‘Days of Our Lives’ Finally Brings Sami and EJ’s Daughter Sydney DiMera Back to Salem

Well, Days of Our Lives fans called this one.

When the Peacock soap announced last month that Sydney Malakeh was joining the cast but refused to reveal her character, it didn't take long for viewers to notice the rather convenient first name. Now the mystery is officially over: Malakeh has been cast as Sydney DiMera, the daughter of Sami Brady and EJ DiMera.

According to Deadline, Malakeh will make her first appearance as Sydney on Wednesday, September 9, bringing the legacy character back to the canvas with a new face. And considering just how deeply connected Sydney is to two of Salem's biggest families, there are plenty of directions DAYS can take her.

Sydney DiMera Is All Grown Up

Sydney is the daughter of Sami Brady (Alison Sweeney) and EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel), which means drama is practically part of the woman's DNA. She's a Brady and a DiMera, with siblings that include Johnny DiMera, Allie Horton and Will Horton, and her family tree connects her to a ridiculous number of Salem residents.

Her history also includes one of those storylines that could only happen on a soap opera. After Sydney was born in 2009, Nicole Walker switched babies and passed Sydney off as her own daughter while Sami was led to believe another baby, Grace, was hers. The truth eventually came out, returning Sydney to Sami and giving viewers one of the more memorable chapters in the complicated Sami/EJ/Nicole saga.

Sydney has largely grown up away from Salem in the years since, making this return especially interesting. DAYS has plenty of legacy children who have grown into major players on the canvas, and bringing Sydney back gives the show another member of the next generation with decades of family history already waiting for her.

And yes, we are absolutely interested in seeing what an adult daughter of Sami Brady and EJ DiMera is like. With those parents? Come on now. Quiet and uncomplicated doesn't exactly run in the family.

Fans Had Already Figured Out the Mystery

DAYS first announced Malakeh's casting in August with a video teasing, “Who is Sydney Malakeh? Find out September 9th,” but didn't reveal anything about the character she would be playing.

Fans immediately started speculating that the actress named Sydney might just be playing Sydney DiMera, especially with the character already being part of the show's larger family landscape. Turns out viewers weren't reaching at all.

Malakeh may be making her daytime debut, but she already has several television credits under her belt. The actress has appeared on Grey's Anatomy, Shrinking, Loot and The Sex Lives of College Girls, among other projects.

Now she gets to walk into Salem carrying two last names that come with enough history to keep a soap writer busy for years.

What Does Sydney's Return Mean for the DiMeras?

That's the big question.

Sydney's return puts another one of EJ's children directly into the story at a time when the DiMera family already has plenty happening. It also gives DAYS another direct connection to Sami even when Alison Sweeney isn't currently on screen.

Of course, knowing who Malakeh is playing doesn't tell us exactly what DAYS has planned for Sydney. Her storyline details are still being kept quiet, so we're not going to start declaring romances, rivalries or secret agendas before the woman even gets through the door.

But bringing back a legacy character like Sydney feels much more significant than introducing another completely unrelated newcomer. She already has relationships, history and family complications built into the show before Malakeh delivers her first line.

And if Sydney inherited even half of Sami's ability to walk into Salem and immediately turn everyone's lives upside down?

Oh, we're going to have fun with this one.

Sydney Malakeh makes her debut as Sydney DiMera on Days of Our Lives Wednesday, September 9. New episodes stream weekdays on Peacock.