NBC

HLN, which is scheduled to air the 40th Annual Daytime Entertainment Emmy Awards, has released the Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series Nominee Reels in anticipation of the Sunday, June 16 telecast. The nominees are “The Young and the Restless‘” Max Ehrich (Fenmore Baldwin) and Bryton James (Devon Hamilton) along with “Days of our Lives‘” Chandler Massey (Will Horton) and Freddie Smith (Sonny Kiriakis).

Which actor do you think deserves to win?

MAX EHRICH

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Thomas A. Montalto/Montalto Photos

The peer votes have been cast, and the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences has announced the Drama Performer Pre-Nominations for the 40^th Annual Daytime Entertainment Emmy Awards! Five categories have been announced, including Lead Actress and Lead Actor, Supporting Actress and Supporting Actor, as well as Younger Actress and Younger Actor. Without further adieu, here are the pre-nominees:

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series

• Sharon Case as Sharon on “The Young and the Restless”
• Jeanne Cooper as Katherine on “Y&R”
• Susan Flannery as Stephanie on “The Bold and the Beautiful”
• Finola Hughes as Anna Devane on “General Hospital”
• Peggy McCay as Caroline on “Days of our Lives”
• Kelly Monaco as Sam on “GH”
• Melody Thomas Scott as Nikki on “Y&R”
• Michelle Stafford as Phyllis on “Y&R”
• Kelly Sullivan as Kate on “GH”
• Heather Tom as Katie on “B&B”
• Laura Wright as Carly on “GH”

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ABC

It was on Friday, January 25, when Soap Opera Network first reported that Prospect Park‘s “All My Children” was looking to recast the role of Cassandra Foster, the adopted daughter of Angela Hubbard (Debbi Morgan), who the good doctor found abandoned in a dumpster during her run on ABC’s “The City” back in the mid-1990′s. The character returned as an 18 year-old seeking comfort from mommy dearest in 2008 as played by actress YaYa DaCosta. Since then, the production company has now officially issued a casting call for the role. According to the casting call, the role is for an African-American in her early-mid 20′s, “gorgeous with an air of sophistication.” The character spent the majority of her time in Paris, France, which has helped her become “worldly, independent and a force to be reckoned with.” The role is contract.

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On its Facebook page today, NBC’s “Days of our Lives” uploaded a congratulatory card for Gabi Hernandez (Camila Banus) and William Horton (Chandler Massey), and Nick Fallon (Blake Berris), which revealed the sex of the baby that the town of Salem is currently fighting over.

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As expected, NBC has renewed “Days of our Lives” through September 2014. The news comes just days after NBC Entertainment Chairman Robert Greenblatt said, “I think ‘DAYS’ is going to stick around,” during NBC’s portion of the Television Critics Association winter press tour.  “I don’t know that I’m at liberty to say that officially yet, but it’s not going anywhere,” Greenblatt added. The “DAYS” renewal was announced today by Jennifer Salke, President, NBC Entertainment.

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Although they weren’t listed with the other “Hot” stuff in TV Guide Magazine‘s Annual “Hot List” issue (pages 16-35), “General Hospital” earned a spot under Michael Logan‘s Daytime Highlights column (page 84) with the heading “Hot Again,” while NBC’s “Days of our Lives” also made the cut under the heading “Hot Days, Hotter Nights” courtesy of daytime’s hottest (and only) gay on screen couple, Will Horton (Chandler Massey) and Sonny Kiriakis (Freddie Smith).

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Photo Credit: Mitchell Haaseth/NBC

While Soap Opera Digest in its newest issue lists their last airdate being Wednesday, August 15, both Matthew Ashford (Jack Deveraux) and Sarah Brown (Madison James) will actually find their characters departing the world of the living much sooner.

On the Monday, August 13 episode, fans saw Madison speak for the last time as she called out for her fiancé, Brady Black (Eric Martsolf). On Tuesday, August 14, Jack departs Salem for the umpteenth time as the elevator cables snap while daughter Abigail (Kate Mansi) and the love of his life Jennifer (Melissa Reeves) look on in horror. Sadly, it looks like Jack is really dead this time! Also according to Digest, Caleb Hunt (Andrew) last airs on Friday, August 17 despite the character escaping unnoticed on the Monday, August 13 episode while Chad (Casey Deidrick) was tending to Gabi (Camila Bannus). Father Matt (Ralph Waite) is also back on the 17th as he shares words with Nicole (Arianne Zucker).

Soap Opera Network has learned Brendan Michael Coughlin will return on Monday, August 20, when his character Tad (aka: T) has a confrontation with Will (Chandler Massey) that eventually leads to a dangerous one with Sonny (Freddie Smith) later that week. On Tuesday, August 21, Brant Daughtery is back as Brian, and Will is none too pleased when he sees him getting intimate with Sonny.

Blake Berris returns as Melanie’s (Molly Burnett) stalker Nick Fallon, who is up for parole, on Monday, August 27. As previously reported, Nick’s mother Jessica Blake Fallon (Jean Bruce Scott) returns to Salem after a 30 year absence on Friday, August 31.

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — A sneak peek at the Tuesday, April 10, 2012 episode of NBC’s “Days of our Lives” featuring Chandler Massey and Freddie Smith as Will (Massey) nonchalantly admits to being gay to Sonny (Smith).

Justin Lubin/NBC

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — It was March of this year that word broke out that “Days of our Lives” was planning to have a major character come out of the closet. Almost immediately after the news broke out reports were flying that Will Horton, portrayed by Chandler Massey, would be the one to come out. Eight months since the news first leaked, the NBC Daytime soap has finally revealed that Will will in fact come to the realization that he is gay, but what does Massey think about portraying such a character and how has he managed to keep it such a secret for so long?

“I’m thrilled and honored,” said an energetic Massey on getting the chance to tackle such a topical issue as a teen coming out. “I was told about it in February and now I’m officially allowed to talk about it. I’m thrilled on two levels. It’s an honor and a privilege to be a part of a storyline that is so relevant like this storyline, which is underrepresented in daytime and I think in TV in general. It is a story that needs to be told. It is very powerful and I’m super honored to be a part of that,” the actor stated. “On a personal level it creates a creative challenge. As an actor, I couldn’t be happier with the stuff that I’ve been given and the writing for me just because I get to stretch. I get to grow. I get to really sink my teeth into something.”

In recent months, some of the most shocking headlines in newspapers and television news programming have surrounded teenagers committing suicide because they could no longer handle the pressure and taunting from peers who had constantly teased them and in some cases threatened their lives all because they happened to be different. With soap operas always known as being the most current form of scripted programming when it comes to social issues would it be too much of a stretch to expect “Days of our Lives” to deal with the the issue head on? “It is such a real and tragic issue in the world today. Personally, I would love for them to address that. The wonderful thing about today is there are so many programs like the Trevor Project and It Get’s Better, NOH8…all those programs that are reaching out to those kids who aren’t comfortable with who they are or maybe they are and other people aren’t comfortable or are imposing their hate on them. I think it is terrible. Life is too short for that kind of nonsense,” said Massey. “I personally would love it if they go in that direction. It’s so powerful and such a real problem today that if ‘DAYS’ can do that and do it really well and powerfully it could help people. In the end that’s what we want to do. We want to move people.”

On the web:

• It Get’s Better
• NOH8
• The Trevor Project