Ava Vitali

Ava Vitali
Days of Our Lives
Portrayed by	Tamara Braun (2008, 2015–16, 2020–present); Sara Fletcher (voice; 2017)
Current status	Present; Contract
Duration	2008, 2015–16, 2020–present
First appearance	February 8, 2008
Introduced by	Ken Corday and Edward J. Scott (2008); Ken Corday, Albert Alarr and Greg Meng (2015); Ken Corday and Albert Alarr (2020)
Profile
Alias(es)	Angela Van De Camp
Gender	Female
Occupation	Mob heiress; Businesswoman
Residence	Salem, Illinois
Relationships
Family	Vitali family
Parents	Martino Vitali †; Unknown woman †
Romances	Steve Johnson (lovers; pre-2008) ; Jimmy Giacomo (lovers; pre-2008) ; Joey Johnson (kissed; 2016); Jake DiMera†; (lovers; 2022); (engaged; 2022) ; Johnny DiMera (kissed) ; Harris Michaels
Children	Tripp Dalton (via Steve); Charlie Dale † (with Jimmy)
Grandchildren	Henry Horton (via Charlie)
Aunts and uncles	Margarita
First cousins	Angelo Vitali; Eddie Vitali

Ava Vitali is a character from the soap opera Days of Our Lives, portrayed by Tamara Braun from February 8, 2008 to August, 2008. She reprised the role from December 9, 2015 to March 1, 2016. Sara Fletcher voiced the character in 2017 on May 4th and May 7th. Introduced as a "mysterious woman from Steve's past", Ava was later revealed as a Mafia princess. She is the mother of Tripp Dalton and the late Charlie Dale and the grandmother of Henry Horton.

Despite her countless crimes and her obsession towards her ex-fiancée, Steve Johnson, it seems her one and only redeeming quality is her unconditional love for her favorite son Tripp. She never recognized her other son, Charlie as her own, most likely because he isn't Steve's son like Tripp. After his recent actions towards her and Tripp, she greatly detested Charlie and wished he was never born, after learning of his death, she didn't mourn as she believed he got exactly what he deserved. In 2021, she has begun to reform herself in order to be in her son Tripp's life.

Casting

In January 2008, it was announced that Tamara Braun, best known as the second actress to portray the character of Carly Corinthos on the ABC Daytime drama, General Hospital, had been cast. The casting of Braun originally brought up fan speculation that she would be coming in as previous established character, Sarah Horton, daughter of veteran character, Maggie Horton. This speculation was quickly put to rest when it was announced that Braun would join as Ava.

Following the completion of her run as Ava, it was announced in September 2008 that Braun would join All My Children as Reese Williams, current girlfriend of the show's iconic Bianca Montgomery. Braun went on to win a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Ava.

Braun later returned to Days of our Lives in the role of Taylor Walker, replacing her former General Hospital co-star Natalia Livingston.

In July 2015, it was announced that Braun is reprising the role of Ava, as part of the show's fiftieth anniversary celebration, first airing on December 9. Braun departed on March 1, 2016.

Emmy-winner Tamara Braun will be reprising the role of presumed-dead Ava Vitali, Digest is reporting exclusively in the new issue. Look for her to factor into Tripp’s story now that Lucas Adams is also returning. “Tamara Braun [Ava] is coming back and that’s important, not only for Steve and Kayla, but for her son, Tripp, and others to be determined,” previews Executive Producer Ken Corday. “Mr. Carlivati [head writer] has a big story there. It’s exciting.” For more about Braun and all of the changes DAYS has planned now that it’s back in production, pick up a new issue, on sale Friday.^[2] She is expected to make her return on November 13.^[3]

Storylines

Ava first appears in early February 2008, stalking Steve Johnson, a man she called "Patch" and the Brady family with whom he was traveling with in Ireland. Obsessed with Steve, she continues to stalk the hotel where he was residing. In an attempt to delay Steve and the rest of the Brady family's departure from Ireland, she sabotages their plane. Her plan, however, was sabotaged when the plane began experiencing problems in mid-air, causing the death of Brady patriarch Shawn Brady. After following Steve back to Salem, she sees him hug Hope Williams Brady outside of Steve's apartment door. She then interrogates Hope, asking if she was in love with Steve. Scared off by Hope, Ava immediately leaves the grounds. Ava then runs into Steve, promising to exact her revenge against him and his family for leaving her without a goodbye. Looking at photos of the crash victims, she stops at Hope's, wondering who she was and why she loved her dear, "Patch".

Convinced that Hope is Steve's wife, Ava is visited by a shrink who then questions her sense of reality. Escaping from her guards, Ava kidnaps Hope, whom she believes is Steve's wife Kayla Brady, and holds her hostage at the Vitali compound. Driven with rage, Ava demands Hope call Steve, who catches onto the scheme and calls Hope's husband, Bo Brady and tells him to not involve the police.

Ava then pressures Steve to have sex with her, a suggestion Steve denies doing, blaming his injuries from the plane crash. Ava, however, plans to seduce Steve in hopes of making whom she believed as Kayla, jealous. Before she can execute her plan, Bo and the real Kayla infiltrate the Vitali compound. Ava, in turn, orders her guards to kill them all. When they fail, Ava shoots Hope; Bo then goes to shoot Ava, but is protected by Steve. When questioned by a hurt Hope about why she hates Steve so much, Ava goes into detail about her "almost wedding day" of how Steve left her. Steve explains that while he had doubts about the wedding, he was abducted by Stefano DiMera's henchmen. Though shocked by the revelation, Ava becomes agitated and pops pills. Able to escape, Bo calls Abe Carver, who arrives to the Vitali compound with Roman Brady. Abe and Roman are able to calm the situation, arresting Ava. While under arrest, Kayla reveals that the pills Ava was taking, were the cause of her paranoia over Steve and the Brady family. As a result of her actions, Ava's father, Martino Vitali, shows up in Salem.

Later, Dr. Lexie Carver releases Ava into police custody. Roman then informs Ava that her bail had been paid and that she was free to go. Ava's cousin, Angelo, then reveals that it was her father Martino who had her drugged. When Martino pulls a gun out, he is shot and killed by Bo. Putting her past behind her, Ava accepts a date with John Black. When it is revealed that a warehouse shipment of John's has gone up in flames, Ava urges John, with the assistance of Philip Kiriakis to fight back. When John's estranged wife, Marlena Evans, shows up and sees him entertaining Ava, he makes it clear that they haven't been husband and wife since his accident earlier in the year, and that he was now moving on with his life with Ava. When news of a disk comes out that may contain the key to restoring John's memories, he admits to Marlena, Philip and Ava that he knew about said disk, and in a shocking decision, kisses Ava.

Moving on with their lives, Ava and John later toast to their new found relationship. Trusting Ava, John reveals his plans concerning the recent disappearance of Paul Hollingsworth and his plans to pin the disappearance on Philip. When Ava's faced with possible charges of the plane crash earlier in the year, she hires EJ DiMera as her attorney. When EJ alerts Ava that the new judge in her trial could not be bribed, she jumps bail and made the decision to leave the country.

In 2015, Ava paid a visit to the church that her aunt Margarita was a nun at where she donated some money. There, she met Kristen DiMera and the two became fast friends as Ava shared her history with Steve. Kristen encouraged Ava to reveal that she and Steve had a son, so Ava returned to Salem.

In December 2015, Ava is revealed to be working in cahoots with Steve and Kayla's teenage son Joey (James Lastovic) to get them back together.

In January 12, 2016 Ava revealed to Steve that she had a son with him and that he was sold in the blackmarket by her father, Martino Vitali. The next day Steve told Kayla about his alleged son with Ava and on how he has considered in locating him for if the baby is truly his, he wants to make sure that he doesn't suffer a horrific childhood like he did.

AvaBroken1 — Broken Ava plainly reacts on the death of her son.

After Ava kidnaps Kayla, Steve is forced into working with Ava in finding her son. On February 8, it's revealed by the man who handled the adoption agency that Ava's son who was taken to that place died of pneumonia within weeks of being purchased. Ava's heart was broken and her life was shattered. The man left after offering his condolences. Steve coldly pointed out to a uncontrollably sobbed Ava, "Could have been mine...but maybe not. Either way, there's nothing tying us together now." Steve grabbed his stuff and exited the hotel room after adding that he never wanted to see Ava in Salem again. Ava sank to the floor in despair, clutching the photograph of her son against her chest as she continued weeping.

In February, after having lost the only good thing she had in her life she no longer cared about her life anymore or anyone's life for that matter, Ava returned to Salem to torment Steve and Kayla and their family. In February 26, sick of the manipulations and torments against his family, Joey, who was drunk smothered a drugged Ava in her hospital bed, she tried to resist but in the end she was killed.

Days-ava-shrine — Steve and Kayla discover the true extent of Ava's madness.

Steve willingly implicated himself in the murder. He is later exonerated for the murder thanks to ISA fabricating a story that Ava's murder was constructed by them. Steve, Kayla and Joey went on to continue with their lives, even though Joey has to live with the fact that he killed a human being in cold blood. In March, the true extent of Ava's madness was revealed to Steve and Kayla when they found a secret room filled with different amounts of pictures and shrines of Steve and also a picture of Kayla with the words "Gone Forever" written in blood on it. The effects of Ava's death affected Joey throughout the year, it made him make a lot of bad decisions that ended him up in the hospital. In addition, when his girl-friend Jade revealed to him that she was pregnant with his baby. He was fearful of becoming a father, but then began to man up and was finally past with what happened with Ava.

On New Years Eve, Joey and Jade lost their baby and he blamed himself for the miscarriage believing he deserved to lose his child after what he did to Ava last year.

TrippMeetsPapaSteve — Steve meets his long lost son with Ava, Tripp Dalton.

On March 8, Steve finds out from Raymond, the man he met in Jakarta last year that the baby he and Ava had is alive and has been searching for his parents. On March 23, in Arizona, Steve and Kayla trace Steve's son with Ava, Tripp Dalton to a diner. They introduce themselves to Tripp, and soon he asks about his mother. Steve promised to tell him everything after he comes with them back to Salem to have a DNA test is done to confirm that he is his father, Tripp agreed, but still felt that there was something he isn't telling him about his mom.

TrippCDAva — Tripp watches recorded footage of when his mother was pregnant with him.

On March 29, her son Tripp learned of his mother's death and how Steve "killed" her. He was disgusted at his father but soon learned of what his mother's horrendous actions in the past. Yet despite agreeing that she was a whack-job, Tripp cared for her as he could not forgive Steve for "killing" her. On April 4, Tripp met with his mother's cousin Angelo and remarked on how he looked just like his mother when she was his age. Angelo also gave him his inheritance from the Vitali family as well as some CD recordings of when his mother was pregnant was with him so he could get to know her more. This gave him an insight that despite her madness, she did truly genuinely love him.

On October 19, at a warehouse, where a recently resurrected Dr. Wilhelm Rolf, Andre's adopted sister Kristen and her henchman Xander Kiriakis were working on a number of patients, there was a door with the initials "A.V." which are Ava's initials, indicating the possibility that she is one of Rolf's patients who have been revived by him, much like Vivian Alamain, Jack Deveraux, EJ DiMera, Tony DiMera, and Stefano DiMera.

It was eventually revealed that Ava had been revived by Kristen, but she was in rough shape. When the warehouse caught fire, Kristen worked with Xander and Rolf to get all the patience out. Kristen believed Ava had perished in the fire, but Ava managed to get out and returned to the Vitali mob family where she operated in secret.

In November 13, Ava returns to Salem revealing herself to be Philip's partner in crime, as she's using him to launder her money through Titan Industries. It's revealed Philip has a lot of gambling debts towards the Vitali family and so he's repaying them by laundering their money. She is aware that her son Tripp is alive.

She notes to Philip that she can't reveal herself to him yet. Ava then stops by the prison, using the alias of Angela De Vancamp to see her old friend Kristen. Kristen is shocked and happy to see Ava as she believed she perished in the warehouse fire and assumed Xander has rescued her. Ava scoffed at the notion and said she saved herself.

Ava attempts to reach out to Tripp — Ava attempts to reach out to her son

The two reminiscent on how they first met, and how Kristen had encouraged Ava to tell Steve about their son. Kristen also recalled how Ava was in rough shape after she revived her. Kristen promised not to tell Ava that she knew she was back in town. As Ava was walking through the park, she saw Tripp sitting on the bench alone. Ava was emotional laying eyes on her son and went to approach him, but Tripp got up and left without seeing Ava.

Ava continued to threaten Philip and vowed to get out of town once she was sure he could handle things without her. Kristen called Ava to the prison and warned her that Xander was looking for info about who Philip was working with. She asked what was going on, and Ava said Philip owed her family money that he couldn't pay, so he had to launder the money through TITAN.

Ava assured Kristen that since Philip was cooking the books, know one would know. Kristen said unless Xander finds out, and Ava told Kristen she ordered Philip to take handle Xander or she would. Kristen said she was trying to get out on good behavior and didn't need to hear details. Ava said she wouldn't and got ready to leave when she caught a glimpse on a monitor of an article that called Tripp a rapist.

Ava had to see Tripp, but Kristen warned Ava against it since she could be arrested. Ava didn't care and raised to find Tripp being held at gunpoint by Allie Horton. Ava disarmed a stunned Allie, and pointed the gun at Allie, threatening to shoot her. Tripp stood between them, and Ava lowered the gun as Allie ran off.

Tripp was shocked and happy to see his mother and Ava was finally able to see and touch her grown son for the first time ever. Steve soon learned Ava was back in town and let Ava stay with him temporarily for Tripp's sake. Kayla had believed Tripp had raped her niece, so Tripp moved in with Ava.

Ava realized her other son Charlie was also in town and had been the one who had raped Allie. Ava wanted Charlie to come clean, so Charlie knocked Ava out and kidnapped her, holding her captive at his place. Charlie accused Ava of loving Tripp more than him. He gave Ava some food and drugged her into seeing things that weren't there, so he could have her committed.

Ava believed Charlie had stabbed Tripp and was hysterical. Even after being rescued and seeing Tripp alive, Ava still had a hard time believing it until the drugs had been flushed from her system. Charlie had been exposed as Allie's rapist and arrested, but he made bail. Nicole convinced Rafe to let Ava stay with him while Charlie was at large.

Ava admitted to Rafe how Charlie was conceived and that no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't love him. Charlie was found murdered later that night and while Ava was relieved because Charlie could no longer come after her and Tripp she still felt remorse and blamed herself for how Charlie turned out.

Ava confessed to Nicole that she had seen Tripp leaving Charlie's place the night he was murdered and the found Charlie dying. Ava went to call an ambulance, but Charlie asked Ava not to and asked Ava to say she loved him before he died. Ava told Charlie what he wanted to hear and he died in her arms. Ava wondered if she had really meant what she had said to Charlie.

Charlie's murderer was revealed to be Jan Spears. Ava and Rafe had grown closer and started to date, much to Gabi Hernandez's chagrin. Tripp and Allie also started to bond as he helped Allie raise her and Charlie's son Henry Horton. Ava was happy for Tripp, and gave her blessing for his relationship with Allie.

Steve and Ava also cleared the air and he decided to try and let Ava be happy. After Kirsten was exposed for escaping prison, she asked for Ava's help, but Ava refused. Ava caught Kristen escaping and was convinced to keep quiet. This came back to bite Ava when a a few months later, Kristen was arrested after returning to town and she blackmailed Ava and Gwen Rizczech into helping her escape.

Ava and Gwen bonded over their shared secret, and formed a tentative friendship. EJ knew Ava had helped Kristen escape but agreed to keep the info to himself. Sick of the way Gabi was treating her, Ava conspired with Philip to force Gabi to give up GabiChic in exchange for Jake's freedom. Gabi and Jake were plotting to get Philip removed as CEO, so she could be installed.

Ava had dirt on Jake through his old partner Camine Merlino that he had murdered someone named Jed Zanetti. Carmine had been the actual killer but claimed Jake did it and the evidence Ava had pointed at Jake. Ava wanted to be made the head of GabiChic in return and Philip reluctantly agreed.

Carmine ended up shooting Mayor Abe Carver and demanded Philip and Ava take care of him. Ava agreed to take care of Carmine, but they got into an argument at Rafe's house and Carmine threatened Ava's life. Ava was then stunned then a zombie looking Charlie appeared behind Carmine and fatally stabbed him.

Ava ran away and ran into Tripp, screaming that Charlie was alive. Rafe found Carmine's dead body in his home, and Ava was brought in for questioning, who insisted Charlie had killed Carmine. Ultimately, Ava was cleared of the murder and released from custody.

Ava found out Rafe and Nicole had slept together. Furious, Ava sought revenge by convincing two of her associates to help frame Rafe for falsifying evidence against him. After Rafe was arrested, Ava played the dutiful girlfriend and rushed to Rafe's side, but Nicole was onto Ava and accused her of setting up Rafe because they slept together. Ava then lashed out at them and left in a rage.

Gwen became worried when Xander and Abigail DiMera started looking for Sarah Horton. Kristen phoned Ava and blasted her for sending Steve after her. Ava said she didn't, and informed Kristen that Gwen was panicking over Xander finding Sarah. Kristen said since they helped her, she will help them.

Kristen sent Ava her Sarah mask and Ava had some fun at Gwen's expense, pretending to be Sarah, who knew what Gwen did. Ava dropped the act, took off the mask. She advised Gwen to wear the mask and break up with Sarah, but Abigail didn't buy it. Luckily for Gwen, she and Ava were able to switch off, so when Abigail accused Gwen of being behind the mask, Gwen showed up alongside "Sarah".

Abigail did eventually unmask Ava, but then Gwen knocked her out and they had Kristen stash Abigail on her island. Gwen and Ava now had more secrets between them, so they bonded. Gwen showed off her engagement ring to Ava, who was genuinely happy for her. Ava shared with Gwen what she did Rafe.

Abigail got off the island with Sarah, and Ava was arrested. Abigail's husband Chad DiMera went to see Ava, and asked her to tell him who was involved. Ava kept quiet, but called Gwen and demanded she get her out before she cuts a deal and exposes her. Gwen promised to have Ava's back if she had hers.

Ava escaped with the help of Kristen's pilot and hid out in a hotel where she phoned Gwen as she enjoyed seeing Rafe's trial on tv. She noticed Gwen was upset because Xander still loved Sarah, and did her best to reassure her. The trial did not go the way Ava had hoped and she lost it when Rafe was found not guilty.

Ava moved out of Rafe's place and moved into Jake's place since he also broke up with Gabi. Gabi saw Jake and Ava sharing a bed platonically and was enraged. Gabi managed to take Ava down and get her arrested for framing Rafe, but Ava had a ace up her sleeve. Not only did she know what Gwen had previously done, but Gwen also confessed that she switched the antidote that was supposed to help Sarah regain her memory with another one.

Armed with this info, Ava called Abigail and told her she had info she wanted on Gwen in exchange for immunity. Abigail got Ava a deal and she told her everything she needed to know to take Gwen down. Ava then flaunted her freedom in the face of a stunned Rafe and Gabi, who were celebrating her going to prison.

After Gwen was arrested, Ava went to the station, hoping to see Gwen to apologize for betraying her. Rafe went to check to see if Gwen wanted to see Ava, and Gwen said she didn't want to see Ava at all. Ava had a nightmare that Gwen showed up to Jake's place, and injected her with a syringe. This nightmare made Ava even more determined to see Gwen.

Ava interrupted Gwen and Leo's visit, and asked to talk to her. Gwen allowed it, and Leo left. Ava told Gwen she really was sorry for turning her in, but offered to help Gwen break out of prison, and start a new life. She gave Gwen the number to her burner phone. Later, Gwen called Ava and said that Jack has gotten Gwen a deal so spend only two years in prison if she please guilty. Gwen thanked Ava for her offer, but she will take the deal. Ava wished Gwen well.

Ava and Jake eventually slept together and started an official relationship. Kristen and Gwen were both given a pardon by the Governor, and Kristen invited herself to move in with Ava and Jake telling Jake that he owed her for siding with him and Gabi against EJ and Chad. Jake noticed Ava was insecure about their relationship, so he proposed to her, and bought her an engagement ring.

Ava noticed the ring was the one Xander gave to Gwen, but decided to keep it, saying she'll deal with Gwen. A mugger approaches Jake, and Ava and demands she give him the ring. Jake stands up to the mugger, and the mugger shoots him. The mugger is stunned by his own actions, and says he just wanted the ring. Ava takes the ring off, and throws it at him, but he doesn't want it now, and flees.

Ava tries to stop the bleeding, and Rafe shows up to help. Jake is taken to the hospital where he does. As Ava is saying goodbye to Jake, Gabi bursts in, and asks Ava to help her fake a marriage to Jake, so she can have control of Jake's shares in DiMera Enterprises. She offers Ava a job in exchange for her using Jake's shares to keep her in power at DiMera.