Kristen DiMera is a fictional character from Days of Our Lives, an American soap opera on the NBC network. The role was originally portrayed by Eileen Davidson. Davidson joined the cast of Days of Our Lives in 1993, and departed in 1998 after a five-year stint. After a 14-year absence, Davidson returned to the role of Kristen in the fall of 2012. Kristen and her brother Peter were raised but not legally adopted by super villain Stefano DiMera at a very young age following the deaths of their parents; however, their mother Rachel was later revealed to be alive. Davidson departed the series again in late 2013, although she made a brief appearance in early December 2013. She returned on July 28, 2014, for a twelve-week arc which concluded on November 6; she returned for an additional stint, which ran from April 14, to April 30, 2015. Davidson later reprised the role briefly on November 21, 2017. In 2018, Stacy Haiduk was cast in the role, appearing from August to October 2018 and from various stints since April 2019. Davidson reprised the role in September 2021 for the Peacock limited series, Days of Our Lives: Beyond Salem. Davidson later reprised the role in November and December 2021 on the main show, sharing the role with Haiduk. Davidson also portrayed the role for the Christmas television film, Days of Our Lives: A Very Salem Christmas in December 2021. Davidson's performance has been met with critical acclaim, garnering a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1998, before winning the award in 2014.