Chandler Massey's Will Horton on the
long-running daytime soap Days of Our Lives is preparing to
come out gay.
The 21-year-old Massey joined the cast
of the NBC soap in February, 2010. He previously appeared in minor
roles on One Tree Hill, Eastbound & Down and Army
Wives. He was nominated for an Emmy last year for playing Horton
on Days of Our Lives.
Last summer, Days of Our Lives
introduced its first gay character, Sonny Kiriakis (played by Freddie
Smith, 90210).
On the show's website, Horton's Current
Story description reads: “Will copes with the possibility of being
gay, putting a strain on his relationship with Gaby.”
In statements released to Entertainment
Weekly, the actor and the network confirmed that Horton is
gay.
“I'm thrilled to be able to portray
my character in an empowering way that will show his struggle to
accept who he is,” Massey said in a statement. “It is my hope
that this storyline will inspire others to be true to themselves as
well.”
Co-Executive Producer Greg Meng added
that Horton's storyline will unfold over the course of the next few
weeks.