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
‘Heated Rivalry’ Star Franco LoPresti Opens Up About ‘Days of our Lives’ Debut as Dante Vitali
Next week on Monday, September 14 will mark the first appearance in Salem of Franco LoPresti in his new Days of our Lives role of Dante Vitali.
Heated Rivalry fans now LoPresti very well from his part as hockey player Cliff Marleau in the series first season. (No word yet if Cliff appears in season 2).
Now in a conversation with TV Insider, DAYS fans will learn that LoPresti is on the soap for a limited run. No timetable was given.
Photo: Corday Productions, Inc
When LoPresti does burst onto the scene come Monday, Dante makes quite the impact as Franco LoPresti explains. It seems that viewers will first see him in scenes in Monte Carlo at a poker table with none other than Gabi Hernandez (Cherie Jimenez) and Philip Kiriakis (John-Paul Lavoisier). However, Dante will come to Salem to talk to the Brady family about his supposed fiancée Sami Brady (Alison Sweeney).
Franco shared, “Dante was born and grew up in Italy and educated at this pretty top-tier English boarding school. He then went on to build his own dynasty in finance, all the while trying to distance himself from the Vitali name (as viewers know Tamara Braun played his cousin Ava Vitali).”
“But at the core of Dante, there’s definitely an old-school quality to him”, continued LoPresti. “He’s super passionate, he’s sincere and incredibly generous, but he’s also someone that you probably shouldn’t underestimate. Loyalty is something that means a lot to him. As Dante enters Salem, I think the audience will get to slowly peel back those layers and discover what’s really driving him. So, I’m excited for Days fans to go on that ride with Dante.”
Photo: Almay
As it turns out, LoPresti taped his episodes of DAYS starting back in November 2025 which happened to be weeks before Heated Rivalry became a smash hit.
Franco recalled, “It’s so funny because I thought my episodes would air in a month (on Days of our Lives). But I found out it was nine to 10 months and I was like, ‘I gotta wait that long?!’ So, I’ve been biting my nails, trying not to think about it, and I think it’s actually kind of helped because now it’s here and it’s all coming at me from all different angles. I’m nervous. I’m excited, and I just can’t wait to see it all come together. It’s one of the best jobs I’ve ever had for sure.”
In his personal life, Franco just had his first child with wife, actress Emily Alatalo, just a weeks ago on August 23rd when they welcomed their daughter, Stella into the world.
So, looking forward to seeing Franco LoPresti’s debut come Monday? What do you think about the fact that it’s being reported as a limited run? Do you think Dante and Sami have a chance on-screen or off-screen to be a happy couple? What do you really think brings Dante to Salem sans Sami? Let us know your thoughts via the comment section below.
In a metaphor for the start of the school year and their upcoming anniversary in November, Days of our Lives revealed its “Class of Season 62,” with a very clever yearbook montage on their social media handles, welcoming new cast members, while paying respect to the veterans and “class”-iying the other characters in Salem.
The official Days of our Lives Instagram account shared on the posting, “The Class of Salem Season 62 has arrived. Familiar faces, new names and plenty of personality. Flip through our yearbook for a peek at this year’s class.”
Let’s take a look at how they broke it all down: The Salem Yearbook starts with saying “another unforgettable season,” with some group pics, and then we dovetail into Salem’s new class which features: Sydney Malakeh (Sydney DiMera), Brandon Butler (Mason Whitfield), Angelica Nero (Victoria Kiriakis), Cole Gersmeyer (Thomas DiMera) and Lorelei Olivia Mote (Rachel Black).
Photo: Days of our Lives
Next up, are the likes of: Cherie Jimenez (Gabi Hernandez), John-Paul Lavoisier (Philip Kiriakis), Tyler Joseph Andrews (Theo Carver) and LeeAnn Hopkins (Joy Wesley). Then, in the “Drama Club” section are: Dan Feuerriegel (EJ DiMera) and AnnaLynne Cipriani (Cat Greene).
Following the ‘Recess” section with some group snaps, comes “Homeroom Highlights” with: Abigail Klein (Stephanie Johnson), Eric Martsolf (Brady Black), Rob Scott Wilson (Alex Kiriakis), Lamon Archey (Eli Grant) and Sal Stowers (Lani Price Grant).
The “Salem Spectator” section features: Conner Floyd (Chad DiMera), Greg Rikaart (Leo Stark), Stowers again, and Ashely Puzemis (Holly Jonas). In the “Afternoon Sweets” section look for: Paul Telfer (Xander Kiriakis) and Linsey Godfey (Sarah Horton), Emily O’ Brien (Gwen Rizchech), Stacy Haiduk (Kristen DiMera/Susan Banks), Brandon Beemer (Shawn Brady), plus Jackée Harry (Paulina Price).
Towards the end of the yearbook, veteran performers such as: Mary Beth Evans (Kayla Johnson), Stephen Nichols (Steve Johnson), Lauren Koslow (Kate Roberts) and Josh Taylor (Roman Brady) are featured, plus Deidre Hall (Marlena Evans), James Reynolds (Abe Carver) and Matthew Ashford (Jack Deveraux), Susan Seaforth Hayes (Julie Williams) and Suzanne Rogers (Maggie Kiraikis) with her on-screen daughter, Linsey Godfrey.
The Salem Yearbook comes to a conclusion noting “Big things happening in Salem” and to tune-in on Peacock, where we also find Jacob Martinez (Javi Hernandez), Maggie Carney (Rita Lesley), and a host of other favorites previewing what’s to come this fall.
So, what do you think of the Days of our Lives Class of Season 62? Looking forward to seeing what happens in Salem? Did you like the yearbook concept for promotional tune-in? Let us know via the comment section below.
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Days Of Our Lives
‘Days of our Lives’ Head Writers Give Fall 2026 Preview: Marlena and Stefano’s Chess Mystery, The Arrivals of Dante and Sydney, Romance Drama for Sarah and Others
As summer comes to a close with Labor Day weekend, the former Days of our Lives co-head writing duo of Paula Cwikly and Jeanne Marie Ford have given their annual fall season preview in episodes taped some 10-11 months ago.
As previously reported this past July, Ryan Quan returned to Days of our Lives and is now co-head writing the show with Ford, while Cwikly is now a consultant. The new co-head writing teams stories will not be seen till late spring/early summer 2027.
So for now, the stories pick up from where we left off with Cwikly and Ford promising via TV Insider, “Fall in Salem is full of twists and turns and secrets and surprises. Dots connect in unexpected ways as seemingly unrelated threads converge.”
Photo: JPI
CHECKMATE?
In one of the top mystery’s, Marlena is still having troubling memories and she will have another one on the Monday, September 7 episode. Meanwhile, her daughter Belle (Martha Madison) has gotten very close to Chad DiMera (Conner Floyd) and as pictured here, the two smooch while in Italy searching for answers to the chess set that Stefano DiMera gifted th the late John Black and Marlena (Deidre Hall) that has some significance.
The head scribes share, “The (chess board) mystery and its fallout are central to the fall stories. Chad and Belle follow the clues to a discovery that changes both of their families, and Salem, forever. Marlena worries that their investigation/the chess set may be a Pandora’s box that has been opened. And she is right…”
Newcomers are also the order of the day for Cwikly and Ford, this fall. We have already seen the debut as Brandon Butler as Mason Whitfield, and next week you can add as previously reported Sydney Malakeh on the Thursday September 1o episode as Sydney DiMera, followed by the the Monday, September 14 arrival of Franco LoPresti as Dante Vitali.
Photo: Corday Productions
Paula and Jeanne Marie expressed on the incoming Dante, “The arrival of a stranger who will set the whole town on its ear. The character has several strong ties to the current canvas and impacts many storylines.” What will Dante be up to? We know Sami Brady (Alison Sweeney) had mentioned in 2025 she got engaged to the man, but that was off-screen.
LOVE THE ONE YOU’RE WITH OR THE ONE YOU WANT?
In the romance department, the triangle between Brady/Sarah/Xander heats up with a very conflicted Sarah (Linsey Godfrey). The head writers reveal, “When Sarah faces attacks personally and professionally, Xander (Paul Telfer) and Brady (Eric Martsolf) work together to help and protect her. Sarah’s new love for Brady is challenged by her lingering love for Xander. Xander risks everything for Sarah.”
In addition look for, “Gabi (Cherie Jimenez) and Philip (John-Paul Lavoiser) to draw closer as he tries to save the family company and home.”
Kristen (Stacy Haiduk) will also be returning at some point this fall and she won’t be alone. Who might she bring with her? And from the looks of the Peacock promo for next week’s DAYS, someone is wearing Stefano’s ring around their finger, but who … and how does it all tie in this fall?
So, what do you think about some of the highlights coming up this fall on Days of our Lives per the series head writers? Does anything float your boat or pique your interest? If so, what? Let us know via the comment section. But first, check out the action next week on DAYS in the promo entitled “Bag of Tricks” below.
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