was getting. How could Xander know he was overstepping social etiquette when he felt he had his booze under control? It's easy to go over the top when the script calls for you to be drunk, but Telfer brought subtlety to his performance while still maintaining Xander's frustration.

Nobody rips into Xander like Sarah does. She practically ordered Xander to seek help for his anger issues with Marlena (Deidre Hall). The good doctor informed her patient that his success would depend on how vulnerable he'd be willing to be. If that's true, we expect fast progress as Telfer had Xander cut open a few veins.

"I'm scared to death," he confessed with a tone of fear. "My temper. It's like it is its own entity. It's like it controls me."

Use your wit to hit

Telfer brings a sense of self-awareness to his powerful alter-ego. Kudos to the DAYS writers for remembering the instance in which Xander inadvertently harmed Marlena and pointing out how that might interfere with her ability to treat him.

"I bet I'm your most hopeless case," Xander lamented.

Outside of the safety of Marlena's office, Xander can quickly become biting with his remarks. Believing that Xander had bedded Gwen (Emily O'Brien), Sarah smacked her ex across the face. "And here I thought you abhorred violence," Xander snarked. (His delivery with that posh-like accent makes his quips land more powerfully!)

"Maybe Dr. Evans can teach you a thing or two about anger management?" Xander added.

Transparent act

Telfer took Xander from being sarcastic to genuinely hurt after he learned that Sarah thought he'd had sex with Gwen. He confessed that they'd kissed, but he was genuinely aghast that Sarah would think that he'd betrayed their marriage vows. When Telfer delivers moments like that, it's clear that there's still a lot of love between Xander and Sarah.

While Xander certainly wants to work on his anger issues, he's got a long way to go. He blamed Gwen for letting Sarah think that something more than a kiss occurred between them.

In addition to having issues with his anger, still loving his ex, and being witty, Xander is also smart. He saw right through Gwen's claim that she was just trying to get a rise out of Sarah that would lead to a #Xarah reunion. "What a load," Xander scoffed. "You knew damn well that's not the outcome you were hoping for."

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Telfer brings numerous levels to his character, often in the same Days of our Lives scene. Bravo to the performer for his acting choices in these recent episodes!

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