Days of Our Lives: Who debuted as the new Gabi Hernandez? Character explored

Days of Our Lives is one of the longest-running American soap operas. Over its journey of 59 years, the show has not only seen a shift from television to digital streaming but also multiple changes in the characters' storylines and the actors.

One of the characters in the fictional town of Salem is Gabi Hernandez, who was initially introduced in the show in 2009. Gabi has been part of many central plots in the show. She is known for her strong personality and complex relationships. Gabi’s journey on the show is marked by love, betrayal, and redemption.

Since 2009, the character has been portrayed by several actresses. In the recent twist in 2024, Gabi is accused of killing Li Shin and put behind bars. Her character is portrayed by Cherie Jimenez. In the past, the first actress to play Gabi was Gabriela Rodriguez from 2009 to 2010, followed by Camila Banus from 2010 to 2023.

In an interview with Soap Opera Digest on June 27, 2024, Cherie said:

"I’m so excited. It’s been a wild seven months."

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Days of Our Lives: Cherie Jimenez as the new Gabi Hernandez

The new Gabi on the Peacock show Days of Our Lives is played by Cherie Jimenez. Cherie’s first episode on the show aired on June 27, 2024, depicting Gabi’s character in trouble.

Cherie Jimenez's entry in the show was first hinted in an Instagram post dated April 11, 2024, uploaded on the official account of the daytime television show.

“We’re seeing some newcomers in Salem! Meet Cherie Jimenez and Al Calderon - Hmmmm, who could they be?!?!” says the post on Instagram.

Before this show, actress Cherie Jimenez Cherie has worked on several movies such as Lost Girls and Maya and on shows, namely NCIS, Pretty Little Liars, and The Newsroom.

Cherie was born in Manhattan, New York, and raised in many regions, such as the Lower East Side, Washington Heights, Alphabet City, and Brooklyn. She is married to actor and producer, Sean Francis, and they often post about their relationship on social media.

She has a diverse cultural background as she has Sicilian, Italian, Puerto Rican, Dominican, Spanish, and Taino Native American roots. Cherie has done training in acting from The Professional Performing Arts School and SUNY Purchase Acting Conservatory.

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More about the character - Gabi Hernandez

Gabi Hernandez first appeared on Days of Our Lives in 2009 as a young, ambitious woman with a complicated family background. Her character has evolved into a strong and resilient woman with a complex love life.

She had some romantic relationships that didn’t work out previously and left her heart broken. Ultimately, her relationship with Stefan DiMera changed her destiny in relationships, as she is currently married to him. Other than Stefan, Gabi is shown close to her brother Rafe.

Gabi has faced many challenges on Days of Our Lives. It includes going to jail, losing her close ones, and dangerous rivalries. Earlier in the show, Gabi was accused of killing Nick Follan and was sent to jail for the first time. Her time inside jail wasn’t easy as Clyde Weston kept plotting more trouble for her to manipulate Stefan.

Most recently on the show, Gabi has been put behind bars once again due to a false allegation of killing Li Shin. The trap has been laid by Clyde as the actual murder of Li is his helper Gil.

In last week’s episodes of Days of Our Lives, Gabi has returned to Salem after getting out of prison with the help of Stefan and Rafe. Gabi’s fate in romantic relationships doesn’t seem to change easily as she gets to know that Stefan has made a mistake and cheated on her with another woman when she was away. Her reaction to this news will decide the fate of her relationship with Stefan.

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New episodes of Days of Our Lives are streaming on Peacock.