Alfonso was born on September 5, 1963, in Brockton, Massachusetts, United States, as Kristian-Joy Alfonso. She is Italian-American; her grandparents hail from Sicily and Calabria.
Early career
She began her career as a figure skater and gold medal champion at the Junior Olympic Figure Skating Championships. At the age of 13, a tobogganing accident ended her skating career and Alfonso began modeling. By the time she was 15 she had appeared on the cover of over 30 magazines, including Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. She was first seen on TV playing opposite Rock Hudson in the TV movieThe Starmaker in 1981.
Days of Our Lives
Alfonso's career took off in April 1983, when she landed the contract role of Hope Williams on the soap operaDays of Our Lives. The character of Hope become involved in a popular pairing with the character of Bo Brady. Alfonso left in 1987, returned in 1990 for a short stint, and then returned again in 1994. She played the role until her departure from the show in fall 2020. While part of the show, she also appeared in Season 6 of Friends in an episode titled "The One That Could Have Been, Part 1" as Hope.
Other work
After Alfonso left "Days" in April 1987, she was cast as Pilar Ortega on Falcon Crest for its last two seasons. In 1993, she starred alongside Dolph Lundgren in the film Joshua Tree, in which she played a cop abducted by an innocent convict on the run.
Other credits
Alfonso's other film and television credits include MacGyver;;Full House;Burke's Law; Murder, She Wrote; Melrose Place; Baywatch; Amazing Stories;Love Stories; and Who's The Boss?.She also co-starred with Kate Jackson on the CBS movie "Whatever Happened to Bobby Earl."
Personal life
Alfonso was married to Simon Macauley from 1987 to 1991. They have a son, Gino William. She married Danny Daggenhurst on October 6, 2001. The couple have two children, Jack, and Spartan, her stepson from Daggenhurst's marriage to Nabila Khashoggi.
Other endeavors
In November 2006, Alfonso created her own jewelry line called Hope Faith Miracles and a fashion line, Hope by Kristian Alfonso. She has appeared on QVC.
