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Days Of Our Lives

DAYS Guy Wilson, Freddie Smith and Christopher Sean Talk Will & Paul's Sex Romp Twist!

By Michael Fairman

Published

12 years ago

on

Courtesy/NBC

Courtesy/NBC

Today fans of NBC’s Days of our Lives are seeing that indeed, Paul Narita and Will Horton hook-up and have sex! Yup, Will cheated on his hubby, Sonny!  The actors who are front and center as this storyline heats up: Guy Wilson, Freddie Smith and Christopher Sean spoke with TV Guide’s Michael Logan which was posted at Soap Opera Digest today!

The trio weighed-in on what Will and Paul’s tryst will mean for each of the guy’s relationship with Sonny and what will happen when Sonny finds out?   Here are are a few interesting excerpts!

CHRISTOPHER ON HIS REACTION WHEN HE FOUND OUT THE PLOT POINT “Before this Paul-Will thing started to show up in the scripts, I questioned (co-executive producer) Lisa de Cazotte as to what was going to happen. She hinted at a romance between Will and Paul and I was, like, ‘Whaat? Why would Paul ever do that?’ I was just as shocked as the fans probably are. I think this may turn into quite a contest. It’ll be like those teen vampire-werewolf fan rivalries, with Team Paulson and Team Wilson fighting it out.”

Courtesy/NBC

FREDDIE ON HOW SONNY AND WILL’S RELATIONSHIP WAS ALREADY ON SHAKY GROUND:  “I think things did start to go south then. They had about three months of the honeymoon phase, then it started declining. It’s been really rough. They’ve been trying to work things out but it just gets worse and worse. There was the exposé article Will wrote, then he took off for months to work in Hollywood, then there’s Sonny’s financial secrets. But this thing between Will and Paul creates a real trust issue. This isn’t like keeping little secrets to protect somebody in the family. It’s not about money. This is a breaking of their vows. It’s a different level of trust being broken. This is life-changing. Will and Sonny will either grow and learn from this or call it quits. But first there are a lot of twists and turns with the story because neither Will or Paul knows who the other one really is…and that’s when the plot thickens.”

Courtesy/IMDB

GUY ON HOW ITS IMPORTANT TO TREAT SONNY AND WILL LIKE OTHER COUPLES ON SOAPS WHO DO CHEAT AND HAVE AFFAIRS ON ONE ANOTHER: “In the medium of daytime drama, serenity is death.There has to be some kind of villain, some malevolent force, or at least a third party. If not, things become a bit stale. You lose your immediacy and the relationship begins to lose its importance. By introducing this twist, it reinvigorates the importance of the Will and Sonny relationship. Everyone is capable of being dishonest, of making a transgression, of being human, and there shouldn’t be a different spin here. Will and Sonny have had a wonderful relationship, courtship and marriage, and they’ve survived a lot of trials and tribulations. That’s wonderfully true to life, but so is conflict and scandal. If anything, it would be doing a disservice to Will and Sonny, and to the gay community, if they did not have the same kind of challenges straight people do.”

So, how will this all play out? According to TVG, Paul will decide to agree and come out in Will’s article! Does Will blackmail him about their sexcapade?  Is Will turned into the villain in this piece?  Share your thoughts below and make sure to check out scenes from today’s episode below courtesy of Mr Fix-It!

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Wow, 3mos of marriage and the only storyline they come up with is adultery?? Sheesh…….

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Sonny and Paul have amazing chemistry. Not sure who Will has chemistry with. I would have liked it if he stayed in LA with Sami.

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I hate cheaters, I have made this clear in previous posts. But, yeah, I would love to see Will in a villainous role. Perhaps this is the niche in which the viewer will accept him….it may be his calling…LOL. What a twist!

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Will might work better as a villian…but Will cheating on Sonny doesnt work for me…Sonny hasnt done anything that bad to have Will cheat…but i could see Sonny cheating and it would make more sense being Paul is Sonny’s ex and most likely his first true love…Will cheating on Sonny feels a little forced…its like a deliberate attemp to make viewers hate Will and feel sympathy for Sonny so if one is a Guy W. fan or not, itll make it easier for Wilson to split…also that bellhop will probably reveal to the press that Paul is gay and Paul will think Will done it and thats how Paul and Sonny will end up a couple???

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I am sick. Will is as big an out of control flake as his mother. I can’t see how Sonny can very forgive this betrayal. I certainly don’t know the history of these characters. But, Sonny seems like a responsible adult who is trying to build a life for himself and his family. Will seems very immature, ungrounded and stupid. He certainly has to be to get involved with a two faced professional liar like Paul.

Is Sonny’s mother’s husband every coming back? I loved Wally Kurth as Ned on GH and would love to see him again.

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Don’t know if you are watching GH at the moment, but that is Wally Kurth is, he is reprising his role there— Days films so far ahead, it is hard to tell, if Wally will be coming back to Days when he is finished at GH, but by sounds of it on Days they are setting it up to let Justin stay off screen, and maybe paving the way for an Adrienne and Lucas match up.

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No, I haven’t watched GH since 2005. Thanks for the info. I can see your point about Adrienne and Lucas. They do need something to do.

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You can still watch Wally as Ned on GH.

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“Sonny’s mother’s husband”….also known as Sonny’s father. Justin is Sonny’s dad. Adrienne might be Justin’s second wife, but they did have Sonny together. And yes, he will be coming back soon..just in time to catch Adrienne and Lucas.

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Actually, Adrienne is Justin’s only wife…married 1987–90, 1990–2010, 2011–…..Justin did however father a child via an affair with Angelica (Alexander)

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I agree; the apple doesn’t fall from the tree-a flake like his mother, indeed!

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Despite thinking that Will being the one to cheat with Paul is a great plot twist I am disappointed that they had the character do this after his indignation and anger at EJ’s affair with Abby….especially so soon. Although, you could make the case that Will IS Sami’s son and the apple not falling far from the tree.

One thing I hope they do not bring into the story is that Sonny was Will’s first and that as a young man he needed to “sow his oats”. There are people who do not have sex partners other than their firsts and it would only add to the impression that gay men are incapable of sustaining long lasting relationships…..and this relationship is not all that old. Had this happened in a few years it might be more palatable, even if not condonable.

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Chaz, I get what you are saying, but personally, I don’t want Will and Sonny to be a perfect poster couple for the gay community. Will cheating says no more about gay relationships than Sami cheating said about straight relationships. Cheating, lying, deceiving – and then moving past it in one way or another, are common staples of this genre and as Freddie spoke to, need to happen with this couple to remain viable in the soap world and to be treated equally as all other couples. And if it was going to happen, it WOULD happen with Sonny and Will BECAUSE Will came out and went right into a relationship. Yes, he met a great guy but straight, gay, man, or woman, that circumstance can and does lead to people falling for others because they never took the time to go out into the world and be exposed to different types of people and relationships (I’m not saying it has to happen, but I am saying it DOES happen).

That being said, IF that is the reason, the show has done a very poor job of leading up to Will cheating. They’ve given every motivation to Sonny to be the one to cheat (although it isn’t in his character – but the reasons were there). None of those reasons have been given to Will. NO reason has been given to Will. Two conversations with an attractive man and he falls into bed with him? Why? Sure, he’s been having disagreements with Sonny but he’s never expressed, wondered, thought out loud to himself that he was unhappy, attracted to Paul, nothing. This has come out of the blue, like he simply decided in the moment that yeah, he’s going to cheat.

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I agree it made no sense for it to go this way.
I was 17 when I met my husband. Dated no one but him and we will celebrate 28 years married this May. He dated others before me as he is 4 years older. However it NEVER crossed my mind that I missed out on anything or I needed to be with others. Doing this to Will and Sonny was stupid. They should have had it as Will helping Paul to come out as Marlena did and Sonny as well helped him. To have him fall in bed is so out of character from the Will we all know and love.

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Why, indeed, Mike. I also appreciate your post. It does not make sense why Will has suddenly derailed. Why is he being written this way? I think he is using Paul as much as Paul is using him.
I don’t know if I like this turn of events….only because nothing adds up. You do not just decide to cheat on your husband at the drop of a hat….especially if you still profess your love for him.
I don’t know….personally, I believe that when you cheat on your spouse, you cheat on your kids, as well……everyone suffers, not to mention one’s dignity. JMO.

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I have to agree with you Mike. I could see Sonny turning to Paul again considering his business problems, the lack of support he’s receiving from Will and being played by that scum Chad. Will is just being dumb and reckless.

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I think that Will is going to be written as the “new Sami” . As you said, “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” and many viewers will accept Will’s new characterization. God knows, Will as the always beloved, kinda golden boy gets boring!

So, if you accept Will as the “new Sami”, Will doesn’t need much motivation to make impulsive decisions or mistakes…those would come quite naturally…deal with the fall out afterward, like Sami always did.

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Wow, Mike, it’s rare I agree entirely with someone’s comment on here, but wow, nailed it! Couldn’t agree more with everything you said!!

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I meant to write I totally agree!

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I agree that all couples, straight or gay, can hit rough patches and without “drama” there is no story. I also agree that there was no lead up, no logical reason for Will to do this. That is why I am disappointed in this story at this point in time. Besides Will’s recent anger over the EJ/Abby affair, this couple has only been together a short time and it feeds into the stereotype of gay men being promiscuous. Had they shown Will being attracted to someone while in LA, even with an innocent flirtation, and then again later when back in Salem – perhaps because Sonny was working long hours and not home (instead of Will being the one unavailable) AND this happened in another year or so it would not bug me as much.

The way this was done was out of the blue with no rhyme or reason….and that makes it a poor reflection on the character and gay men in general.

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agreed..seems like Will has to apologize to his mom for being so righteous about Sami cheating on Rafe with Ej. He also said he never wanted his daughter to come from a broken home like he did. Well, guess who just destroyed Ari’s home for her? her own Dad.

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shucks… I can’t disagree with you : “…her own dad”

I don’t know….

1. this does give us some great story for Freddie Smith… every one has always wanted to know what his life prior to coming to Salem was about

2. if this helps Guy Wilson stretch his acting chops any ? all that inner turmoil of his own … residual affect of coming out and going right in to marriage… just trying

the fallout is still an experience

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Great post, Chaz.

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ALL FOR PAULSON!!!

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Hated today’s show. Made me cry when I saw how easily Will fell into bed with Paul. Didn’t seem to regret it and then was ready for round two. All along I have been WilSon fan all the way. Today Will has become his mother. I have been a staunch supporter of this couple. Have defended them against people who wanted it to fail and yet now here I sit. I have nothing else that I can say other than I am sad, mad and very disappointed.

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We can argue whether it’s in-character or it’s bad writing or if it should have happened so soon after the wedding, but FS and GW’s comments in the interview that Sonny and Will should be treated the same as any other couple in this genre is spot-on and a big step forward, no matter how sad the shippers might be.

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This episode made me extremely grateful that Chandler Massey has left the role. Will’s behavior was so far out of character for someone who take kindness and loyalty to an extreme, that it becomes very easy to see Guy’s version of Will as a completely different character. It is impossible to believe that Will would not have said something like, “hey I’m married, hey I’m in love with another guy, hey put it back in your pants buddy.” The real shame of this storyline is that there are so many other interesting and meaningful places it could have gone instead. The obvious storyline would be Will helping Paul change the magazine article into a coming out article, à la Jason Collins. The storyline could show how Paul might adjust to a “normal” non-celebrity life, and re-connect in a positive way with Sonny and others as an openly gay person. The inanity of this and other aspects of today’s episode made me question whether I might really done watching Days for good.

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Agree 100%

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That’s exactly it, ChandlerFan. I was looking for him to at least hesitate because he was married, but there was NOTHING! How disgustingly easy for him to just cheat on someone he made vows too.

Furthermore, while I understand that the gay marriages are supposed to be portrayed as the heterosexual ones, with their problems and what-not, to me, this just made all that Sonny and Will went through a big joke.

What gets me the most is what chemistry is there between Paul and Will? They have only talked a few times. It would have made more sense for Sonny to cheat because he has history with Paul.

Yesterday’s episode just makes this story so cheap. So have the gay couple wallow around in the mud like the heterosexual ones? They should rise above this because they fought so hard for equality. They had to change peoples’ minds – that they deserved legal marriage too. This whole thing just saddens me.

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Interestingly enough, I wondered WHY he was even written to go off with sami in the first place… it made no sense to me…. in fact I wondered if the writing had something to do with the actor being replaced or written out for a while…he is obviously subpar to Chandler.

The old Will and Sonny were a super couple, the first gay couple. There was a love there that was deep and real. This new Will may indeed a way to “rest” the character for a while after a break up…. wonder when this actors contract is up? ugh.

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I understand he’s on contract for at least 2 years. So he’s going to be around awhile.

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I agree with you! That’s why after Chandler had left the serie, I stopped watching Days.

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AWFUL AWFUL AWFUL. I agree with Lee Ann. There is NO justification for Will to have done this, other than he got horny. There was NO indication Will wanted to have sex with Paul, that things were this bad with Sonny. AND he was/is ready for Round 2, having NO guilt whatsoever. Terrible, terrible story twist. I now hate Will, and want Sonny to divorce his cheating ass. I may stop watching the show.

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It also makes no sense because Will Horton hated infidelity — he saw first hand how his mother’s cheating destroyed marriages and lives, so for Will to put his own daughter through what he went through growing up is totally out of character. The Will Horton they wrote him to be for years, would never cheat, but even if he did, he would never do it with a virtual stranger and so casually without any trace of conflicted emotions. I get the temptation to explore a spouse cheating with their spouses ex is unique to the gay story line, which why they most likely went this route, but it is sad they had to abandoned everything Will Horton stood for to do it. I didn’t expect Sonny and Will to live happily ever after, but as others said there were other ways to break them apart without having to make Will into Sami 2.0

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100% correct Mary SF. Will raked Sami over the coals for what her cheating did to the family. I am all for shaking up WilSon, this is a Soap after all, but having Will cheat so soon? It puts such a dark cloud over the story of them getting together, reaching the beautiful Wedding (one of the best DAYS has ever done). Will took the marriage vows and threw them right in the garbage can. The only way to wrap my head around it is that he has been shown since leaving for Hollywood to be nothing but a spoiled whiny self-involved douche. I hope they turn him 100% evil now. I actually hope Guy Wilson leaves the show, I hate Will so much now. Too bad, and Guy has been great, the writing has ruined him, but I can’t look at Will the same again. There is nothing he can say to be forgiven, this was so out of the blue.

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Seriously? There was EVERY indication. He’s been enamored with Paul since the day they met.

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JP they’ve met like 4 times. “Every” indication? Name 1, OTHER than 2 seconds before the jumped in bed. Not once did we see Will “thinking” about Paul when they were not together. We did see looks of puzzlement when Will left Paul’s room, as if to say “Did he just hit on me?” Will has been an awful husband since he left (abandoned) Sonny for Hollywood, and a massive jerk since returning. But there was still no indication he was ready to jump in bed with someone the first chance he got. He’s been married for what, 6 months, and away for half that time? I know this is a Soap and people sleep around all the time, but there is a better build up usually. To show having no guilt about what he did to Sonny and his marriage is even more disturbing. He and Paul are starting Round 2 before the sheets are dry! The only way I will continue to watch the show is if they now tackle the FIRST gay divorce in Soap history. This is unforgivable of Will, if Sonny does not act in that way, I have no respect for these characters anymore.

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It just seems so stereotypical. GH attempted a gay triangle too-which focused completely on the stereotypes of the gay/lesbian community-it was awful.

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I am not a fan of Guy’s Will but I don’t like what the writers have done to the character.

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I agree with Guy’s argument that it is all about survival and he is just like his Mother and Grandmother. Marriage goes stale without the spice and drama and Sami or Marlena can go through this, why cant will.

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After 6 months a marriage goes stale? When 3 of those 6 months he was not in the same State as his husband? Could not disagree more.

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Will is disgusting. This show is expert at giving viewers couples they don’t want. Pill is disgusting just like eve/jj, dan/nicole, kate/clyde, etc.

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Alex,
Yessss!!! I agree! Pulease! Stop Clyde and Kate (gag), JJ (or Paige or Jen) should dump Eve in the lake, and Daniel and Brady have to be hands down the most blind, stupid, appendage-led characters in soap history! Will is disgusting and Guy Wilson is weak and wishy washy. Melanie is aggravating with her fake coyness, baby talk, tantrums, and making her Dad buy his own Christmas gift…what redeeming quality does Brady or anyone see? Hope Clint takes her out of picture somehow. They had better push on the Serena story (apparently she’s planning on photo shopping Nicole into those nude Eric photos and publishing them as Nicole…WEAK!) before we tire of groping Eric, her overall animosity and sneakiness.

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We all should have seen this coming. The fact is, Will has never experienced any man other than Sonny. Right now, he and Sonny aren’t connecting, and for the first time, there is an intense attraction to someone else. In reality, a young man just finding his sexuality is going to be tempted and need to sew his oats, and in the world of soaps it comes with the territory. Plus I agree with the fact that this couple should be treated like others on daytime TV. Guy and Freddie haven’t clicked with the audience as a couple, so this will either give them rooting power or allow their characters to move on. It’ll be interesting to see how they play out Will’s guilt.

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In reality, Marriage is not something that just happens to get gifts. You should re-read Marriage vows. I don’t care if a male gets married on his 18th birthday and at the reception sees someone they are extremely attracted to. Is he OK to sew his oats then?

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He works hard for the money! I can’t believe Will would sacrifice the love of someone who has always been there for him, just to write a sensational story. But, he has proven in the past that he does have his mother’s blood running through his veins.

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I thought the scenes were nauseating-I find nuWill completely and utterly nauseating. I fast forward through all of his scenes-including most of these scenes. Not a fan of Paul. Is DAYS focusing in on the character of Will because he is Sami Brady’s son? All week, its been leading up to…this? I only have DAYS on in the background most days. I tuned back in about two years ago when Kristen first returned. DAYS seemed to be on its way to greatness then. Now, its just boring. It’s sad because it has so much potential. Really, I only enjoy Victor and his one-liners.

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I couldn’t believe it when I saw Will in bed with Paul. Really?! He’s more like Sami than he’d like to think. But I don’t really care because I can’t stand Guy as Will so I have lost interest in Will’s story and wish he would leave. Plus, Will slept with his interview subject. He’s really dedicated to his job. *roll eyes*

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I think this is a very realistic twist. Gay couples are not known historically known for monogamy or.fidelity. My jaw dropped when Will and Paul hit the sheets though. Lol. I love Guy Wilson…he always looks so befuddled with a deer in the headlights kind of expression.

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Aden, as a married same-sex husband, your comment on gay couples “historically known” to not be monogamous is offensive.

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Truth usually does offend.

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Truth is the key word there Aden. Don’t speak of what you know nothing about.

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Ignorance is offensive.

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Sadly, Nate, the media does not portray gays in general to be monogamous (married or not) and that is a travesty and an insult to those who are.

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That skeevy little bellhop cracks me up! LOL. I’m not gay, but its hilarious how he just randomly hits on every male that walks through the hotel and they dont even seem to notice. He is a good actor with a cool vibe. I would have preferred him to be cast as a boytoy for Nicole, but he wasn’t. On the topic of Nicole, why is Arianne Zuker not front and centre with a leading role?? She has grown into a phenomenal actress, and she is one of the few characters on daytime who actually makes me feel genuine emotion. When her heart is breaking and she cries, I feel it. I just want to give her a big hug. This current wishy washy, apologetic Nicole doesn’t work. Eric is just downright cruel to her and yet he is forgiving and.compassionate with everyone else. The writers have made Eric look like a grade A jerk. The chemistry between Eric and.Nicole is.off the charts, and if written right, they could be the leading couple on the show. I like Melissa Archer, but the writers better get to her real agenda quick…and not waste another charismatic actress on a pointless storyline that is not connected to the past or the fabric of the show….Chrishell Stause as Jordan. Nicole and.Daniel…NO!!!

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I really like Nicole as a character, and I like the actress – but I have not liked a single story she has been given in years. They have this great talent, this potentially lead actress, and they have misused and underutilized her for at least three years now. She needs a dynamic, exciting story – not some story where she pines for a man for months on end, finally gets her chance and completely screws it up, then pines some more. Come on DAYS – do something worthwhile with her!

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Actually, I was thinking that the bellhop actor might have made a very good choice as the NuWill replacement. He does seem to have odd chemistry with almost everyone he runs into in the hallway. Also, like Chandler, he does seem to smile at all the most inappropriate times, adding an interesting layer of meaning to otherwise droll dialogue.

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Lololol. That is so funny that someone else noticed that!! Chandler used to smile at the wierdest times, and so does this skanky little bellhop. I like bizarre acting choices though. Lol. It makes things interesting. Judi Evams has been doing it for years. Did you catch her Paulina on Another World? First class whack job, lol, but loved her!

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I gotta hand it to DAYS, I never thought Will or Sonny would cheat. They made such a big deal about showing how clean and wholesome their love was, so perfect, their perfect wedding, their perfect family .. all so they could be the perfect example of a gay relationship .. won all these GLAAD awards and everything .. and now this. I’m not watching anymore (NONE of the storylines interest me) but I’m glad DAYS finally woke up and realized that “perfect” people (AND preaching to the audience every episode how great they are) are boring.

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it’s simple. Forced plot twist for cheap drama, poor writing.

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These comments …

” I think this may turn into quite a contest. It’ll be like those teen vampire-werewolf fan rivalries, with Team Paulson and Team Wilson fighting it out.”

…show just how immature a story this is, as are the players involved. I understand this is a soap, but come on! Adultery is the only way to go with this couple?! Really?! No marriage counseling or sitting down and talking?

If Sonny were smart, he would sue Will for full custody of Ari and get the heck out of his orbit.

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Richard,
1. No biggee, but they were married April 3, 2014, so technically it was almost 9 months….
2. Agree with weak storyline, but what’s new? Guy Wilson is weak, too. I hope Sonny dumps him and Will moves to never land with Sami.

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Sorry, that was to Richard earlier.
to Domino, I agree it’s an immature story as is Will obviously. As far as suing for Ari? Dump the girl with Uncle Rafe and boot Will! His turn to be a free agent again.

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Will sleeping with Paul had no motivation, it came out of the blue. This is what happens when writers write plot driven stories rather than character driven stories. A huge misfire that made me tune out.

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@LeeAnn,
Thank you, now I don’t feel so much the odd ball…..seven years married to my first and only.
People just do not respect sex, love and most importantly, their body.
Of all the people to cheat on his husband, Will’s personality switch completely threw me. I still think something else is going on. What could be worth more than his little family?

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With any luck, nuWill will turn out to be an impostor and oldWill will return.

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That would be so nice. I still don’t understand why Chandler didn’t have his agent or manager draft a letter-perfect speech for his Emmy Award acceptance, which would have allowed him to apologize/suck-up to the show’s producers using exactly the right words to heal the rift between them. I would have expected Chandler to rehearse such a speech and give a pitch-perfect performance exactly in the same manner as preparing for any acting scene (meaning: he didn’t have to actually be contrite, but merely act so). I can only assume that the reason such a speech was not prepared is that something happened behind the scenes to make such a rapprochement impossible.

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While i can understand why they needed to create some conflict, it still does not make any real sense because they could have created a new gay couple of derrick and paul who come into town and meet will and sonny, and there could be a new storyline that would involve derrick and paul and how they become friends of will and sonny and even as possible future sex partners.
It just looks like they wanted to destroy the relationship that will and sonny had as a newly married gay couple before it had a chance to fully develope and grow!

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Beyond the Gates

53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Nominations Announced: ‘The Young and the Restless’ Tops With 18, ‘Beyond the Gates’ With 16

Published

3 hours ago

on

July 14, 2026

By

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.

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Beyond the Gates

53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Nominations: Outstanding Lead Actress Drama Series

Published

19 hours ago

on

July 13, 2026

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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.

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Beyond the Gates

‘Daytime Emmy Nominations Special 2026’ Live on the Michael Fairman Channel

Published

2 days ago

on

July 12, 2026

By

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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