Chandler Massey's Will is having a tough time since he spotted his mom doing the nasty with EJ again on Days of our Lives. It certainly isn't easy being Sami's son -- and it won't be any easier coming out as Sami's gay son. Keeping mum about the worst kept secret in daytime? Massey admits that wasn't easy either!
Rumor has it Will will come out by the time the ball drops on 2012, but Salem may actually have a bit more time than that to build to the reveals. One thing's for sure: While Massey still can't get too specific about the storyline, he's clearly enjoying the ride.
What can we expect from your big storyline?
It's not just my big story. It affects everybody. You can expect, obviously, Will to come out of the closet. I can say that much. (laughs) It's a story that everybody -- the actors, the writers -- is taking seriously. We're giving a ton of time and effort. It's going to unfold slowly, because we want to be as realistic as possible, because coming to terms with who you are and your sexuality is not something that happens overnight. It takes time. It's not one of those things where, "Oh, some other soaps are doing gay storylines, it's popular, it's on Glee, so we're just going to do it." It's a meaningful story that's very relevant today. You can expect some good stuff.
When Sonny was first brought into the fold, everyone assumed he was going to be the guy Will came out for. Is that how it goes down?
We didn't want to go the stereotypical, cheesy route. Just because two guys are homosexual and happen to be the only two homosexuals on-screen doesn't mean they're going to be like, "Oh yeah, let's get together!" It doesn't always happen like that. Another beautiful thing about this storyline is the platonic friendship between Will and Sonny. It's interesting and unique, and definitely enriches the storyline.
Is coming out going to be a difficult process for Will?
It's going to be very difficult. No one lives in a vacuum and if you go back through his family history, first of all, his mom's obviously very straight and had multiple male partners and his dad, too. He's grown up and sees "man being with woman." That's what someone like him would come to expect from himself, so when he doesn't feel like he thinks he should, it's going to cause some problems. Mostly, it's because of the people he cares about and loves. He's basically afraid of how they will react.
Did you have any concerns about playing this story?
Personally, I was thrilled when they told me back in February. Yes, I've known since February, but obviously I wasn't allowed to say anything. I'm honored to be part of this storyline, which is important and relevant today. It's a creative challenge to me, because I get to play something very different than who I am.
Are you saying you're normally a ladies' man and a player?
Yeah, exactly. (laughs) The reaction so far has been very positive. I'm sure there will be people who don't see eye to eye with everybody else, but it's a story that needs to be told and if they don't like it... um... they don't have to watch. They can fast forward through those parts, but it's not just a "Oh this guy is gay" story: It's about a real person going through a real emotional rollercoaster. It's incredibly well written. I can't wait for everyone to see what's coming.