Celebrity Extra: Nikki Crawford
By Dana Jackson
Q: Is the actress playing Lexie on "Days of Our Lives" the same one who played her years ago? I know the character was killed off, but I'm thinking this is a different actress, too. -- K.B.
A: Renee Jones played Lexie Carver on the daytime soap "Days of Our Lives" from 1993-2012 until she decided to retire from acting. The character was killed off until now, 24 years later, when Lexie was resurrected by Dr. Rolf (William Utay) for what is sure to be nefarious purposes. Her husband, Abe (James Reynolds), will be in for a big surprise whenever she does reveal herself, especially since he's now married to the town's mayor Paulina, who's played by Jackee Harry.
Nikki Crawford ("Days of Our Lives"). Photo Credit: Courtesy of CBS
Nikki Crawford, a Tony-nominated actress who's had numerous guest-starring television credits over the years, has been cast in the role. She told TV Insider that the character's identity was kept secret when she auditioned for the role. Like many seasoned actors who take on their first daytime soap role, Crawford was impressed with the fast pace of filming but did find it daunting at first.
"Days" is now exclusively found on the streaming service Peacock after spending an impressive 57 years on NBC.
Q: I saw that Timothee Chalamet has upset artists and fans of ballet and opera with his lack of appreciation for it. They said that it will probably cost him the Oscar this year, but hadn't voting already ended at this point? -- V.D.
A: The ballot deadline for this year's Academy Award nominees ended on March 5. The remarks that you're referring to aired on CNN during a town hall that was held at the University of Texas on Feb. 21, with special guests Matthew McConaughey and Timothee Chalamet. It definitely could have affected voters' opinions.
His remarks? Well, he shot himself in the foot when he said, "I don't want to be working in ballet or opera or things where it's like, 'Hey, keep this thing alive, even though like no one cares about this anymore.'"
Chalamet is a huge basketball and WWE wrestling fan, and these art forms just aren't his jam. He's allowed to have his opinion, but people are also allowed to not vote for him should they so choose.
Q: What ever happened to the "Community" movie? I thought it would have been out by now. -- S.S.
A: The cult classic NBC comedy series "Community" ended a decade ago. Danny Pudi's character, Abed, famously once predicted that his favorite show, "The Cape," would have "six seasons and a movie." When "Community" itself ended after six seasons, this quote became the rallying cry of fans of the show, who wanted more after their beloved series was canceled.
According to Entertainment Weekly, in 2024, Peacock greenlit a "Community" movie. The writers' and actors' strikes that originally stalled the project are now over, too, but one of the actors' projects got in the way. This is likely to keep happening with such a talented cast that includes Joel McHale, Alison Brie and Donald Glover.
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(c) 2026 King Features Synd., Inc.