By Christine Champagne

Shortly after departing Salem last November, former Days of Our Lives star Jason Brooks (ex-Peter) trekked up to Vancouver to shoot the TV movie Alibi with Tori Spelling (Donna, Beverly Hills, 90210). Brooks talks about the film (which airs on ABC Mar. 16 from 9-11 p.m. EST) and life after Days.

Q: Did you audition for Alibi?

A: I did not audition for this. It was given to me. Life should work so easily. It's great when you can do it without auditioning because auditioning is the worst experience in the world.

Q: The producers of Alibi must have really liked you.

A: Yeah, or they figured I was large enough to keep the fans away from Tori when we were filming.

Q: Who do you play in the movie?

A: I play Connor Hill, this guy who started a computer company with his wife. It's worth $100 million now, and my wife wants to get a divorce and sell the company off. Tori's character and I hook up by chance. I inadvertently call the wrong number, and she and I start up a conversation which leads to this relationship over the phone. It becomes very intense and intimate, predicated on the fact that you can tell things to people you really don't have to face. We get very involved with each other. Then my wife is killed, and Tori has to serve as my alibi. There are quite a few twists in the story, but I can't tell you about those. Otherwise, I would have to come and kill you. That wouldn't be fun.

Q: The X-Files shoots in Vancouver. Did you run into any of the show's stars?

A: Everywhere. I was sweat on by David Duchovny [Agent Mulder] at the gym.

Q: Wouldn't you love to do an episode of The X-Files?

A: Sure. If they could get rid of him, I'd love to [he laughs].

Q: You wouldn't have to replace Duchovny. You could play a serial killer. You have the devious act down.

A: You think that only because you've only seen me play a villain. Once I start playing the nice guys you'll go, 'Oh my God. How did he ever play such a villain? He is really a good actor.'

Q: You are funny in real life, but you have to admit that Days's Peter was a bad seed.

A: He wasn't such a bad guy. Was he? I guess he was.

Q: Back to Alibi: were Tori's fans everywhere?

A: They were. I had no concept of how big Tori's following was.

Q: What was it like to work with her?

A: It was a lot of fun. I don't ever go into any situation with preconceptions. I just judge for myself, and she was great. We had just a blast. It couldn't have gone better…. There were times when we were just shooting [my side of a phone conversation], and she came in on her day off to help me do my side of it, just to make the connection deeper. It was very cool, and I really appreciated it.

Q: You were shooting the film for about five weeks. Did you get to do anything fun in Vancouver?

A: My wife [Corinne] came up and stayed with me for two weeks. We got rained on, but we bought our [rain gear] and saw some of the local sights. Vancouver is just an extraordinary city. And my wife brought our cat Jackson&emdash;he's a Persian Himalayan&emdash;to stay with us. We're really into our cat. I'm embarrassed to say it, but sometimes we don't go out because we don't want to leave him alone.

Q: Do you get to do things now that you couldn't do when you were on Days because of all the time you spent working?

A: My sock drawer is organized, and my wife and I did go on a vacation. We went to Amsterdam and Paris after I wrapped Alibi. But I prefer to work.

Q: Why did you leave Days?

A: It was a great job. There was only one problem. I had played Peter for over three years, and I wanted to see what else I could do.

Q: What if the show's producers came to you two years from now and asked you to come back?

A: I never say never.

Q: Are you still hearing from Days fans?

A: Production sends over an envelope every month or so with fan mail and stuff. The fans, surprisingly enough, were always very receptive of Peter. For the most part, people grasped that I'm an actor. I'm not really Peter.

Q: When you left Days, were you approached by other soaps?

A: I was approached by two East coast soaps. Again, it was not that I don't want to do it. It's just that I've worked that medium, and I'd like a chance at finding some other stuff.

Q: What kind of work would you like to do?

A: It's hard to classify, but it comes down to the material and if it is something I can sink my teeth into. I don't care where it comes from. I don't care if it's a soap or a major feature or a commercial.

Q: A lot of producers assume good-looking people can't be funny. Does that hurt you in terms of finding comedy work?

A: That is what we are fighting. I have to show [producers] that I can do comedy. I'm slowly but surely turning people around on that.

Q: Have you attended any Days fan events since you left the show?

A: No. I'm just trying to wean off that a little bit. I don't want to ride it for all it was worth.

Q: I guess it would be easy to cling to the past.

A: Exactly. I love the show. I have so many good friends that are still there. And I love the fans…it is just that I'm not on the show anymore. I've got to be mature about it.

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