Belle Black: Difference between revisions

Isabella "Belle" Black (formerly Kiriakis, birth name Brady) born onscreen October 21, 1993 is a fictional character on the television drama Days of our Lives. She is the mother of Claire Brady, the half-sister of Sami Brady, Brady Black, Eric Brady and late D.J. Craig, and the daughter of Marlena Evans Black and John Black.

Kirsten Storms most notably portrayed Belle from 1999-2004. Following Storms' departure, Charity Rahmer was briefly recast but didn't "click" with the show's producers and was quickly replaced with Martha Madison before Rahmer's first episode aired. Madison portrayed the character between 2004 and 2008.

Belle is John Black's daughter. Her mother is Marlena Evans, making her the half-sister of Samantha (Sami) Brady. Originally, the residents of Salem believed that Belle was the daughter of Marlena and Roman Brady. In truth, Belle was the product of a one-night-affair between Marlena and John Black. Belle's true parentage might never have been revealed if it weren't for her older sister Sami Brady who discovered the truth and kept the secret for several months. She even kidnapped Belle and tried to have her legally adopted. In the end, however, it was Stefano DiMera who revealed the truth after reading Sami's diary. Belle is the real child of Marlena Evans and John Black.

During her formidable teen years at Salem High School, Belle started an ill-fated relationship with (at the time) bad boy Philip Kiriakis, but soon devoted all her attention to Shawn-Douglas Brady, Best friends with Mimi Lockhart, she also added new girl Chloe Lane to her circle of friends. All of her peers were shocked to see her spending time with "Ghoul Girl" Chloe, but eventually everyone accepted their friendship.

Belle joined her fellow teens on a trip to Puerto Rico, where they were supposed to study the environment. Instead, she, Shawn and Philip went on an adventure to find some missing jewels, including a ruby belonging to Alice Horton. Much to the dismay of the criminally-minded Paul, the teens were successful and Shawn was able to return the ruby to his great-grandmother.

Once back in Salem, Jan continued to confide in Shawn her pregnancy as a result of her rape by Paul on the island. Shawn agreed to stand by her and say he was the father, even though this destroyed his relationship with Belle. She was devastated and couldn't believe someone she had trusted as much as Shawn could hurt her like this. However, she made it through her senior year at Salem High and when, at the end of the year, the truth about Jan and Shawn came out, Belle managed to forgive him and they were reunited at the Last Blast Dance. She forgave him, but was still tentative about their relationship. That same summer, during the Gemini meteor showers on the Fourth of July, Belle and Shawn got the surprise of their lives up at Lookout Point when an apparent alien space ship landed. They rescued the aliens and spent the rest of the summer looking after them and keeping them hidden from the rest of Salem. Shawn often wanted to turn them in, but Belle never gave up her strong desire to help her twin alien friends. The government though, with the help of Belle's father John, took Rex and Cassie, the "aliens" into custody and discovered they were really human.

Belle started college at Salem University, where she lived in Hartley House, an on-campus dorm, with Shawn. Rex and Cassie also moved into the dorm, and Mimi lived at home while attending college. Belle still had to deal with Cassie's unstoppable attraction to Shawn, among other problems. Belle and Shawn did commit to their future together, though. They each wear purity rings, signifying this commitment.

Shawn and Belle suffered another set-back after Victor and Nicole's New Year's Eve wedding at which Colin Murphy was murdered. Shawn had shot at Colin and missed, but he thought he was responsible. Shawn broke up with Belle to deal with it on his own. She didn't understand why, but they were finally reunited after Larry Welch (falsely) confessed to the crime. Meantime, Belle had started working as an intern for Basic Black. Her work ethic contrasted with Shawn's more easy-going approach to life, causing her eventually to break up with him. While they were separated, she went on a reality show, Love is Blind, with Cassie and Mimi. Belle won the game and her prize was a date with a blindfolded hunk. He turned out to be Philip Kiriakis, now stationed on a Marine base near Salem. But was he just a Marine? Turns out, he was a member of the ISA and Belle nearly got into trouble several times when she was with him.

Belle's lingerie and swim wear designs were featured in a Basic Black fashion show with a very unhappy ending; Bo and Hope were attacked. They survived and so did her future as a fashion designer. When she became horribly distraught over the murders of the Salem Stalker -- even removing her purity ring and wanting to live for the moment -- her father and Shawn conspired to send her to Europe on Basic Black business. She returned for the holiday season and to her life with Shawn.

Of course, the Salem Stalker was still at work. Nine people in total were murdered before the killer -- Belle's own mother Marlena -- was finally caught. Belle was devastated and could not believe that her mother was guilty. She even lied to Shawn to provide an alibi for one of the murders, then lived to regret it. Shawn's own grandmother was the next to go and, overcome by guilt, he left town to clear his head. But Belle wasn't alone for long. Philip, who is harboring a secret crush on her, moved in to provide solace. Although she resisted, Belle eventually gave in to Philip's charms. It didn't help that when Shawn finally returned, his personality was completely changed. He expressed hatred for Belle and for Philip and hooked up with Jan. Philip and Belle became engaged and Shawn's feelings about them didn't change until the night of their wedding. He realized he was still in love with Belle and crashed the wedding -- literally. He drove his motorcycle through the stained glass window of the church, very nearly killing himself and his beloved in the process. And he didn't even stop the wedding. So Belle and Philip were married, but she knew she was still in love with Shawn. She wanted to tell Philip the truth, but he shipped out with his Marine unit and was taken hostage. It wasn't long before Shawn headed out to rescue Philip, knowing Belle wouldn't be with him as long as her husband was missing.

Ignoring her feelings for Shawn, Belle stayed married to Philip because of the serious injuries he received in combat. Belle gave birth to a girl, Claire, who is actually Shawn's biological daughter, which was unknown to all for a long period. Recently, Claire's true paternity has become common knowledge. Because Belle is currently pregnant with another child by Shawn due to an in vitro mix-up, this creates serious problems for many. Belle has told Phillip that she does not love him the way she should, and loves Shawn, so Phillip left Salem and his family.

Belle was truly devastated when the baby she was carrying with Shawn, wasn't expected to survive. Philip, as Belle's husband, had to make the decision to either end Belle's pregnancy or let Belle die. Although he told Belle he wouldn't let the baby die, he chose to have the pregnancy terminated. Belle was utterly devastated and lashed out at Philip. She eventually forgave him, but the two decided to call it quits.

Belle stayed with her parents following her traumatic experience, she was about to get back together with Shawn, when a misunderstanding pushed them further apart. Belle began to push Shawn on being a responsible father for their daughter. The two argued on several occasions and things came to a head when Shawn started to sleep with former hooker, Willow Stark . After Victor had Claire kidnapped, Belle and Shawn bonded and decided to get back together. Though they have several problems in their way, particularly Willow and Victor who is helping Philip to take Claire from Shawn and Belle. She has lost temporary custody of Claire to Philip and Victor (who bribed everyone involved), and later discovered that Philip is planning to take Claire out of the country. Distraught Belle and Shawn kidnap Claire with the help of Max and Mimi.

Shawn and Belle finally found a place to hide out on the island Tinda Lau. They received help from a man, Duck and his daughter Gabby. They stayed on the island until Philip got there. Then, Shawn, Belle, and Claire got on a ship to get away from Philip. Then, Philip eventually got on that same ship with them. Shawn, Belle, Claire, and Philip jumped off of the ship on to a small boat. A typhoon came right up to them while the 4 of them were on this small boat. Philip was holding Claire and the typhoon came and took her away. They were all so mad. Then, Shawn, Belle, and Philip went back to Salem. Only one person believed Claire was still alive, Belle. Belle was in the hospital because for a little while they thought she was crazy. Then, after she got out of the hospital, Philip found this man who thinks he might have seen Claire. So, Belle and Philip met this guy named George at a restaurant and they showed him Claire's picture. He said he has seen her. He said she was in the arms of a lady with a hat and sunglasses on. She was wearing a back pack that said 'USADORABLE' on it. Mean while, Shawn was trying to figure out if he is the father of Willow's baby because Willow and the baby are now both dead. Philip and Belle look up "USADORABLE" on the internet. It is a pageant for babies to enter. The current one is in Chicago. Belle and Philip are going to Chicago and Shawn agrees to meet them there. When they get there they talk to a lady who says that Claire was in the pageant and she was at the hotel in Chicago they were in. The lady went to her office and called places. Whoever entered Claire in the pageant is making people think she is a boy, naming her Jeffrey Gray. Shawn, Belle, and Philip were recently reunited with Claire, and they took her back to Salem to raise her.

Shortly after returning home, afraid he would lose Belle because of the time she was spending with Philip and all the things Philip could give her, Shawn proposed.

Belle and Philip grow close. John got hit by a car and died. Belle and Sami decide to move in with Marlena to offer her comfort. Belle goes to the sanctuary and Philip arrives after Belle. Belle remembers when John was still alive. Philip tells Belle that he loves her and they kiss. Belle pushes Philip away just in time when Shawn walks into the church. Shawn and Belle leave and Belle tells him she can go home by herself. When Shawn leaves and Belle finds out her car doesn't start. Belle returns to the church and asks Philip help with her car. Belle and Philip go back to her place. Phillip says he will stay out of her life for good if she gives the word. Belle tells Philip that she can't bare the thought of never seeing him again and the two have sex. Belle tells Philip that Shawn can never find out about this and asks Philip to leave. Hope demands the truth from Belle about what happened with her and Philip in the room. Belle tells Hope the truth about her and Philip. Hope promises to keep it a secret for Shawn not Belle.

Belle confesses to Shawn that she was the one who wrote a letter to the police academy, not Phillip. When Shawn gets upset she admits she doesn't want to lose him like she did John. Shawn asks Belle to marry her on Thanksgiving Day and she agrees much to the shock of Hope and Bo who Hope had told Belle slept with Phillip. When Bo takes Shawn down stairs Hope admits she told Bo about Belle sleeping with Phillip. Belle panics not wanting Bo to tell Shawn. When father and son come back up Bo gives Belle his blessing to marry Shawn.

On November 232007, Shawn and Belle were married. Hope learned that Phillip and Belle have not stopped seeing each other by listening to a message on Belle's cell phone.

In March of 2008, Shawn and Belle reconciled and decided to do as Shawn's parents had once done and sail the world to strengthen their marriage, taking Claire with them.

• Shawn and Belle

• Belle at soapcentral.com