Eli Grant is a fictional character from Days of Our Lives, an American soap opera on the NBC network, portrayed by Lamon Archey.

However, the relationship ultimately falls apart due to Eli's one-night-stand with his co-worker Lani Price (Sal Stowers) which culminates in the birth of their stillborn son.

After interference from Eli's friend Sheila (Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins), the couple finally make it official and start dating.

Furious, Eli reveals he's known about his paternity since he applied to the FBI Academy and Val explains that David wasn't fit to be a father.

[12] After being ambushed with a breakfast date orchestrated by Abe and Gabi, Eli begins to understand Val's actions but he still needs time work through his feelings.

[14] On the way back to Salem, the plane crashes and the group is stranded along with Sonny Kiriakis (Freddie Smith) his boyfriend Paul Narita (Christopher Sean).

[19][20] Later, Eli and Lani arrest Gabi's brother Dario (Jordi Vilasuso) for hacking Countess Wilhelmina Cosmetics and running a counterfeit operation.

[36] When Gabi is put on trial for the murder of André DiMera (Thaao Penghlis), Lani and Eli's affair is exposed when she takes the witness stand.

[43] In 2019, Eli worries about Lani's infatuation with Jordan Ridgeway's (Chrishell Stause) infant son – David – when Rafe takes him in.

[47] Gabi ultimately agrees and Eli wants to hold off on the wedding until after Julie recovers but she convinces the couple to move forward.

[55] Soon district attorney Melinda Trask (Tina Huang) threatens to prosecute the heavily pregnant Lani for aiding and abetting unless Eli can get Kristen to confess.

Lani goes into labor during the Horton tree trimming ceremony and on Christmas Day the couple welcomes their twins, Jules and Carver.

[62] While Archey had recently appeared in episodes of 2 Broke Girls and Roadies, he craved the stability that came with a soap and he was "super-excited" to win the role of Eli.

[66] Archey auditioned opposite his co-stars, Camila Banus and Vanessa Williams, and taped his first scenes the day after he got hired.

"[73] Similar to Archey, in tough situations, Eli prefers to deal with them internally or with those closest to him, as opposed to involving his large extended family.

[79] Through David, Eli is also descended from the wealthy Martin family, the characters at the center of the first major death and murder plots within the series.

The actress felt the story would "bring up a lot of memories for devoted fans" as it focused on "characters that hadn't even been spoken of in years.

As opposed to making her "bitter," Carlivati viewed the budding romance with Eli as part of Gabi's "fight to maintain her dignity and take the high road.

Archey worked with producer Albert Alarr and decided he could not ignore that Eli initially rejected the baby in an effort to save his relationship with Gabi.

"[40] However, Gray said the duo's shared grief over David made way for "interesting and unique drama – more than a regular birth bringing characters together."

In an interview with Soap Opera Digest, Susan Seaforth Hayes explained "The person [Julie] thought was a villain, Lani, is actually a heroine."

"[51] In the summer of 2020, the series borrowed from the 1994 British romantic comedy Four Weddings and a Funeral, and Eli and Lani are one of four couples to get married.

"In addition to their wedding, we have the onset of this pregnancy, which is a joyous thing, and yet it comes with a lot of trepidation" due to David Abraham's stillbirth.

Additionally, Eli's actions pit him against Kristen's boyfriend Brady Black (Eric Martsolf) "because they’re both going to do what they have to in order to save the women they love.

Playing the long-lost son of a controversial interracial supercouple of decades long gone could have been a big burden, but Lamon Archey has carried it with grace, humor and class.

"[118] TVSource Magazine's Coryon Gray praised the casting as part of the show's consistent efforts to further integrate minority characters into the series.

[90] Gray further praised Archey for his "natural" portrayal, his chemistry with Vanessa Williams (Valerie) and said "I must say I've been impressed by him from the beginning of his stint in Salem.

"[127] Laurisa from Soap Central also appreciated that Eli made the show more diverse, but felt the plot was way too independent of existing storylines for a character that viewers weren't familiar with.

[119] On the other hand, Soap Opera Digest was ecstatic that the plot put the veteran Hayes back in the forefront and also reunited the remaining members of the Horton family.

"Credit is also due to Lamon Archey, whose soulful portrayal of Eli, a young man whose whole world has been turned upside down by news of his true paternity, has already impressed.