Sami Brady is a fictional character from Days of Our Lives, an American soap opera on the Peacock streaming service, portrayed by Alison Sweeney since 1993.

The character is first seen as a newborn baby in the episode of October 16, 1984, in which mom Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall) gives birth to her and her twin brother Eric Brady.

Initially played by a series of child actresses, Sweeney took over the role of Sami when the character was rapidly-aged from a pre-teen to a teenager, in January 1993, under the pen of head writers Sheri Anderson and James E.

[3][4][5][6] Sami is known for her outlandish trouble-making ways in pursuit of what she wants, her turbulent relationships with men, and fiercely fighting for her children.

[18][19] Finally the current actress Alison Sweeney took over the role of Sami as a teenager on January 22, 1993, and played her into adulthood.

'"[25] Sweeney has cited Northrop, Deidre Hall (Marlena), and Drake Hogestyn (John) as influences on her career playing the role, stating: "I learned so many lessons from them".

[24] When her 20th anniversary as Sami was approaching,[26] fans speculated that she might depart from the series, but Sweeney inked a new deal with the show.

[46] Since Sweeney has stepped into the role, Sami has been showcased as the series' primary troublemaker and "the girl you loved to hate"[8] through her lying and scheming.

In recent years, Sweeney has established herself as a leading heroine, with the show centering on the popular and controversial relationships between Sami and her love interests Austin Reed (Patrick Muldoon & Austin Peck), Franco Kelly (Victor Alfieri), Brandon Walker (Matt Cedeno), Lucas Roberts (Bryan Dattilo), EJ DiMera (James Scott), and Rafe Hernandez (Galen Gering).

Originally characterized as the iron-willed daughter of Dr. Marlena Evans, Sami was transformed by writer James E. Reilly in the summer of 1994, converting the character from a stubborn moody teenager to a "conniving bitch", having her kidnap her baby sister, Belle and break up supercouple Carrie Brady and Austin Reed, including blackmailing Nicole Walker and Lexie Carver on numerous incidents.

However, as ratings declined in the mid-2000s, Sami's storylines proved to be "worn out" and in 2006, new Days head writers Hogan Sheffer and Meg Kelly converted the character to a heroine by pairing her with EJ DiMera and later Rafe Hernandez.

Recently, in 2013 head writers Christopher Whitesell and Gary Tomlin turned Sami back into a scheming vixen.

With her son Will being tormented by Nick Fallon and her fiancé, EJ DiMera sleeping with Abigail Deveraux, Sami returned to her evil ways and culminated in her committing crimes such as planning revenge towards Abby and EJ for their affair and convincing Adrienne that her husband, Justin the father in law of her son, Will, was having an affair.

[53] EJ, the son of longtime crime boss Stefano DiMera (Joseph Mascolo), developed an obsession with Sami, and ended up controversially "raping" her.

[58][59] Sami became pregnant and gave birth to twins; her daughter's father is Lucas, and son's paternity belonged to EJ.

Will Sami marry EJ, the man who raped her to end this family feud forever — and will Lucas be able to forgive her?

[63] While in the Witness Protection Program while pregnant with her second child with EJ, Sami fell in love with her body guard Rafe.

Janet Di Lauro of About.com said, "While Sami wouldn't exactly be called lucky at love, let's face it, most of her couplings have been wildly dysfunctional, her romances have produced four beautiful children: Will, Allie, Johnny and Sydney.

She was always Mama Bear ...."[7] By 2009, Will was 16 years old; Sweeney said, "It's sort of overwhelming to me sometimes to realize my character has a sixteen-year-old," considering she started working on Days of our Lives at 16, but she enjoys the dynamics between Will and Sami.

She is traumatized after seeing her mother having sex with John Black (Drake Hogestyn) which leads to an affair that results in the birth of Sami's sister, Belle.

Sami befriends Lucas Roberts (Bryan Dattilo) and dates his friend Alan Harris (Paul Kersey), whom her family strongly opposes.

Unbeknownst to Lucas, Roberto signed a false confession on his death bed which leads to a stay of execution from the governor.

Sami is freed and falls in love with Brandon Walker (Matt Cedeno), who helps her regain full custody of Will.

Kate drugs Sami and places her in Brandon's bed the night before her marriage to Lucas in a bid to end the engagement.

Sami's relationship to Austin is tested however, when EJ Wells (James Scott), an English race car driver, moves into the apartment next to theirs.

Stefano is apparently murdered, and EJ is held responsible, and Sami decides to help prove his innocence, much to Lucas's dismay.

Sami comes to the hospital and finds out Gabi's baby was born; she meets her granddaughter, Arianna Grace, for the first time.

It is October 2014, and Sami, overcome with grief, accepts a movie deal with Hollywood executives to build a story about her life, with Will penning the screenplay, and she and the children relocate to Los Angeles.

In October 2017 she learns that Ben Weston has escaped from custody, and is claiming that Will is alive, and Sami once again returns to Salem to find out the truth.

[12] In 2020, Charlie Mason from Soaps She Knows placed Sami fourth place on the list of the 35 most memorable characters from Days of Our Lives, commenting "So infamous a scheme queen is Alison Sweeney's impetuous troublemaker — and, just ask half-sister Carrie, deservedly so — it's hard to fathom that a plot was ever hatched in Salem without her".