Days Of Our Lives
DAYS Chandler Massey Interview: Will's Coming Out Scenes & The Ripple-Effect On Those He Loves!
Photo Credit: Adam Campbell
It’s Will Horton’s “official” coming out week on Days of our Lives! And to kick-off the occasion Outfest sponsored a terrific event late last week in Los Angeles called Days of our Lives: A Coming Out Celebration featuring red carpet arrivals, a screening for those in attendance of Will’s story thus far, and a panel discussion featuring members of the cast involved in the storyline including: Chandler Massey (Will), Alison Sweeney (Sami), Wally Kurth (Justin) Bryan Dattilo (Lucas), Lauren Koslow (Marlena), Deidre Hall (Marlena) and co-executive producer Greg Meng.
Throughout the week, On-Air On-Soaps will be bringing you our one-on-one interviews, and some sneak peeks and highlights, and emotional moments, from the panel discussion, as we celebrate the importance of another core character coming out on a daytime soap.
Today, check out our chitchat on the red carpet with Chandler Massey, who on this night was very witty, charming, and who was soaking up all of the accolades bestowed upon him from his cast mates and the crowd in attendance. One of the kudos we loved came from DAYS Sarah Brown (Madison) who told us, “I love what Chandler is doing. He has my heart in my throat, every single time he comes on–screen. There is no way anyone else has a chance at an Emmy this year. I have never seen anything quite like this. I am in awe of what he is doing.”
When we later spoke with Chandler, he gave us more of a preview of what’s ahead with Will’s coming out scenes that air tomorrow, and how the revelation will effect his relationship with his mother, Sami and his father, Lucas. Plus, we included here for those who want to know, a question posed to Chandler inside the panel, about the sexual overtones of Will’s relationship with his boss, EJ DiMera (James Scott), which many have suggested they have noticed on on-screen.
Here is what Chandler had to tell us!
Courtesy/NBC
The entire cast in attendance tonight has been relating to me how you have handled this storyline with such dignity and grace!
CHANDLER: Well that’s good that they said that. It seems that the money that I slipped them before they hit the red carpet worked! (Laughs) It was a good amount each, for daytime anyway. (Laughs)
Bryan Dattilo (Lucas) was telling me how glad he was that Lucas is OK with Will being gay!
CHANDLER: I am glad Lucas is OK with Will being gay, and Lucas handles it exceptionally well compared to Sami! Of course! She can’t help it and that is just how she is. I really like that in the story. There are some scenes coming up that are really sweet between Will and Lucas. Honestly, I have not worked with Bryan that much and they kind of threw him right back into the mix with Sami and the lingering feelings between these two. Lucas also has all this other stuff going on. But there are some really tender father and son bonding scenes that you will see.
Does Will feel then that somehow he is inadequate as man and a disappointment to his dad?
CHANDLER: Well, yes. And it’s not so much said, but Bryan and I worked it into our subtext in the scenes. That would be any gay young man’s fear, coming out to their dad, because, for instance, I know my dad and I never talk about feelings or anything like that.
Courtesy/NBC
I hear that Sami’s response to Will’s coming out will be a quite self-centered one and one of denial. It does happen that way with some people’s family members when they get up the courage to admit to them that they are gay.
CHANDLER: I think so, and it does happen this way. That is just some people’s knee-jerk reaction to something. They will go, “Well, how does this affect me?” But some are better holding it in and then thinking, “Wait a second.” And then some people have no filter, and that is how Sami is, and Will knows that!
You have to be kind of proud that this is happening and you are at the epicenter of it. After all, you are the actor who got to play the character of Will at this critical juncture in his growth. Previewing ahead, what do you think we can look forward? He won’t go ringing the doorbell of the residents in Salem and go “I’m Gay!” “I’m Gay!”? (Laughs)
CHANDLER: We have the coming out scenes April 4th and the sex-change, April 5th! (Laughs) I am just kidding! (Laughs) Will is coming out April 4th to his grandma Marlena, and after that it’s just a matter of telling the rest of the family slowly. Some people will be easier for him to tell than others, for example, Marlena and Sonny. They knew already. Will knows that. He is not a complete idiot! EJ knows. I think it does not matter to EJ one bit. But the other people like Sami and the rest of his family, he is not sure about.
Photo Credit: NBC
Many viewers have noticed this sexual undercurrent between EJ and Will? What is going on there? Do you realize this? (Laughs)
CHANDLER: James Scott (EJ) and I have also noticed the existence of that subtext. (Laughs) EJ and Will’s relationship is kind of a mentor or mentee sort of thing, which kind of already lends itself to a very close relationship. And I think, just the fact that James is British, sort of adds to it. (Laughs) And I will say, that they are not writing for that, but I am saying that any gay man working around EJ DiMera would think he is a handsome guy. You can’t help but be somewhat attracted to that.
So, as we head towards tomorrow’s coming out episode, can viewers expect to see an emotional purging from Will, when he finally can admit to himself he is gay?
CHANDLER: It is not an emotional purge and here is why: I read the scenes and they could have easily gone that way. But I think there has been so much of that already, and I like I said, it was kind of at that point where it would kind of be seen as repetitive, if it kept going with all this angst and conflict of “Will he say it? Or, won’t he say it?” So this time, it was much more cathartic. It was more of a fun afternoon with grandma that turns into this whole acceptance. Will just kind of slides into it. It’s not dramatic, but because of that, it will be very refreshing to see, I hope.
So soapers …. Are you excited about Will finally coming out on tomorrow’s episode of Days of our Lives? What do you think about Chandler’s comments about the storyline and Will’s relationships with many of the significant people in Salem? Let us know!
i see an emmy in chandler’s future!!!
A channel in Canada just aired tomorrows episode today. I just saw Will come out to Marlena today and was expecting a big huge scream of “I’m gay!” instead of the way Will handled his coming out Marlena (their chemistry on screen just gets better and better!) Look forward to seeing more of this storyline in the months and hopefully years to come (as long as the show is on!)
So great how Days has been treating this storyline. And sooooo much better than any other soap has so far! I am glad that it’s played out for a long time and I can’t wait to see the scenes of people finding out that Will is gay, especially the scenes with Will telling Marlena and Sami!
I only hope that after Chandler putting so much effort into this unique role; that the writers and TPTB of DOOL will not screw up this SL like the writers and TPTB of QAF and ATWT did, giving their gay characters disastrous endings.
Chandler Massey is a great find and he should win the Emmy this year. He has chemistry with every actor he shares a scene with. The guy has talent!
Hey guys that are watching this storyline their is a movie called Doing Time On Maple Drive it was made in 1992 about a guy who comes home from college with his fiancee and later the story unfolds and you learn he is really gay and the mother reacts off the charts if you have a chance rent it very well done but I have not watched DOOL but if I remember how Sami is I would say that the way this mother is portrayed in the movie the late Bibi Beasch played her I would say that would be how Sami would react. Lori Loughlin plays the fiancee in it who leaves him after she finds out it is very well done even though it was made 18 years ago.
I hope Sami doesn’t care too much or be mean to Will…
Actually i am in a way quite disappointed with how they will write Sami..self-centered, in denial..well actually she will be ‘the bad guy’ the homophobe one..imo it is not Sami, yep she is self-centered but the girl is above all the first to know how it is like to be an outsider, to be different to others, she was not the ‘perfect’ Brady, she was rejected lot’s of times because of it, she was the underdog, she even suffered of bulemia because of it..so she should more than anyone empathize with Will..but of course one character has to impose conflict to make a story and Sami (almost as usual) is the scapegoat..Kudos to Ali Sweeney to accept this difficult role of the ‘bad guy’, other actors (hey they even said on interviews) would not have the guts and courage to accept it..that being said i am sad about this decision and it is not in character for Sami Brady imho..sad..
And of course Sami will be again trashed by fans..Ali Sweeney you are a really brave actress..REALLY !
There’s all kinds of inappropriate chemistry going on ej and will see this video lolll
EJ & Will – I’m no good for you
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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