days-tamara-braun-mike-manning-ava-charlie-jj
Credit: Jill Johnson/JPI (2)

No one wants to have to lose Ava and Charlie — or their portrayers.

Days of Our Lives has its work cut out for it if the NBC soap wants to keep Ava and Charlie among Salem’s lot. She let Joey rot in prison for years for her “murder” and is now blackmailing Philip into letting her launder money through Titan. And Charlie… oh, Charlie. By making him Allie’s rapist, he’s been painted into a corner from which there is no way out. (We’ve even said as much, in a previous article.)

Yet it would be crushing for the show to lose the volatile characters and their talented portrayers, Tamara Braun and Mike Manning. For one, “I think they should redeem” Ava, says Stephen Nichols, who plays Steve, the longtime object of her obsession.

“Or,” counters leading lady Mary Beth Evans (Kayla), “let her be a villain and let her stay on the show,” anyway.

More: Stars tease Belle and Shawn’s future

Whether Ava trades her devil’s horns for angel’s wings, no one wants to see Emmy winner Braun go. “She’s really focused on the mother/son aspect right now as Ava,” points out Lucas Adams, aka Tripp. “I love working with her and doing the scenes with her. So much fun.”

“Such a great actress,” adds Evans. “Such a great person.”

days steve kayla tripp

The trio are similarly impressed by Days of Our Lives newcomer Manning. “He’s the sweetest,” gushes Evans. “A really conscientious, hard-working guy — like you, Lucas.”

More: Camila Banus reveals engagement details — and the ring!

Actually, Adams got acquainted with his new on-screen sibling long before he was cast as Charlie. “I’ve known Mike for seven, eight years now,” says Tripp’s portrayer. “So getting to work with him finally is cool because we’ve been friends for so long.

“It’s fun that we just happen to be brothers [on screen], too,” he continues. “It kind of worked out really well.”

Ah, but will it — can it — continue to work out? What do you think, Days of Our Lives fans? Can Ava and/or Charlie be redeemed, or will the show have to give them less nefarious twins to keep Braun and Manning in Salem for the long haul? Sound off in the comments, then check out the below photo gallery that takes you through all the highs and lows on the show in 2020.