Days Of Our Lives
DAYS Freddie Smith Opens Up About The Future of Sonny & Will's Romance!
Photo Credit: Kathy Hutchins
When Freddie Smith was cast on Days of Our Lives as Sonny Kiriakis, he became the soap’s “official” first gay character in the show’s history! But after coming on to the daytime scene with much fanfare, Sonny’s story was put on pause, while Will Horton’s (Chandler Massey) coming out story became front and center. While taking a back seat to all the drama, but maintaining some airtime as Will’s steadfast friend, the show was carefully crafting a budding love story that needed some things to happen first, to set up obstacles, and for the audience to care. And now, like every great love story, this one is fraught with miscommunication, just-wrong bedmates and a dose of gay-bashing!
On-Air On-Soaps Michael Fairman caught up with Freddie Smith for a very special interview for Frontiers LA to talk about the Sonny/Will romance, a preview of what’s ahead in Salem, playing gay, how the LGBT community has embraced the young actor and his stance with Congress on bullying. Yes, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington! Here are a few excerpts from the interview below, but make sure to read the entire piece at FrontiersLA.com!
The big question: Is Sonny truly and deeply in love with Will?
FREDDIE: Yeah, he has definitely developed a crush over the past year. They are best friends and a lot of romance stems from friendship, but there are times when one person feels something and the other person doesn’t. It’s basically trial and error. If someone has enough “balls” to say, “Hey, I have feelings for you, and I hope it doesn’t ruin the friendship if you don’t have feelings,” that is a pretty big step.
In a turn of events that obviously will be a catalyst for the story for quite some time to come, is this little story beat where Will just slept with ex-girlfriend Gabi! Has Sonny figured this out yet?
FREDDIE: No, he doesn’t know! I would think it would be a major issue for him. He is very forgiving, but I don’t know how Sonny is going to react when he finds out that Will was with Gabi.
What did you think when you read that in the script? Many gay viewers are upset about this. We just had a gay guy come out and then he goes and sleeps with his ex-girlfriend? Doesn’t that scenario seem unauthentic to you?
Photo Credit: GLAAD/Getty Images
FREDDIE: I think it does. But for Sonny, he is comfortable with who he is and he has been out, where Will still has that part of him that is slightly struggling. He had the character of “T” come up to him who talked trash to him, he had Sonny come up to him and yell at him and he had his dad come up to him, who said he was disappointed in him. So I think he just went to be with his friend. I don’t think he had any intentions of sleeping with her. He was just so broken with everyone he cared about talking so badly to him. He was with a friend and it just sparked, and it just happened. I think he felt like, “I don’t want to disappoint people.” But in the end he disappointed himself. At the end of the day, people are just looking for love and to make a connection. Some people who are straight, they try the same-sex, and they could be bisexual. I think people put too many titles on it. Whoever you love, you love. So if you look at it that way, then it is authentic, because Will was just feeling a connection, and he just went with it.
Brant Daugherty (Pretty Little Liars) has done a guest arc as Brian, a potential love interest for Sonny. Do you think that Brian could be in the mix for Sonny’s affections?
FREDDIE: Basically Brian knew that Sonny’s heart was not in the right place and that Sonny cares about Will. He didn’t really want to overstep his bounds because he then knew he was not Sonny’s first choice. So Brian decided to be the bigger man. Sometimes you feel you need to say, “Hey, go ahead.” Actually, I don’t think Brian thinks it’s going to work out between Sonny and Will. So it’s like a maneuver he is playing right now, like, “Hey go for it. But you are going to come running back to me.” So whether Sonny goes to him, or Will, or someone else that is in the near future—we shall see!
The most graphic love scene between two men on daytime occurred on OLTL between the characters of Kyle (Brett Claywell) and Fish (Scott Evans) on a New Year’s Eve episode where they had the two guys “making love.” Would you like to see scenes where Sonny and Will are actually in bed together?
FREDDIE: Absolutely! I think it’s very important. If you are in a relationship, that is the romantic aspect of it. So I think it’s important to show every aspect of a relationship.
Sonny is such a goody-goody! Would you love him to get his hands dirty and do something bad?
FREDDIE: Sonny does have some fires going, and some mistakes he is going to be making, but he is going to develop. People are going to see more layers to Sonny. I can’t say much more than that!
So soapers, what do you think about Freddie’s comments on Will sleeping with Gabi, that he is on board for a love scene between Sonny and Will, and how their romance is playing out? Let us know!
Days Of Our Lives
‘Days of Our Lives’ Favorites Making Returns: Alison Sweeney, Christie Clark, Chandler Massey and Bryan Dattilo
Great news for Days of Our Lives fans, now that Ryan Quan is co-head writer of the long-running soap opera. Coming in June of 2027 (since DAYS tapes ten or so months ahead), you can look forward to the returns of Alison Sweeney (Sami Brady), Christie Clark (Carrie Brady), Chandler Massey (Will Horton) and Bryan Dattilo (Lucas Horton).
The foursome is back on set and began last week to tape their upcoming story arc, according to TV Insider. As to what exactly is going on that brings sister Sami and Carrie’s history back up, as well as Will and Lucas’ is only being teased at this time, but suffice to say, it should be intriguing.
Alison Sweeney explained on being back on set, “It was a lot of dialogue and emotion, but with all the best actors to work opposite, we fell into it as if no time had passed. It was really wonderful.”
Photo: JPI
As to working with the longstanding rivalry of Sami and Carrie, Alison added on working with Clark, “So, it really does feel like we’re sisters. It’s so fun, and she’s such a good actor that she makes everything so natural that you can really disappear into those stories.”
JUST LIKE OLD TIMES
It also seems like the deep-history, which often had the sister fighting for the love of Austin Reed, but that might not figure into the equation this time, or will it?
Alison indicated what she thought of the scripts she was given. “I felt like when I read it, it was a page-turner. I was very excited. There’s a lot of history here, and a lot of things that haven’t been said. So, it’s really not like, ‘Oh, rehashing stuff.’ And now having played some of the scenes, I’m psyched.” Sweeney added, as for the men, working again with her on-screen son, Chandler Massey and Will’s on-screen father Bryan Dattilo, was also extra special.
The last time DAYS viewers saw Sami on the canvas was back in November of 2025, when she revealed she has gotten engaged to never-before-seen Dante Vitali. As for Clark, she last visited Salem for the episodes surrounding John Black’s memorial in June of 2025.
Chandler Massey’s Will Horton last made a visit to Salem in November of 2025 when he attended the gala for the Tom Horton Free Clinic as part of the soap opera’s 60th anniversary celebration. Bryan Dattilo was last seen in December of 2025. So, by the time we see all four again it will be close to two years since they were on new episodes of the series. Time to look forward to June of 2027.
So, excited by the news of Alison, Christie, Chandler and Lucas making a return to Days of Our Lives? What do you think the story will be involving, Sami, Carrie, Lucas and Will? Let us know via the comment section.
Days Of Our Lives
‘Days of Our Lives’ Alum Al Calderon Talks On His Daytime Emmy-Nominated Scenes as Javi Hernandez (Exclusive)
Last Tuesday, Al Calderon scored the first Emmy nomination of his career for his role as Javi Hernandez on Days of Our Lives.
Calderon name was announced as one of the performers competing for gold in the Emerging Talent in a Daytime Drama Series category at the upcoming 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards on October 30.
This week, Calderon chatted live on You Tube’s Michael Fairman Channel for a one-on-one conversation where he discussed: his nominated scenes and time on the Peacock streaming soap opera, his decision to leave DAYS, his role of Nico Silva on Brilliant Minds and its sad cancellation, plus his passing the torch of Javi to Jacob Martinez, who took over the role on-screen on the June 30, 2026 episode of Days of Our Lives.
Photo: JPI
JAVI REVEALS TO LEO THAT HE HAD A DAUGHTER WHO DIED
Al revealed the scenes that comprise his now Emmy-nominated reel have at its epicenter the heartbreaking moments from the September 12, 2025 episode. In it, Javi shares for the first time to Leo (Greg Rikaart) that he had a daughter named Solana, with a woman he was seeing named Sylvia. One fateful day, Sylvia left their child in a car when she went to work and the little girl died. Javi had blamed himself for not being the parent to take his daughter to school that day since he was hungover the night before, therefore it opened up the opportunity for something to happen to the his child, and it did.
The multi-talented actor/singer explained his reel: “It was the scene where he is talking about his daughter to Leo. I also included the scene where Javi goes to talk to Melinda (Tina Huang) and to see if it would be a viable option to adopt, because I wanted to introduce the subtlety and nuance of why Javi kind of has this whole connection to Tesoro, in a way.”
It is true that Al can bring the tears and make us cry right along with him during his run as Javi. To that, Calderon added, “I’ve read the comments that I’m a little bit of a crybaby, so I didn’t want the entire reel to be of me crying, but I wanted it to show a little bit of an emotional range of the restraint that Javi was feeling so I included that scene
In addition Calderon shared, “I also included a really beautiful scene with Cherie Jimenez (Gabi Hernandez, DAYS) where I’m looking at photos of Tesoro, and of course, Javi is crying. I just wanted to show the relationship between Javi and his family as well, and as I mentioned the reveal of the child that he lost.”
Photo: JPI
ALUMS AL CALDERON AND ALICE HALSEY REPRESENT DAYS OF OUR LIVES IN EMERGING TALENT CATEGORY
In a twist of fate, Calderon is also nominated in the Emerging Talent category with Alice Halsey who played Rachel Black. Halsey is currently starring in the reboot of Little House on the Prairie in the lead role of Laura Ingalls on Netflix.
As to his hope on Emmy night, Al expressed, “Of course, I want to win, but Alice Halsey is going to give me a run for the money. And if’s not me (who wins the award), it better be her!”
You can check out the full interview with Al below.
Now let us know, do you remember Al’s emotional scenes when he explained to Leo he had a daughter who died, which made it all the more heartbreaking to not end up with permanent custody of Tesoro? What do you think of Al’s chances to win the gold based on his Emmy scene selection? Do you miss him as Javi? Weigh-in via the comment section.
Days Of Our Lives
Emily O’Brien Talks On Her Y&R Past as Jana Hawkes and Working with Peter Porte on ‘Days of Our Lives’
On the latest edition of Soapy Hosted by Rebecca Budig and Greg Rikaart which dropped on Tuesday, July 21, Emily O’Brien is the featured guest. As soap fans know, Emily has worked with Rikaart both in her first soap role on The Young and the Restless as Jana Hawkes and now on Days of Our Lives in her current role of Gwen Rizczech.
While Emily continues on DAYS, she has very impressive list of credits in the other part of her career as a voice-over actress and one in motion-capture in some of the most popular video games in the world.
O’Brien was first seen on The Young and the Restless back in 2006. She recalled her landing the role which eventually paired her for her five year run with Greg Rikaart.
Photo: JPI
BEING CAST ON THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS
“The role was just a few days and she wasn’t even supposed to be English,” Emily recalled. “The role was originally called Jade. Karen Rae, the casting director of The Young and the Restless at the time said to me “Oh, you’re from England. Try it with the dialect.” I put it on and she said, ‘I’m going to bring you back at like 3 for s callback.’ So then they changed the role to Jana and they said she’s going to be a Brit. I was only supposed to be on for like five episodes and it turned into 5 years.”
In explaining why she loved crazy Jana, Emily shared, “Jana was sort of like the misanthrope. She was just was the odd one out and I loved it. I felt so comfortable playing that because she was just eclectic and weird and she loved playing with Ouija boards and she rode a motorbike. There was just so much color to bring to her. It was just such a great match to play with Greg (Kevin), and Christian LeBlanc (Michael) and Tracey Bregman (Lauren).
Photo: JPI
GWEN, DIMITRI AND LEO ON DAYS OF OUR LIVES
On Days of Our Lives, the Leo, Gwen, Dimitri dynamic is quite unique and been through many schemes and entanglements. Often Emily finds herself in repartee with her ex-lover, Dimitri, who turned out to be gay and then had a thing for her bestie, Leo (Greg Rikaart)!
During the conversation, Greg and Emily sang, Peter Porte’s praised with O’Brien expressing, “Peter is just ready to play. He comes on set prepared. I’ve never seen him with his script. From blocking and rehearsals, he doesn’t have it. He’s prepared. He’s a physical actor and he always trying to come up with something. I think he let me slap him. He let me kiss him. He let me throw a cheeseburger in his lap. He’s ready for anything for anything.”
You can catch the full episode of ‘Soapy; featuring Emily O’Brien below where the actress also talks about replacing Jen Lilley as Theresa Donovan after being let go as Gwen; and being paired again with Greg Rikaart on the Peacock streaming soap opera this time as best friends and more.
So, were you a big Jana Hawkes and Kevin Fisher fan on Y&R? Did you like them as a couple? Do you like the dynamic between Emily and Peter Porte and Greg Rikaart on DAYS? Weigh-in via the comment section below.
Lucas Adams and Tamara Braun Written Out of The Young and the Restless
Rosie O’Donnell Says She Will Return to ‘The View’ During its Season 30
WWE SummerSlam 2026 Night Two: Top 5 Takeaways
GENERAL HOSPITAL Preview: Serena Sets Her Sights on Michael; Jason’s Emotional Exit from the Mob
‘General Hospital’ Fan Club Weekend 2026 (Photos)
GH Alum Nicholas Alexander Chavez Lands Role in Paramount’s Remake of ‘Possession’
‘General Hospital’s’ Steve Burton Reveals His Lead Actor Daytime Emmy-Nominated Reel Did Not Contain Monica’s Funeral
‘General Hospital’ Ethan Lovett Recast: Christian Howard Replaces Nathan Dean
‘General Hospital’ Alum Colin Cassidy to Appear in Ryan Murphy’s ‘The Shards’
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Ethan Lovett Hightails Out of the Country, Christian Howard Wraps His Stint
Lucas Adams and Tamara Braun Written Out of The Young and the Restless
Rosie O’Donnell Says She Will Return to ‘The View’ During its Season 30
WWE SummerSlam 2026 Night Two: Top 5 Takeaways
GENERAL HOSPITAL Preview: Serena Sets Her Sights on Michael; Jason’s Emotional Exit from the Mob
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL Preview: Katie is Suspicious of Dylan and Warns Will, Steffy Takes Off to Monaco
-
General Hospital4 days agoGH Alum Nicholas Alexander Chavez Lands Role in Paramount’s Remake of ‘Possession’
-
General Hospital1 week ago‘General Hospital’s’ Steve Burton Reveals His Lead Actor Daytime Emmy-Nominated Reel Did Not Contain Monica’s Funeral
-
General Hospital1 week ago‘General Hospital’ Ethan Lovett Recast: Christian Howard Replaces Nathan Dean
-
General Hospital1 week ago‘General Hospital’ Alum Colin Cassidy to Appear in Ryan Murphy’s ‘The Shards’
-
General Hospital3 days agoGENERAL HOSPITAL: Ethan Lovett Hightails Out of the Country, Christian Howard Wraps His Stint
-
News5 days ago‘The Young and the Restless’ Names New Co-Head Writers: Jamey Giddens and Dan O’Connor
-
News5 days agoY&R’s Billy Flynn and Gina Comparetto Reveal Birth of Their Third Child and It’s a Girl!
-
News5 days agoErika Slezak to Celebrate 80th Birthday; How Fans Can Share a Special Memory and Message to the Soap Opera Icon
Love Love Freddie ! I can’t wait to see Sonny & Will romance! 🙂
I’ve been very disappointed with how slow this story is being told. I honestly don’t expect seeing it amount to much, in spite of all the hype the show’s given it. Days plays it way too safe. What a shame.
I am actually happy witht he slow pace. When Days brings in insta-love storylines, like teasing EJami recently or having Sami immediately reunite with Lucas, it never works out. But now, how Sami is slowly moving back to Rafe’s orbit, reminds me of how Maggie got with Victor: the best couples get together slowly, and through a strong friendship. I think that, while WilSon will certainly have obstacles, their slow build and start as friends will mean they end up together.
Love Sonny & Will!! Chandler and Freddie play off each other so well and they are so adorable. I want to see more of them. I was really angry that DAYS had Will sleep with Gabi again. First of all, she’s a horrible character and I never know what she’s going to do with this (get pregnant?? hope not!) but for Will to be gay and then have sex with her just was wrong for Days to go that route. I would have rather seen Will go have sex with another guy … maybe even Brian? At least it would be more true to the character they are now trying to represent. Now, THAT would be a thorn in Sonny’s side and as long as there is drama, there is storyline for these two!
Sorry but I don’t think the gay romance should be shown just talked about.
A lot of old fashioned people watch Days including me.
Then go watch something else that has your close-minded views. I’m sure you don’t mind watching adulturous straight couples on Days. Of course not…people like you only get self-righteously moralistic when it comes to gay people.
I am entitled to my opinion and you are entitled to yours.
I think if Days wants to be realistic and catch up with the other soaps, it must go with such a storyline. Days is doing a great job, and you can’t say that this is being “shoved down your throat” because it is going slowly. Still, I don’t undesrtand how it is fine to watch EJami, when EJ raped Sami, but then say that WilSon is unacceptable, though they have done nothing near the level of sin other characters have. Some “values” are hypocritical and sinful in themselves.
cathy trinque: “Since Obama okayed gay marriage” ?? Are you really that stupid? This country has had problems long before Barack Obama so much as thought of running for public office anywhere. And it’s not the gay community who contributed to the overwhelming teen pregnancy epidemic we have had in recent years. They’re not the ones at the center of the abortion debate. And NO ONE is shoving anything down your throat – you can dislike anything you want but that doens’t make bigotry okay and never will. And this comes from a middle-aged (56) straight female . It seems kind of funny that you don’t object to EJ raping Sami but this bothers you so much. Go home, idiot – your village i calling.
You, like every other bigot, most certainly are entitled to your opinion. And the rest of us are entiteld to tell you to keep that prejucied drivelto yourself. The other posters here are right. Will and Sonny have been brought along slowly – truly a love story. The straight couples resemble a bunny farm; the feet of the straight characters barely touches the floor before they’re in the next person’s bed. As much as I liked the pairing of Daniel and Chelsea 4 years ago, there hasn’t been a couple written the way Will and Sonny are being written since Steve and Kayla in the1980s. They had their song – “If Your Heart Comes Out Tonight” that was written just for them as a DOOL couple. Will and Sonny have the strumming guitar with a melody that is perfect for them. Chandler seems like a very personable young man and I happen to live about 20 miles from where Freddie grew up and I’m absolutely delighted to see a “home town” kid make good. Very proud of the whole thing.
I don’t mind being called a bigot. I am sick of gay relationships being crammed down my throat. Since Obama okayed gay marriage this country has deteriorated to almost a laughable state.
God made man and woman not man and man or woman and woman.
Archie Bunker was one of my favorite characters.
And yes I can dislike anything I want and I can say it too. I can have my opinion.
Thank you.
cathy trinque: God also said “Revenge is mine sayeth the Lord. Judge not lest ye be judged.” The 10 commands also say not to swear, not to worship any other god, not to miss Sunday service, not committ adultery, etc. Yet people do all of those things all the time and I notice you have no objection to those. If you are going to thump your Bible, thump it for everything or not at all. Being straight isn’t your “ffree pass” into heaven. Even if God judges that wrong, it doesn’t mean you won’t be standing in the fire right next to a gay person for something else you did. I notice you didn’t have anything to say about not minding EJ raping Sami. And, yes, you can have your opinion – and the rest of us who don’t judge are free to tell you to shut up and keep your BS to yourself.
IMO watching gay couples is distasteful. I don’t care if they are gay that is their business. I HAVE A RIGHT TO MY OPINION.
So get a life and go off and bully someone else.
“The rest of us that don’t judge” are judging me because I don’t like seeing a gay storyline. I don’t like a lot of storylines and I just walk away. And if I am asked I will say that I don’t like them either. I don’t even remember when EJ raped Sami. Knowing Sami she probably raped him.
This question was about this storyline and not about anything else.
You don’t remember EJ raping Sami? How convenient.
As for the rest of your comment, I HAVE a life – a very good one . And no one is judging you – you are simply being told to stop judging someone else. And, like every other despicable bigot, you are trying to turn it around and make yourself the one being “picked on.” Nice try, but – NOT. And calling me a bully – nice try but again – NOT!! Sticking up for someone who is different and refusing to back down from that does not make someone a bully – it makes them an advocate, a kindred spirit, a helping hand, etc. Believing in the Bible is a good thing – using it as shield to hide your hatred and bigotry is not – and that IS what you are doing. In was God-fearing young men who beat Matthew Shepherd to a pulp and left him tied to a fence at night until he was found dead. It was God-fearing young men who raped Brandon Tina. Or do you think it’s okay – just because they were gay and not like you? God also said no sex before marriage yet I dont’ see you getting all upset over the heterosexual bunny-hopping from bed to bed that has been going on not only on DOOL but every soap – for that matter, everywhere on TV – for years. The 10 commandments also say no adultery yet you aren’t complaining about Rafe sleeping with Carrie, among others. Anyone could keep going for years trying to make a full list of who all did what, why, and with who. God said no adultery, too, but you don’t seem too upset about Daniel/Jennifer/Jack.
And you want to know the really funny part? I’m not gay myself – I’m as straight as the proverbial arrow. I’m also not a spring chicken – I’m 56 years old.
And, yes, you do have the right to your opinion and to express your opinion. But there are those of us who, despite what we believe, GET that the rest of the world does not have to be the same as us in order to mean something, to have valure, to matter and we have the right to have the opinion that you are full of it. We have the right to express the opinion of “keep your BS to yourself.” I live about 20 miles from where Freddie Smith is from and I am absolutely delighted to see this young man doing so well. Both he and Chandler should be very proud. Don’t bother replying – I won’t even bother opening the notice that will show up in my e-mal.
At the pace they’re going with this storyline, Days will be cancelled before anything happens between Will & Sonny.
Love Sonny and Will! Hope we get to see more action between them, and some sex scenes!
I wonder if people would love this idea if were an interracial pairing between two guys? I’m guessing it wouldn’t go over to well, racism exist in every community. We live in a very a hypocritical society.
It has happened before on other shows. I think it would be an interesting storyline. However, the only people of color on Days are Rafe, Gabi, Abe, Cam and Theo. Unless Theo turns out gay, I don’t think we’ll see this happening, unless a new character of color comes to the show.
Love Freddie. He does such great interviews. Love Sonny and Will also and so happy they have finally become a couple. I really hope they get a romance equal to any heterosexual couple. After all of the flashbacks of Will having sex with Gabi it’s only equal to give Will and Sonny scenes that are just as comparable if not more revealing since Will isn’t in love with Gabi and is at least falling in love with Sonny.
I will never understand the upset when it comes to gay couples and storylines. The denizens of any soap city have rap sheets so long and for some truly heinous crimes and actions. A man loving a man and a woman loving a woman is offensive? Really?
The Will-Sonny storyline is what got me to focus on DAYS when AMC and OLTL shuttered. I have enjoyed it very much.
I would enjoy seeing some adults/middleagers who are gay involved in plots too.
I miss the Bianca/Marissa storyline in AMC. It’s too bad it ended. I agree, though, WilSon has really played a big part in my viewership of Days.
Loving the pace of the Sonny/Will love storyline. I think it’s perfect. Plus, I love Freddie. He’s just a sweetheart and a real man in my eyes!!!
I completely agree. The pace is perfect. I like that they began as friends. It isn’t something you see very often on soaps.
Call me bigot or whatever but I live by the laws of nature and laws of the judicial system. I consider breaking them distasteful. I do not condone illegal activity towards others either. And when someone asks my opinion I WILL COMMENT IF I SO WISH.
I live as I was raised by hard working people to try to follow the right path and to make my own choices.
Sounds like this blog is something personal so maybe it should be shut down.
The laws of nature are descriptive and descriptive only. The laws of man, on the other hand, are prescriptive and legislated by men. Do not say that in thumbing down gay sex you are condemning something thaht goes against natural law. We cannot speak of “breaking” a natural law. All that happens in nature is natural, including gay sex. If there is an exception to the law, then that law never was a law to begin with.