Will Roberts (fiction)

Will Horton
Chandler Massey as Will Horton
Days of Our Lives character
Portrayed by	Shawn and Taylor Carpenter (1995–2002) Darian Weiss (2002–03) Christopher Gerse (2003–08) Dylan Patton (2009–10) Chandler Massey (2010–14, 2017–) Guy Wilson (2014–15)
Duration	1995–2015 2017–
First appearance	November 16, 1995 (1995-11-16)
Created by	James E. Reilly
Introduced by	Ken Corday and Tom Langan (1995) Ken Corday, Albert Alarr and Greg Meng (2017)
Classification	Present; recurring
Profile
Other names	William Robert Horton Will Roberts Will Reed
Occupation	Student Pub worker Business intern Political campaign staffer Screenwriter Journalist
Family Horton Brady Roberts Parents Lucas Horton Sami Brady Stepfather Austin Reed (1996–97) Brandon Walker (2003–05) EJ DiMera (2007–08, 2014) Rafe Hernandez (2010–12) Stepmother Nicole Walker (1999–2002) Carrie Brady (2006) Chloe Lane (2009) Sisters Allie Horton Grace Brady (non-biological) Half-brothers Johnny DiMera Half-sisters Sydney DiMera Husband Sonny Kiriakis (2014–15) Daughters Arianna Horton Grandfathers Bill Horton Roman Brady John Black (step) Grandmothers Kate Roberts Marlena Evans Uncles Mike Horton Austin Reed D.J. Craig Eric Brady Rex Brady Philip Kiriakis Aunts Jennifer Horton Billie Reed Carrie Reed Cassie Brady Belle Black First cousins Jeremy Horton Abigail Deveraux JJ Deveraux Chelsea Brady Claire Brady Tyler Kiriakis Noah Reed

Will Horton is a fictional character from the American soap opera Days of Our Lives, known for an award-winning coming out story, award-winning performances by actor Chandler Massey, and as one half of US daytime drama's first male gay wedding and marriage. The character first appeared on November 16, 1995, as a newborn child. His mother Sami Brady (Alison Sweeney) acts as if Austin Reed (Austin Peck) is the father so Austin might marry her, and they call the child Will Reed. When Sami later realizes that Will must actually be the son of Lucas Roberts (Bryan Dattilo), she tries to prevent others finding out. Two years later the truth comes out, and Will, who is renamed Will Roberts, has a "tumultuous upbringing" due to his parents' ever-changing love lives, and their machinations as they fight each other for custody. As a child, Will does everything he can to bring his parents together, so they can be a "real family"; whereas his grandma Kate Roberts (Lauren Koslow) schemes to keep his parents apart. In 2007, Lucas, now in love with Sami and angry at Kate's interference, changes his and Will's surname to Horton (after Will's paternal grandfather).

A succession of child actors portrayed Will, with Christopher Gerse taking on the role from 2003 to 2008, with the character and actor "growing up on screen". After a year hiatus, Will was reintroduced in 2009 with Dylan Patton as a sixteen-year-old, and then Massey (2010 to 2014) took the character into adulthood. Massey's portrayal is noted for Will struggling with the discovery of his sexuality, and then coming out as gay, and beginning a same-sex relationship with Sonny Kiriakis (Freddie Smith). Massey's performance and the coming out storyline received high praise. Glamour Magazine said it "has never been done better – not on primetime, daytime, or in feature films", and "it's raw, it's touching, and most importantly it's honest"; and soap journalist Michael Fairman called Massey's performance "beyond sensational".Will and Sonny became the show's first same-sex supercouple (commonly referred to by the portmanteau "WilSon"), and in 2014 Guy Wilson took over the role of Will as Days broadcast the first male gay wedding in US daytime drama history.