Chandler Massey Talks His 3rd Daytime Emmy Nomination!
The Emmy-winning actor on waking up to another nomination.
Chandler Massey won the Daytime Emmy Outstanding Younger Actor award last year for his work as Will Horton on Days of Our Lives. He's up for the exact same award this year, but he has some stiff competition. He'll go head-to-head against co-star Freddie Smith, who plays his lover, Sonny Kiriakis. (Other actor nominees from Days include Peggy McKay (Caroline), Arianne Zucker (Nicole) and the show was again nominated for Outstanding Drama Series.)
We caught up with Massey to get his reaction to this morning's nomination announcement.
TheBacklot: What a way to wake up and find out you have another Emmy nomination, right?
TBL: You’ve gone through this several times now. Is it something you still get nervous about knowing the nominations are coming?
CM: The first year I got the nomination I had no idea they were even being announced. Last year I was definitely nervous, but this year I was able to sleep soundly. I went to bed at 11 and woke up at 10:30!
TBL: How does it work? Do you personally put episodes or scenes together?
CM: I do. I choose an episode and then submit as many scenes from that episode as I want.
TBL: Which episode did you choose?
CM: It aired back in February [2012] when Will had his first kiss with a guy, his name was Neil (Jesse Kristofferson) and then he got caught and he was super embarrassed so he went to over to Grandma’s house so she could make everything better and they end up having a talk. It’s the first time he makes reference to the fact that he actually says that he thinks he might be gay. I really enjoyed that episode and, more importantly, my Mom really enjoyed that episode!
TBL: I have to say I love that Will’s storyline is less about the fact that he’s gay now and just the usual soap opera storylines.
CM: You gotta love the soap opera storylines! [laughs] And I totally agree. I think it’s given Will such a rare opportunity in this medium to evolve and grow and change from a young, wet-behind-the-ears kid who felt he was different in some way and now he’s totally out and comfortable with that and he’s found an amazing guy to be with. It’s been such a gift to be able to play that from the beginning to end and everything in between.
TBL: Freddie told me at the GLAAD Media Awards in LA recently how easy and natural it has been to work with you as the Will-Sonny story has unfolded. How has it been for you?
CM: Honestly, the word natural describes it pretty well. I love working with Freddie and we’re both so comfortable with each other and trust each other so we know that when we come to set we both will have a bunch of ideas about the scenes we want to do and the one thing we both want is to make the scene as good as it can possibly be. So we’re both working in tandem to that end and I think that level of trust that we have has really allowed us to be free and just discover whatever happens on stage. I love it and I feel so lucky to have Freddie on the show with me.
TBL: I haven’t seen as many of those great scenes with Deidre lately. Will we be seeing more of those? I know Will is going through different things now but…
CM: Unfortunately, not as much as I would like. I love working with Deidre and I think it’s kind of difficult because we’ve got Will at a place where he doesn’t need as much therapy, in a way, but I do hope that they do go back to that if it’s appropriate. I absolutely love working with her.
TBL: When you hear from fans, has it changed over the year?
CM: You’re right. It has changed. I read the fan’s mail and their tweets, I hope to read all of those. It’s weird, when the storyline first came out, everyone was writing and almost everyone was supportive of the story and to make sure that we do it right and not mess it up and so it was that and it was all about Will coming out. Now, it’s kind of evolved to where it’s more story-related and what’s going on with Nick and it shows that Will being gay is not this huge story anymore and I think that’s great. I think it’s really great that the show did that because Will’s sexuality is just a small part of who he is.
TBL: What is coming up in the next few weeks?
CM: As far as Sonny and Will go, I get the power couple thing between them and they have the healthiest relationship on the show, believe it or not. But life throws all these things at them and basically the only way Will can get through it is by leaning on Sonny so they’ll be staying together and only grow deeper in love.
TBL: What is the biggest thing that Will is working against coming up?
CM: Something new is coming up based around Sami, and it gets everybody all upset. I don’t know that if I can say anything else beyond that.
TBL: Congrats again on the Emmy nomination!!
CM: Thank you very much!
The Daytime Emmy Award Show will be held on June 16th in Beverly Hills. Days Of Our Lives airs weekdays on NBC.
