In the Soap Opera Spotlight: Jay Kenneth Johnson

Jay Kenneth Johnson has starred on The Young and the Restless.

And now, of course, he can be seen daily on Days of Our Lives.

Despite being a veteran of the soap opera world, Johnson may remain a mystery to some viewers. With that in mind, check out these tidbits about the actor:

• Originally auditioned for the role of Brady, but was cast as Philip instead.

• Grew up in the same Missouri town as Brad Pitt, just around the corner from him, in fact. They share other connections, as well: John Aniston, Jay on-screen father, was Pitt’s real-life father-in-law.

• Days of Our Lives fans were so heartbroken when he left the show that they hired a plane trailing a "Good Luck" banner to fly over the studio on his last day.

• In his spare time, Johnson is the lead singer in the band Solid Jones.

Co-star Lauren Koslow once said about him: "There’s something special about Jay. From the first day he got here he's been very professional and enthusiastic. He's a joy to work with."

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.