Natalia Livingston has been fired from Days of our Lives. Tamara Braun will be taking over the role of Taylor Walker.

In a surprise move, Soap Opera Digest announced on February 15, 2011 that Tamara Braun will be replacing Natalia Livingston as Taylor Walker on NBC’s long-running soap opera Days of our Lives. Livingston, who has only aired for about two weeks as Taylor Walker, the sister of long-running character Nicole Walker, was let go in order to take the character in a new direction. It has not been announced when Tamara Braun will first air.

Natalia Livingston

Natalia Livingston is best remembered by soap fans for playing Emily Quartermaine and her twin, Rebecca Shaw, on ABC’s General Hospital. Livingston won an Emmy for playing Emily. Livingston joined the Days of our Lives cast as Taylor Walker last year, and her first scenes started airing in January. Due to how far ahead Days of our Lives is in taping its episodes. Livingston will likely continue to air as Taylor for a few months before Tamara Braun takes over.

Tamara Braun

Tamara Braun is perhaps best known for being the second Carly Corinthos on General Hospital. A few years after leaving General Hospital, Braun joined Days of our Lives as Ava Vitali, a role which won her a Emmy. Soon after leaving Days of our Lives, she joined All My Children as Reese Williams.

Taylor Walker

Katherine Ellis played Taylor Walker, then known as Taylor Raines, during the character’s first run on the show from 1998-1999. Taylor is the daughter of Fay Walker and Paul Mendez. Taylor and her sister Nicole both had feelings for Eric Brady. She was also used in a scheme by Lucas get Nicole. Taylor left town in 1999 to go to college.

She reappeared in 2011 to see her sister Nicole after doing charity work for a few years and now being short on cash. She had a chance encounter with EJ Dimera, becoming immediately enamored with him, not knowing he was engaged to her sister. She is supposed to be a part of Nicole’s wedding to EJ.

Why is Tamara Braun Replacing Natalia Livingston as Taylor Walker?

“It was decided to take the character of Taylor in a new direction,” Co-Executive Producer Gary Tomlin told Soap Opera Digest. “Natalia Livingston is an amazing actress and a consummate professional. She is a class act and everyone at the studio adores her.”
How will Taylor Be Changed?

Taylor has not aired for long after being re-introduced, but her characterization so far has had her being a kind-hearted, caring woman who wants a closer relationship with her family. It is possible the show wants to give her more of an edge by recasting her with Tamara Braun.