Chandler Massey

Chandler Abit Massey (born September 10, 1990) is an American actor and singer, best known for his portrayal of Will Horton on the NBC daytime soap opera Days of Our Lives.

Massey was awarded the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series three years in a row – in 2012, 2013, and 2014, and is the first actor ever to receive the Daytime Emmy Award for playing a gay character. He is the son of Lewis A. Massey, former Secretary of State of Georgia, and Amy Reichard Massey. He has two younger siblings: Cameryn and Christian.

He graduated from Norcross High School in May 2009. While there, he was active in its drama club and took part in many of the school productions, including playing the lead roles in Little Shop of Horrors, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, While working on Days of Our Lives, Massey roomed with his friend and Days co-star Casey Deidrick.

In March 2023, Massey got engaged to long time girlfriend Stephanie Bennett.

Acting career

Days of Our Lives

In December 2009, after completing his first quarter at UCLA, Massey successfully auditioned for the role of Will Horton on NBC’s daytime drama Days of Our Lives, For this role, Massey became the first actor in history to win the Daytime Emmy Award for portraying a gay character, when he won the Outstanding Younger Actor category in 2012. In June 2013, Massey won his second consecutive Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Younger Actor. Massey revealed that he intended to return to school instead of renewing his contract, which was set to expire in December 2013. Days executive producer Ken Corday stated that his character would not be recast, and that the door would be open in case Massey decided to return; but Massey expressed that he would support a recast. On August 23, 2013, it was announced that Massey had taped his final episode that day, and that a recast had already been made. Massey was let out of his contract early, for which he thanked Days and NBC. Massey made Daytime Emmys history with his three consecutive wins in the Younger Actor category. While he is the second actor to win the category three times – following Jonathan Jackson, who won for General Hospital in 1995, 1998, and 1999 – he is the first to do so in consecutive years. Massey is also the first actor from Days of Our Lives ever to win three Emmys, consecutive or otherwise.

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On May 8, 2017, Entertainment Weekly announced that Massey was reprising the role of Will on Days of Our Lives, and Massey expressed excitement at bringing the character back. Kristyn Burtt of SheKnows said Massey's return was a "huge watershed moment" for the network; in 2018, Massey was again nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award, this time for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. Following its release in January 2012, the film topped iTunes' Sports Movies chart for several weeks.

Massey is also a musician, serving as the keyboardist and one of the two clean vocalists in the metal band And Still I Rise.

Filmography +Film Year Title Role Notes 2009 For What I Had to Fear Ben Tucker Short film Directed by Andrew Schwab 2012 16-Love Farrell Gambles Feature film debut Directed by Adam Lipsius 2014 Angels in Stardust Angelo Directed by William Robert Carey 2016 The Standoff Chris Goodman Directed by Ilyssa Goodman 2016 I Remember You AJ Short film Directed by Michael W. Catlin 2017 Aquarians Danny Directed by Michael M. McGuire 2017 Butterfly Caught Terry Directed by Manny Rodriguez, Jr. 2018 Hide in the Light Shane Directed by Mikey McGregor

Television Year Title Role Notes 2009 Eastbound & Down Pliny Caldwell Episode 1.03: "Chapter 3" 2007-2013 Army Wives Ben Goldsmith Episode 3.13: "Duty to Inform" 2010–14, 2017– Days of Our Lives Will Horton Series regular (2010–14, 2017–20)Guest appearances (2020–) 2015 Bad Judge Derek Episode 1.10: "The Fixer" 2015 AfterBuzz TV's Spotlight On Himself Interview on August 16, 2015. 2016 Bunk'd Noah Episode 1.17: "For Love and Money" 2021 Days of Our Lives: Beyond Salem Will Horton Miniseries2021 Days of Our Lives: A Very Salem Christmas Will Horton Television film 2021 Next Stop, Christmas Ben Lee Television film (Hallmark Channel) 2022 Heart of the Matter Henry Lowery Television film (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) 2022 A Tale of Two Christmases Drew Television film (Hallmark Channel) 2023 The Professional Bridesmaid Henry Whittington Television film (Hallmark Channel) 2023 Mystic Christmas Sawyer Adams Television film (Hallmark Channel) 2024 A '90s Christmas Matt Television film (Hallmark Channel)

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result 2011 Daytime Emmy Award Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama SeriesDays of Our Lives 2012 2013 2014