Eric Brady

Eric Brady is a fictional character from Days of Our Lives, an American soap opera on the NBC network, played since 2012 by Greg Vaughan, the longest tenured actor in the role. Eric was introduced in the episode of October 16, 1984, together with his twin sister, Sami Brady.

Initially played by a series of child actors, Jensen Ackles was cast in the role of Eric when the character was rapidly-aged from a pre-teen to a young adult in July 1997 under the pen of headwriter James E. Reilly. Ackles' Eric appeared for three years until August 2000, when he departed. Vaughan has played Eric for eleven years; the longest of any prior performer.

Eric and Sami are the children of supercouple Roman Brady and Marlena Evans. The twins Eric and Sami care deeply about each other, but have completely different personalities. Eric's saintly behavior sets him up as the better half to his very troubled and trouble-making sister Sami. A notable storyline for Eric is his passionate, but frustrated, love affair with Nicole Walker (Arianne Zucker). Having once been a priest, Eric is a community-orientated person, briefly running the Horton Center, which helps people in need.

Both Ackles and Vaughan's performances have been met with favorable reception from audiences and critics. Ackles received three Daytime Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series in 1998, 1999 and 2000, as well as a Soap Opera Digest Award in 1998. Vaughan received the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 2018.