Days Of Our Lives
Chandler Massey Talks Freddie Smith, How He Would Have Handled His DAYS Exit Differently & What He Learned From Playing Will Horton!
Courtesy/After Buzz
On Sunday, three-time Daytime Emmy winner and former Days of our Lives star Chandler Massey (Ex-Will Horton) was featured on an all-new episode of After Buzz TV Spotlight On with Dishin DAYS co-hosts: Tony Moore, Mark. J. Freeman and James Lott Jr.
During the entertaining interview, Chandler was asked a myriad of questions including: working with some of his former DAYS co-stars. When asked how he felt about working with Freddie Smith (Sonny), Chandler replied: “Freddie’s got this thing where I have never seen him push ever, which is go great and is so rare, because he kind of just lives it. Freddie kind of just lives the role and so it was so great to work with him.”  When the hosts revealed to Chandler that this week is Freddie’s last on-screen episode, Chandler in a bittersweet moment remarked, “That’s sad.”
Later, when asked what he learned the most from playing the role of Will Horton, Chandler related: “I grew to care about marriage equality, because before I was largely ignorant.  I didn’t really know, so I didn’t really care. Then, I got to learn so much playing this character, and I thought, “You know what? There’s something going on that needs to be addressed and that needs to be fixed.”  So it changed me that way. It made me a better person, honestly.
When asked to clarify the events that went down when the powers-that-be realized that Chandler was not signing a new contract, and then replaced him with Guy Wilson as Will, Chandler explained what he learned from the whole experience: “Tell your employer what you are planning to do about your contract, before you tell everybody else. So after the Emmys in 2012, I got asked the question what was I planning to do when my contract was up. I said I was going back to school which was my plan. I originally should have approached them (DAYS) first and tell them what I was going to do, but I was just short-sighted. I should have really told them (DAYS) what I was planning to do. Of course, they want to carry the character on, because it’s a really important character and the stories around him are very important. I feel like I blind-sided them accidentally by doing that, and so I really didn’t leave them with any choice except to bring in somebody else, and that was kind of the nature of it. It was very sudden and I didn’t know until that day.  That’s how they like to do things and they run a tight-ship, and keep information close to the vest, because it creates less distractions. It allowed me to work up until my last day without somebody over my shoulder waiting in the wings.”
Watch Chandler after the jump on After Buzz! Then let us know what you thought about Chandler’s comments on how he would have handled letting the DAYS brass know he was not planning on staying with the show, thoughts on working with Freddie Smith, and what he learned from his time as Will Horton and more!
In the interview, Chandler says that he never thought to ask his people how he should handle the press, especially if the question came up.
It seems to me that wasn’t his responsibility. It was the responsibility of his agent or PR person whoever they may be to prep him and all their clients. Had they done their job maybe he would have worked all the way to the end.
I might be off on the timing, but the way i add it up, Chandler could have been the Will to marry Sonny. Then they could have gone off on a honeymoon, and when they got back then Guy Wilson would be the new Will.
No one will ever forget Chandler!! Great interview .. and miss him so much.. come back to the show Chandler , Days has never been the same without you!
hey Eddie, I think it was best for DAYS to have Guy Wilson as Will marry Sonny, especially for the use of flashbacks, and it made more sense to incorporate and utilize Guy Wilson into the role of Will, as it seems that Guy is going to remain in story going forward. 🙂 Rumors of Guy’s departure don’t seem to be true according to Guy’s recent tweet.
It’s great seeing Chandler Massey again. I really hope he can return as Will soon. I know he’s been in college but I’m still hoping.
If the show didn’t fire him right away out of spite we probably would have gotten a better recast since they had to do it so quick.
definitely… here, here to your 2nd paragraph
it would have made all the difference in the realm of carrying this epic tour de force
They didn’t fire him out of spite. It’s dollars and cents….it always is.
They put out a casting call for a recast Will.
They found Guy.
They liked Guy.
They hired Guy.
They didn’t want to pay two people when only one was going to play the part.
Simple.
I like CM too and didn’t want him to go at all, but fans need to see the bigger picture here. It’s not some vendetta against the actor.
Thank you for being a voice of reason.
Wow- what a fun interview- thanks for posting. I really miss Chandler- I wish he’d return to a Days.
It was a wonderful interview. He was humble and classy like always.
This is the first we’re hearing from CM in 2 years.
I’m so happy to hear him taking responsibility for his part in what went down with his exit. Fans were in such an uproar that DAYS did what they did, but I’m glad at least he sees that he tied their hands into it. They couldn’t just let the character go after CM would leave, and when they found a replacement as quickly as they did, they couldn’t pay 2 actors.
He was a great Will. A sensitive, caring and mature Will. He had some amazing stories in his years at DAYS from catching EJami in the act, his coming out, Arianna, and the entire Nick blackmail plot. That all mattered and counted for something. I wish him well as he follows his new path. I’m sure GH will snatch him up once he becomes a free agent again.
Sounds to me like he was conflicted with leaving the role of Will, but that in the end, it was something he needed to do in order to pursue his education. Honestly, while I did like Chandler as Will, he felt too comfortable in the role and when you’re watching a character, I never want you to appear comfortable in the role. And I feel as if he made the right decision in leaving at the end of his contract, and I wish him well on his future endeavors in whatever he does.
I miss him so much. Guy has been a major fail.
Chandler could not have pulled off this Bitchy, grasping, ambitious, scheming version ofWill. Guy Wilson plays the hell out of it though. This is Sami 2.0!
I think Chandler Massey will be playing Will when Freddie Smith returns for a couple episodes.
That would be wonderful.
When I think back to the episodes in the months before they unceremoniously ejected Chandler Massey, I keep thinking “missed opportunity.” There were so many interesting and meaningful stories related to aspects of Sonny/Will’s relationship which easily could have been explored. Yet, the writers filled Massey’s last few months with pure drivel.
If the writers were stumped as to how to write such stories, all they had to do was consult with the very same people who gave them realistic information from which they melded Will’s coming out story. Even if the writers might be forced by the show’s target demographic to water-down and vanilla-ify such stories (as they did with Will’s coming out story), almost anything would have been more meaningful than the material on which they needlessly wasted Massey’s talent.
Frankly, the best-written material in Will’s coming out story seemed to be the scenes showing how it affected his grandmothers and mother — in an obvious sop to the show’s target audience (e.g. “I can’t believe my grandmother is my best friend.”) The writers easily could have continued along the same lines to show how grandmothers and mothers would/should react the events certain to arise from a grandchild or child growing into a more fully realized gay person.
The best dialogue lines in Will’s coming out story seemed to be a veritable guide-book instructing the grandmothers/mothers of the audience exactly what to say (or not to say) when confronted with this same situation in their own lines. The show easily could have continued presenting Will’s story along such lines, if that’s what it took to get good material out there. Instead, they gave Chandler very little significant to do in those last six months or so.
Missed opportunity.
Whilst I fully u der stand the greater-good of continuing with Guy as NuWill; they could’ve at least chosen someone semi attractive to play Will to jeep realism up… There were always dorks physically between Freddie and Chandker playing on-screen livers. However, there us ZERO natural chemistry between Guy and Freddue, it seems so forced every scene. “WilSon” would’ve been better possibly using a different character to play Will opposite Sonny, because his look and portrayal of a supposed fresh-faced Will just doesn’t cut it, when he wears the same screwed up facial expression in every single scene! Sorry… Not a Guy fan for the role of Will.
I really miss Chandler Massey as Will. Guy Wilson has destroyed the role. Guy Wilson has zero charisma and his acting is stilted and phony.
Chandler is doing the right thing by sticking to a script, including scripted answers, for this interview, but scripted is what it is. A friend of mine met him, Casey, Blake, Camilla, and Brendon shortly after Chandler was fired – and he was fired. If you look at the timeline an interview appeared in one of the soap mags the end of one week in which Chandler sort of laughed off the idea of going, to the point where you could bet money he wasn’t going anywhere. His answer to that question at the time was that he had mentioned he wanted to go back to school but that nothing had been decided about his status with the show. The following Friday – Aug.23 – he was canned. Oddly enough, Chandler was the kindest one of the five and even Camilla came out and actually said the words, that what Days did to him was wrong. As we have all seen since, letting Chandler go was a VERY BIG mistake.
Can someone explain to me what chandler meant when he was talking about Freddie. What he mean when he said he had to pour some out for the homies and also when he said he had never seen Freddie push. SOMEONE PLEASE ANSWER!
Thanks X
Chandler was a great actor in days of our live. And he was super hot at the same time. We miss u chandler. Mwah
Days Of Our Lives
Sydney Malekeh Joins the Cast of ‘Days of Our Lives’ in Mystery Role: Who Do You Think She’s Playing?
There’s a new gal coming to Salem, or is she new and a recast? That’s what inquiring minds from Days of Our Lives fans have been trying to figure out since the Peacock soap opera dropped an Instagram video heralding actress‘ Sydney Malekeh’s arrival in Salem.
The soap did confirm that viewers will first see Malekeh on the September 9 episode. In the video, Malekeh is seen going set to set from her dressing room and in to the halls of Days of Our Lives studios.
What we do know id that Sydney has been acting professionally for 6 years and had appeared on Grey’s Anatomy, Apple TV’s Shrinking and the HBO Max’s The Sex Lives of College Girls.
Plenty of Malekeh’s DAYS castmates jumped into the comment thread with positive emojis symbols or written excitement including: Paul Telfer (Xander), Linsey Godfrey (Sarah), Sal Stowers (Lani), Conner Floyd (Chad), Eric Martsolf (Brady) and Christie Clark (Carrie) and more now that fans will finally see her on-air. Since Days of Our Lives tapes 10-11 months in advance, Sydney would have started taping the show sometime back in 2025.
DAYS fans think perhaps because the actress’ name is Sydney that she might be playing the grown-up daughter of Sami and EJ. That character hasn’t bee on the canvas since 2021.
So, who do you think Sydney Malekeh might be playing on Days of Our Lives? Drop your casting director thoughts via the comment section below.
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Days Of Our Lives
Peacock Hikes Subscription Rates for Fourth Time in Four Years; ‘Days of Our Lives’ Fans Sound Off
While recently the streaming service Peacock reported turning a profit for its first time since its infancy, now comes word that the company is raising their prices for all customers, and in some cases it stared today on August 18.
The news of the subscription rate increases marks the fourth time the NBCUniversal streaming platform has done so in four years. So, on August 18, Peacock is increasing the prices for new or returning subscribers and customers, while current subscribers will see the rate increase on or after September 17 depending on their billing cycle when they initially signed up.
Here is the new pricing to follow along: Peacock Premium (which includes ads) will be $12.99/month, up two dollars from $10.99; Peacock Premium Plus will be $19.99/month, up three dollars increase from $16.99; and the Peacock Select tier (which includes current and past seasons of NBC and Bravo shows but excludes movies, live sports and Peacock originals) will increase a dollar from $7.99 to $8.99/month.
Photo: JPI
SUBSCRIBERS CONTINUE TO PAY MORE ACROSS THE STREAMER LANDSCAPE
It was back in June that the streamer reported that aid subscribers were up to 48 million adding a 2 million net gain during Q2 in of 2026. The subscription price hikes are rampant now in the entertainment streaming industry where over the last two years for example, Netflix, HBO Max, Apple TV, Paramount+ have all raised their fees to consumers.
Peacock’s tier-levels feature not only Days of Our Lives, but reality hits such as The Traitors and Love Island USA, Bravo series, and a vault of Saturday Night Live, Law & Order, The Real Housewives franchise, and Below Deck episodes as well. Pecock Premium and Premium Plus subscribers have access to sports and live events, as well.
DAYS OF OUR LIVES SUBSCRIBERS HAD A FEW CHOICE WORDS FOR PEACOCK
As Days of Our Lives fans know, the soap opera moved from NBC to the streamer back in September of 2022 after 57 years on broadcast television. When the news hit X on the price increase, DAYS fans had a lot to say about it. Here are just a few of the comments below:
“I can’t believe Peacock and can’t come to a deal with Cordya to air old episodes of #Days. That alone would bring a ton of subscribers,” to If Peacock actually cared about #Days of Our Lives, gave the show the budget it needs for better sets, cameras, background actors and enough time to tell proper stories, I wouldn’t mind paying more. If the money actually showed on screen, the higher price would be worth it,” to “I will continue to pay for a Peacock subscription as long as #Days is on it, but did we know there was another price increase coming?” and more.
So, what do you think of the new price hike increase to watch Days of Our Lives and your other favorite shows and events on Peacock? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
Days Of Our Lives
‘Veronica & Julian’ Feature Starring ‘Days of Our Lives’ Alums Nadia Bjorlin and Kyler Pettis Releases Key Art and More (Exclusive)
In the upcoming indie feature Veronica & Julian from director Otoja Abit, two former Days of Our Lives stars, Nadia Bjorlin (ex-Chloe Lane) and Kyler Pettis (ex-Theo Carver), headline the drama feature in this story of a May-December romance that faces challenges along the way.
Veronica & Julian centers on a confident and successful marketing executive (Bjorlin) who winds up falling for a younger aspiring architect (Pettis). From there, a journey of desire and self-discovery is set against the backdrop of present-day New York City.
The cast also includes: Blake Jenner (ex-Glee), Erin Cummings, Chrystee Pharris (ex-Simone Russell, Passions and Queens of Drama), Robert Lee Leng, Mark Famiglietti and Jennafer Newberry.
Photo:
LIVE CHAT WITH NADIA AND KYLER PLANNED
Now, Michael Fairman TV can share exclusively: the key poster art below, and that current plans that call for Veronica & Julian to be released and made available late this holiday season.
In addition, Nadia and Kyler will join us for a very special livestream conversation on the Michael Fairman Channel (Monday, Aug 24 – 3PM ET/Noon PT) to chat about their roles in the film, their time on Days of Our Lives, life post-soap opera, and much more. Fans can join the live chat and pose their questions to the actors as well.
Courtesy/Bright Leicht Content LLC
THE THEMES BEHIND VERONICA & JULIAN
Director Otoja Abit shared this statement on the feature film, “Veronica & Julian is about the right people who have a chance meeting at the wrong time. It’s a look at two people who don’t grow apart—they just grow up. This film is an authentic exploration of an imminent ending and how two people deeply in love got there. It aims to be quiet while telling a relatable story about modern-day relationships.”
Abit continued, “As a society, mainstream romantic films are often delivered through fantastical aspirations. I created this film believing that viewers who have experienced a breakup can relate to Veronica and Julian, depending on their perspective. They’re a couple navigating some of the most familiar obstacles in love: miscommunication, timing and pride.”
He concluded, “It’s a story about endings told through the small moments we often don’t recognize until they’re gone. With the support of the Panavision New Filmmaker Program, I approached the story with a deeper sense of visual control while maintaining the naturalism that defines each character.”
Photo: Bright Leicht Content LLC
NADIA AND KYLER GOT THEIR FIRST BIG BREAK IN SOAPS
As Days of Our Lives fans know, Bjorlin is best known for her long-running role as Chloe Lane. Nadia played the part from 1999-2023 with various runs in Salem. She is also known for her role as Lara in the Venice the Series since 2009. Nadia’s other TV and film credits include: A Murder Between Friends, NCIS, Two Broke Girls and more.
Pettis played Theo Carver on Days of Our Lives from 2015-2018 and earned himself a Daytime Emmy for his work in the now defunct Outstanding Younger Actor in a Daytime Drama Series back in 2019. His other TV credits include roles on: The Rookie, All American: Homecoming and Ray Donovan.
Veronica and Julian is written, produced and directed by Abit and produced through his Willful Productions alongside Kory Apton and Ian Phillips. Executive producers include: Nick Leicht, Gregory Sinche, Shelly Sinche, Torsten Sippel, Tim Freydberg, Ryan Schulke and Matthew Conlin.
So, intrigued to see Nadia and Kyler as a romantic couple in the film Veronica & Julian? Miss them on Days of Our Lives? Share your thoughts in the comment section.
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