will_sonny | Chandler Massey interview

Chandler Massey gives first extensive interview to Greg In Hollywood about Will Horton coming out as gay on "Days of Our Lives"

There has been a lot of buzz this week about plans for the character of Will Horton to come out as gay on NBC's Days of Our Lives.

Emmy nominee Chandler Massey, who plays the teenager, gave his first extensive interview on the storyline to Greg In Hollywood on Tuesday night and promises that after a slow build since last summer, things will be moving along soon.

"Over the next few months, you're going to see a whole new side of Will," said the 21-year-old actor. "From beginning of December through January, there will be no lack of storyline there."

Will is currently dating high school sweetheart Gabi Hernandez (Camila Banus) but is disinterested in having sex with her since their first time.

Last week, Will had a heart-to-heart with grandmother Marlena (soap legend Deidre Hall) and shared that he was "confused" about the relationship but did not elaborate.

"Will does really care about Gabi and loves her, just not in the 'I want to have sex' kind of way," explained Chandler. "There is definitely love there but you can't change who you are."

Since the character of Will was born on the soap in 1995, he is technically the first gay character in the long 46-year history of Days of Our Lives. But this distinction may have been blurred a bit with the introduction this summer of Sonny Kiriakis (played by Freddie Smith) who arrived in Salem already open about his sexuality while Will remained closeted.

The characters of Sonny and Will have developed a friendship and are currently in business together running a website. Chandler would not say if the two have a romantic future together.

"I love the fact that [the writers] are developing a friendship between Sonny and Will, I feel it's more realistic," he said. "Just like in any realistic relationship, there will be a basis of friendship there first before there would be anything romantic."

And should Will find romance with Sonny or another character, Chandler is not afraid to lock lips with another male actor.

"I'm an actor and I play a role," he said. "Anything they give me, it's my job to go and make real and relevant."

Despite the fact that there has been a great deal of speculation in recent months about whether Will would in fact be gay – uncertainty fueled by changes in writers and executive producers – Chandler has been aware for nearly a year about the direction of the character.

"I knew the direction in February but I had to keep my mouth shut," he said. "It's been a very long process. They wanted to handle it right and take their time with it and didn't want it to be 'Days' doing gay storyline because other soaps are. They were careful in keeping the information under wraps."

I wondered what it felt like for Chandler now that the news is finally out about Will.

He said: "It feels great, Greg. Just to have the opportunity to play then first gay character in all the years of the show. It's an honor. I told you back in June [in an earlier interview] that it would be a creative challenge if I had the opportunity and now, officially, it is. I am very, very excited about it and I'm glad I can finally acknowledge it."

Chandler, who has been a part of the NOH8 photo project and participated in AIDS Walk Los Angeles last month, is also well aware that Will's coming out storyline will be closely watched by teens and by the LGBT community in general.

"It's an honor," he said. "I'm 100 percent behind the LGBT community. The more representation they get in daytime, I'm thrilled."

Chandler will be among the cast members at the fourth annual Day of Days Fan Event at Universal Studios in LA this weekend. [Click HERE for a schedule of events].

He also stars in the film 16-Love to be released on January 20, 2012.