Before Chandler Massey, the Will Horton actors were Guy Wilson, Dylan Patton, Christopher Gerse, Darian Weiss, and Shawn and Taylor Carpenter. The popular Days of Our Lives character was introduced on November 16, 1995, when Alison Sweeney’s Sami Brady gave birth to him. For several creative reasons, DOOL showrunners have had to recast the role. While some performers were changed to reflect the age of the character, others had to make way for a fresh artistic direction. Whatever the case, each of the actors contributed to the evolution and depth of the iconic character, who has been a treasure trove of memorable moments for the Days of Our Lives fandom.
Will Horton’s coming out story in 2012 and subsequent marriage to Sonny Kiriakis are perhaps the character’s most epochal moments in the long-running series. His wedding to Sonny marked a new dawn in US daytime drama as the first male-male wedding. Will was written off the drama in October 2015 when he was strangled to death. This was widely condemned as a dumb decision, inspiring the character’s return in September 2017 with a storyline that explained how he survived. He has remained a mainstay of the DOOL franchise, with arcs in the soap opera’s spin-off products — Beyond Salem (2021 – 2022) and A Very Salem Christmas (2021).
Shawn and Taylor Carpenter (1995 – 2002)
The twin brothers were the first to play Will Horton when the character was introduced in 1995. Born on September 6, 1995, the brothers began portraying the character at six weeks old, departing in 2002 at age 6. The twins took turns playing the early life of Will. Their storyline begins with the cesarean birth of the character and an accident that reveals the falsehood about his biological father. He was caught up in a custody battle and an acrimonious feud between his mother and paternal grandmother, Lauren Koslow’s Kate Roberts. The brothers disappeared from the limelight after Darian Weiss took over the role; they haven’t been part of any production since then.
Darian Weiss (2002 – 2003)
As the character developed, the showrunners began looking for a trained actor to take on the role. This led to the departure of the Carpenter identical twins, with Darian Weiss cast as the new Will Horton. He played the character for barely a year, from 2002 to 2003, portraying a bratty Will Horton, who had everyone concerned about his bad behavior.
After the role, Weiss portrayed other characters in multiple movies and TV shows. Some of his most-known roles are in Night Watch (2004), Mad Men (2008), and Without a Trace (2006). The latter won him the 2007 Young Artist Award for Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) By a Guest Starring Young Actor. Darian Weiss will star as Peter in Hitchhiker: An American Story, an upcoming drama film directed by Luca Creta and Vincenzo Stigliano.
Christopher Gerse (2003 – 2008)
American actor Christopher Gerse played Will Horton in at least 150 Days of Our Lives episodes from 2003 to 2008. Gerse’s portrayal of a teenage Will desperate to get his parents together earned him two Young Artist Award nominations for Best Performance in a TV Series in 2004 and 2005. He has remained active since he left DOOL, with roles in popular productions like Westworld (2016), Charlie Says (2018), and My Dinner with Herve (2018). The Los Angeles, California, native recently played Thomas Teller in Teller’s Camp, Jared Zabel’s 2023 adventure film.
Dylan Patton (2009 – 2010)
Dylan Patton gave up acting after he departed from Days of Our Lives; he’s one of the Will Horton actors who have disappeared from the limelight. He portrayed the character for roughly a year, from 2009 to 2010, and was nominated for coveted awards, including the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series. Patton was last seen in Jade Grace’s Romey and Julie in 2013, the same year he was arrested for selling cocaine and sentenced to three years probation. He now pursues other career interests, including playing Ultimate Frisbee for Kong in the Los Angeles Organization of Ultimate Teams.
Chandler Massey (2010 – 2023)
Although Dylan Patton dismissed this claim, it was rumored that DOOL showrunners hired Chandler Massey to replace Patton, who was unwilling to play a gay Will Horton. Taking over from Patton, Massey became the most notable actor to play the role. His portrayal of Will’s coming out story is regarded as one of the iconic moments of the daytime drama. Massey’s performance has thus far won him three Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series, consecutively from 2012 to 2014. The American actor played Sawyer Adams in Marlo Hunter’s 2023 telefilm Mystic Christmas, among dozens of other movies and television roles.
Guy Wilson (2014 – 2015)
Guy Wilson is one of the two adult Will Horton actors. His portrayal of the favorite DOOL character embodied another iconic moment for the long-running soap opera — the first male gay wedding in US daytime drama. Wilson also portrayed the character’s death in 2015, which was widely condemned, leading to Will’s return in September 2017 with Chandler Massey as the actor. Guy Wilson remains active in the competitive industry. His most recent roles include Tanner in Andrew Bowser’s Onyx the Fortuitous and the Talisman of Souls (2023), Eli in Hutch Dano’s As Certain as Death (2023), and Detective Kevin Long in Freevee’s Bosch: Legacy. Check out 10 actors who could join the cast of Days of Our Lives.
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