As cited last week, "Days of Our Lives" is making major cast cuts to stay on the air with a vastly reduced budget. Longtime stars Drake Hogestyn (John) and Deidre Hall (Marlena) will exit in January, followed by undetermined others.

Are fellow biggies Kristian Alfonso (Hope) and Peter Reckell (Bo) safe?

"I'm always thinking, 'Am I going to get the call?'" say Alfonso, who's played heroine Hope Brady since 1983. "I never take anything for granted."

Alfonso says the cast was stunned to hear Hogestyn and Hall had gotten the ax.