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
Beyond the Gates
53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Nominations Announced: ‘The Young and the Restless’ Tops With 18, ‘Beyond the Gates’ With 16
The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) today announced the full list of nominees for the upcoming 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, and it was CBS daytime’s The Young and the Restless and broadcast television newest soap opera, Beyond the Gates that racked up the most nominations with 18 and 16, respectively.
The full reveal on Tuesday follows the announcement of several major categories including Lead Actor and Actress on Monday via Extra and Entertainment Tonight and The View today revealing Daytime Drama Series and more.
The 53rd Annual Daytime Emmys ceremony is set to take place on Friday, October 30 at the historic Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood, California.
Photo: CBS
In a statement, Adam Sharp, President and CEO of NATAS expressed, “We’re proud to honor the extraordinary talent and creative teams whose work continues to define and elevate daytime television, As the Daytime landscape evolves and new forms of storytelling emerge, we remain committed to recognizing the innovation happening across the industry.”
“Each year, the Daytime Emmy Awards celebrate the creativity, passion, and dedication that drive this vibrant community of storytellers,” said Rachel Schwartz, Head of the Daytime Emmy Awards. “Congratulations to this year’s nominees, whose work continues to entertain, inspire and connect with audiences every day. We look forward to celebrating their remarkable achievements in Hollywood this October.”
The Daytime Emmy Awards have recognized outstanding achievement in television programming and crafts since 1974, honoring work in a variety of genres, including daytime dramas, talk series, entertainment news, culinary, adventure, instructional and legal/courtroom programming.
This year’s Lifetime Achievement Honoree, Gold & Silver Circle Inductees, and ceremony host will be announced at a later date.
Now below, check out the nominees in the daytime drama, talk show, entertainment news series and creative arts categories and congratulations to all!
Photo: JPI
Outstanding Daytime Drama Series
Beyond the Gates
Days of Our Lives
General Hospital
The Young and the Restless
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Daytime Drama Series
Stacy Haiduk (as Kristen DiMera), Days of Our Lives
Karla Mosley (as Dani Dupree), Beyond the Gates
Michelle Stafford (as Phyllis Summers), The Young and the Restless
Heather Tom (as Katie Logan), The Bold and the Beautiful
Tamara Tunie (as Anita Williams Dupree), Beyond the Gates
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Daytime Drama Series
Eric Braeden (as Victor Newman), The Young and the Restless
Steve Burton (as Jason Morgan), General Hospital
Scott Clifton (as Liam Spencer), The Bold and the Beautiful
Thorsten Kaye (as Ridge Forrester), The Bold and the Beautiful
Christian Jules Le Blanc (as Michael Baldwin), The Young and the Restless
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Daytime Drama Series
Linsey Godfrey (as Sarah Horton), Days of Our Lives
Camryn Grimes (as Mariah Copeland), The Young and the Restless
Beth Maitland (as Traci Abbott), The Young and the Restless
Trisha Mann-Grant (as Leslie Thomas), Beyond the Gates
Amanda Setton (as Brook Lynn Quartermaine), General Hospital
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Daytime Drama Series
Sean Dominic (as Nate Hastings), The Young and the Restless
Timon Kyle Durrett (as Bill Hamilton), Beyond the Gates
Michael Graziadei (as Daniel Romalotti), The Young and the Restless
Roger Howarth (as Matt Clark), The Young and the Restless
Mike Manning (as Bradley “Smitty” Smith), Beyond the Gates
Lawrence Saint-Victor (as Carter Walton), The Bold and the Beautiful
Outstanding Emerging Talent in a Daytime Drama Series
Braedyn Bruner (as Emma Scorpio-Drake), General Hospital
Al Calderon (as Javier Hernandez), Days of Our Lives
Alice Halsey (as Rachel Black), Days of Our Lives
Giovanni Mazza (as Gio Palmieri), General Hospital
Ambyr Michelle (as Eva Thomas), Beyond the Gates
Arielle Prepetit (as Naomi Hamilton Hawthorne), Beyond the Gates
Outstanding Guest Performance in a Daytime Drama Series
Jasmine Burke (as June Hughes), Beyond the Gates
Jeff Kober (as Cyrus Renault), General Hospital
Eva LaRue (as Natalia Rogers-Ramirez), General Hospital
Christopher Sean (as Paul Narita), Days of Our Lives
Ray Wise (as Ian Ward), The Young and the Restless
Outstanding Writing Team for a Daytime Drama Series
Beyond the Gates
The Bold and the Beautiful
Days of Our Lives
General Hospital
Outstanding Directing Team for a Daytime Drama Series
Days of Our Lives
General Hospital
The Young and the Restless
Outstanding Casting for a Daytime Program
Beyond the Gates
General Hospital
The Young and the Restless
Outstanding Daytime Talk Series
3rd Hour of TODAY
The Drew Barrymore Show
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Live With Kelly and Mark
TODAY With Jenna & Friends
The View
Outstanding Daytime Talk Series Host
Joy Behar, Whoopi Goldberg, Alyssa Farah Griffin, Sara Haines, Sunny Hostin & Ana Navarro, The View
Kelly Clarkson, The Kelly Clarkson Show
Tamron Hall, Tamron Hall
Jennifer Hudson, The Jennifer Hudson Show
Sherri Shepherd, Sherri
Outstanding Entertainment News Series
Access Hollywood
Entertainment Tonight
Extra
Outstanding Daytime Personality (Daily)
Mona Kosar Abdi, Derek Hough & Terri Seymour, Extra
Cassie DiLaura, Denny Directo, Kevin Frazier, Rachel Smith & Nischelle Turner, Entertainment Tonight
Scott Evans, Zuri Hall, Kit Hoover & Mario Lopez, Access Hollywood
Star Jones & Corey Jovan, Divorce Court
Outstanding Arts and Popular Culture Program
Beyond the Gates: Welcome to the Neighborhood — An Entertainment Tonight Special
Off Script With The Hollywood Reporter
Variety & CNN Actors on Actors
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
Working In the Theatre
Outstanding Music Direction and Composition for a Daytime
Beyond the Gates, Episode 103
Have Guitar Will Travel World
The Kelly Clarkson Show Episode 5033
Let Frankie Cook,” Getting the Band Back Together
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
Outstanding Technical Direction and Video for a Daytime Program
Beyond the Gates, Episode 104
The Bold and the Beautiful,” Episode 9511
Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade”
The Jennifer Hudson Show, ” Episode 4041
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade”
Outstanding Hairstyling and Makeup for a Daytime Program
Beyond the Gates, Episode 103
General Hospital, Episode 15719
The Kelly Clarkson Show,” Episode 5033
The Young and the Restless,” Episode 13273
So, what do you think of the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy nominations? Who are you happy to see receive a nomination and who do you think was snubbed? Weigh-in via the comment section.
Monday on Entertainment Tonight, the second set of nominations for the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards were announced which included the highly-coveted Outstanding Lead Performance in a Daytime Drama Series – Actress and Outstanding Daytime Talk Series.
ET followed suit after Extra announced the nominees, as previously reported, in the Outstanding Lead Performance in a Daytime Drama Series – Actor and Outstanding Daytime Talk Host.
Now, five leading ladies of the soaps are vying for the gold for Lead Actress and the category marked the first-ever nominations for CBS daytime’s Beyond the Gates when two actresses made the final cut. Only General Hospital is not represented among the actresses this year after Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis Davis) took home the trophy last year.
Photo: NATAS
THE FIVE LEADING LADIES OF THE SOAPS ARE …
The 2026 Lead Actress nominees are: Stacy Haiduk (Kristen DiMera), Days of Our Lives, Karla Mosley (Dani Dupree), Beyond the Gates, Michelle Stafford (Phyllis Summers), The Young and the Restless, Heather Tom (Katie Logan), The Bold and the Beautiful, and Tamara Tunie (Anita Dupree), Beyond the Gates.
This marks the first Daytime Emmy nominations for Karla Mosley and Tamara Tunie. In addition, this marks the first-time in her career that Stacy Haiduk had received a Lead Actress nod after two Supporting Actress nominations.
Meanwhile, Michelle Stafford had previously won 3 Emmys – 2 for Lead Actress and 1 for Supporting, but this recognition makes it her 11th overall nomination.
Heather Tom currently is tied for the most all-time Daytime Emmy wins with One Life to Live alum and General Hospital guest star, Erika Slezak. The B&B star has 19 nominations throughout her career.
Photo: ABC
DAYTIME TALK SERIES
In the Outstanding Daytime Talk Series category, the nominees are: 3rd Hour of Today, The Drew Barrymore Show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, Live with Kelly and Mark, Today with Jenna and Friends and The View.
“We’re proud to honor the extraordinary talent and creative teams whose work continues to define and elevate daytime television,” NATAS president and CEO Adam Sharp said in a statement on the nominations. “As the Daytime landscape evolves and new forms of storytelling emerge, we remain committed to recognizing the innovation happening across the industry.”
The rest of the nominations will be revealed tomorrow on Tuesday July 14 starting on The View and then the full list of nominees in both the main and creative arts will be released by NATAS. The 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards are slated for October 30th in Hollywood, California.
So, what do you think about the women who are vying for the Lead Actress Daytime Emmy? Happy with who got in? Who do you feel got snubbed? What do you think of the nominees for Daytime Talk Series? Weigh-in via the comment section.
It’s Daytime Emmy nomination week, and as previously reported things kick-off on Monday, July 13 when Entertainment Tonight (7pm ET) will announce the nominees for Lead Actress category and Daytime Talk Series for the upcoming 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards. In addition on Monday, Extra (7pm ET) will reveal the nominees for Lead Actor and Daytime Talk Host.
On Tuesday, The View (11am ET) starts things off with their announcement of Daytime Drama, Entertainment News program and Outstanding Daytime Personality-Daily. That is followed by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) full reveal of all the categories beginning at 12noon ET/9am PT on their website and their official social handles on X and Instagram.
Then, Tuesday night at 8pm ET/5pm PT join Michael Fairman as he hosts his 12th annual Daytime Emmy Nominations Special 2026 live on You Tube’s Michael Fairman Channel where he will chat with some of the just announced nominees as we celebrate the hard work of the men and women in front of the camera who will be going for gold.
WHEN ARE THE DAYTIME EMMYS?
This year, the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards will be handed out on October 30 in ceremonies in Hollywood, California (Venue yet to be revealed). At that time, as like last year, both the major categories and creative arts will be presented. There is no word yet on a broadcast partner for the annual celebration of daytime programming, or if it will soley be streamed on NATAS’ watch.theemmys.tv and various apps and platforms.
WHO WILL BE APPEARING ON THE DAYTIME EMMY NOMINATIONS SPECIAL 2026?
Throughout Tuesday, keep an eye on Michael Fairman TV’s social media handles on X, Facebook and Instagram, for updates of who will be expected to appear on our live show.
If you have a question or comment for one of the nominees, or on the nominations, we can encourage you to join us in the live chat on Tuesday night.
So, who are you hoping lands a nomination from Beyond the Gates, General Hospital, Days of Our Lives, The Bay, The Bold and the Beautiful and The Young and the Restless? Let us know via the comment section. More Tuesday!
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