'Days of Our Lives' Stars Freddie Smith and Chandler Massey Exiting Series: 'It Was Not Our Choice'
It's been announced that Days of Our Lives stars Freddie Smith and Chandler Massey will be exiting [...]
It's been announced that Days of Our Lives stars Freddie Smith and Chandler Massey will be exiting the series it what is being considered a huge cast shake-up. Smith revealed the news on social media, telling fans in a Twitter video that the exit "was not our choice" and adding, "We were looking forward to staying on and keeping the story going."
Days of Our Lives releases Freddie Smith and @ChandlerMassey from contracts. https://t.co/dMOErFKz2b
— freddie smith 🧢 (@freddiemsmith) February 12, 2020
I will miss Salem so much!! Thank you all for the incredible love and support throughout the years. I really feel we told a love story that will live on forever.
He also said, "But I do understand there is a lot happening with Days of Our Lives [at the moment]." Notably, Smith and Massey play on-again/off-again same-sex couple Sonny and Will, so their firing significantly impacts the shows LGBTQ representation.
Fans of the show have since been sounding off on Twitter about the news, with one exclaiming, "WHAT??? Nooo they can't do this! This is the most stupid decision #Days has ever made !! You guys are the reason I'm watching.. I'm so heartbroken & so shocked rn!! Gonna miss my #Wilson so much."
"Absolutely the wrong decision to let you guys go. You're both amazing and #WilSon is the best thing about #days I'm so sorry and sad about this," another tweeted.
I'm so sorry 😐 i am so shocked hurt devastated by this news you and Chandler made #WilSon the most beautiful ❤️ story ever made for a https://t.co/8zsEDUlsL6 are amazing actor brilliant i will miss Sonny Kiriakis.What huge loss to #Days
— Sevan/WilSon/Ballum (@LunaticNation) February 12, 2020
"Are you flipping KIDDING ME!!!!! What the hell is going on? This is a sign that the season 56 if @nbcdays is the last. As someone who has watched since the early 70s, this is heartbreaking. Maybe everyone not being hired can do webisodes!!!! I'm so sorry," someone else offered.
The firings of Smith and Massey come after Days of Our Lives producer Corday Productions released the entire cast from their contracts in fall 2019, amid talks of renewing the long-running series with NBC and Sony.
Once the show was officially picked back up for Season 56, Corday began negotiating new deals with some members of the series' ensemble, but it seems that, unfortunately for fans, Smith and Massey did not make the cut. At this time, producers do not appear to have issued a statement on the news.