James Reynolds is speaking publicly about his Parkinson’s disease diagnosis for the first time.
The 80-year-old “Days of Our Lives” star, 47, revealed the news in an interview with Entertainment Tonight published Tuesday, explaining that his health battle is now being woven into his longtime character Abe Carver’s storyline on the NBC soap. Reynolds is the longest-running Black actor in a single series in television history, having played Carver since 1981 with only two brief breaks in 1991 and 2003.
Reynolds admitted he “thought [he] was hiding it” from colleagues, but his physical symptoms had become impossible to miss. “Sometimes I’d get a little unbalanced and have to make a quick adjustment. You’re playing that game,” he said of navigating the disease on set. The World Health Organization defines Parkinson’s as a brain condition causing problems with movement, mental health, sleep, pain and other health issues.
The Daytime Emmy winner did not specify when he received his formal diagnosis, but he traced the onset of symptoms back much further than he initially realized. He experienced body “tremor[s] that wouldn’t go away,” sometimes falling out of bed, and found himself frequently “out of breath.” “I find something different every day, and I realized just a couple weeks ago that I may have had this as long as 15 to 20 years ago,” he said.
Reynolds kept the diagnosis private for several years to protect himself and his family. After keeping it “quiet for quite awhile, a few years,” he chose to go public now because his symptoms have grown increasingly difficult to conceal from castmates and viewers alike.
His decision to open up follows a pattern on the show where real-life cast experiences shape on-screen plots. “There are many other characters who have gone through real-life issues that then are mirrored on the show. This is an issue that is going to be mirrored on the show and there is nothing any of us can really do about it,” Reynolds noted of the writers’ choice to reflect his condition through Abe Carver.
Co-star Jackée Harry joined Reynolds for Tuesday’s interview and spoke about her efforts to support him. She does “lots of research” to better understand what he is facing, she said.
Despite the challenges, Reynolds emphasized that the diagnosis does not mean giving up his career or his life. He stressed that he is still able to do “many of the things” he used to do. “You can still work,” he continued. “You can live your life. You can participate with your family. You can raise your children.”
The actor acknowledged that some days are harder than others. He confessed that it’s “difficult to motivate [him]self at times,” a common struggle for those managing Parkinson’s progression.
Reynolds closed with a message of resilience for others facing similar diagnoses. “You don’t have to be lost. You can arm yourself. You can fight back,” he said.
Reynolds has played Abe Carver for 44 years, making him one of daytime television’s most enduring presences. The character has served as mayor of Salem, police commissioner, and patriarch to one of the show’s central families throughout the soap’s run on NBC and later Peacock.
Reynolds is scheduled to continue appearing on “Days of Our Lives” as his storyline progresses.