Melinda Clarke's Touching Connection To Days Of Our Lives

Actress Melinda Clarke has made a name for herself in Hollywood as she's appeared in films such as "Return of the Living Dead," "Spawn," and "Mulholland Falls." She's also had success on television with roles on shows like "The O.C.," "Nikita," "Firefly," "The Vampire Diaries," and "Charmed" (via IMDb). Melinda started her acting career at a young age, and even left home at 18 in order to pursue more opportunities in Los Angeles. She soon launched a modeling career, which eventually led to a career in acting, per Amo Mama.

Although she's played many different roles over the years, she says that one of her favorites will always be Julie Cooper from "The O.C." as she grew up in California's Orange County, and could relate to the character. However, her love for acting likely comes from her famous parents, John and Patricia Clarke. Patricia made a name for herself by landing roles in shows such as "Doctor Who" (via IMDb), while John became a soap opera icon in the role of Mickey Horton on "Days of Our Lives."

According to Amo Mama, Melinda Clarke followed in her father John Clarke's career footsteps with her dramatic acting roles. John first debuted on the NBC soap opera "Days of Our Lives" in 1965 in the role of Alice and Tom Horton's son, Mickey Horton. He held the role for 39 years before calling it quits and retiring (via Entertainment Weekly). During his time on the sudser, John was nominated for Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama, and in 2004, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award. Sadly, John passed away at the age of 88 in October 2019.

However, "DOOL" is something that will always hold a special place in Melinda's heart, as one of her first roles was as the character of Faith Taylor on the soap alongside her father (via Soap Central). During her year-long stint on the soap, Melinda's character had a romantic story arc with another character named Scott Banning, and even shared a sweet romantic moment on screen, per She Knows Soaps.

So, while Melinda may be remembered for her roles on "Nikita" and "The O.C.," it appears that she will always have a strong connection to "Days of Our Lives."