Later that year, he moved to
Los Angeles to attend the
University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and to pursue an acting career.[8] At UCLA, he played on the Ultimate Frisbee team, where he was given the nickname "Bamm Bamm."[9][10] While working on Days of Our Lives, Massey roomed with his friend and Days co-star
Casey Deidrick.[11][12]
In March 2023, Massey got engaged to long time girlfriend Stephanie Bennett.[13]
Acting career
Days of Our Lives
"Massey brings a pureness to the role of Will that makes you love him. This is a brilliant young actor who will move you to tears based on a look alone."
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,[8] joining the cast in 2010. He had previously auditioned for Will when
Dylan Patton was cast.[15] 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.[3] He had been nominated in the same category the previous year. In February 2013, Massey's younger brother, Christian, appeared as a young
Will Horton on Days of Our Lives in a flashback.[16]
In June 2013, Massey won his second consecutive Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Younger Actor.[4][17] Massey revealed that he intended to return to school instead of renewing his contract, which was set to expire in December 2013.[18]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;[19] but Massey expressed that he would support a recast.[20] On August 23, 2013, it was announced that Massey had taped his final episode that day, and that a recast had already been made.[21][22] Massey was let out of his contract early, for which he thanked Days and
NBC.[21] On June 22, 2014, Massey won his third consecutive Emmy for
Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series.[23] 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.[24][25][26] Massey is also the first actor from Days of Our Lives ever to win three Emmys, consecutive or otherwise.[25][5]
"There is a reason that Massey has three Daytime Emmys to his name. His work is at once understated, powerful, truthful, and has the ability to touch the hearts of millions"
On May 8, 2017, Entertainment Weekly announced that Massey was reprising the role of Will on Days of Our Lives,[28][29] and Massey expressed excitement at bringing the character back.[28] His new episodes began airing on September 15, 2017.[30] Kristyn Burtt of SheKnows said Massey's return was a "huge watershed moment" for the network;[31] in 2018, Massey was again nominated for a
Daytime Emmy Award, this time for
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.[6]
On March 10,2022 Chandler Massey has returned to Days of our Lives in a recurring role.
Other work
Massey has made guest appearances in several drama series, including One Tree Hill and Army Wives, as well as appeared in the
HBO comedy series, Eastbound & Down. In 2011, he starred in his first feature film, 16-Love, in which he portrayed Farrell Gambles, a fun-loving junior tennis player, and the love interest of
Lindsey Shaw's lead character, Ally Mash. Backstage wrote that he gave "levels to his character" as the "boyish, smitten, too-romantic-to-be-true athlete next door."[32] 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.[33]
^"Gold Derby on Twitter". twitter.com/goldderby. June 22, 2014.
Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2018-03-26. @ChandlerMassey wins Younger Actor at #DaytimeEmmys; he's only 3rd actor to win 3 in a row