Ready Freddie

Jumping Back Into The Role Of DAYS’s Sonny Was Effortless For Freddie Smith.

- Robert Waldron

When Freddie Smith debuted as DAYS’s Sonny in 2011, he didn’t know if the gig would last beyond three months. “I was happy with every 13-week cycle that I went through,” he recounts. “It was like, ‘Okay, I’m still here. It’s still working.’ ”

One reason for Smith’s uncertainty at the time was the show’s decision to back-burner the proposed story for Sonny, who was slated to help Will through his sexual identity crisis (at the time DAYS was transitioning to a new writing team). Smith also recalls the learning curve he underwent being a Salem newbie, not just memorizing pages of dialogue every day, but digging in and boning up on how Sonny was connected to well-established, existing characters. “I didn’t know Sonny’s relationship with his parents, Justin and Adrienne. There was so much homework to do,” he remembers. “I went to acting coaches outside of work to make sure I was learning and understanding the character.”

But once DAYS decided it was time to focus on Sonny and Will, Smith reveled in the story as it unfolded. “DAYS took a huge leap, paced it and actually told a love story,” Smith praises. “I think it was brilliant to have Will and Sonny come from two of the most prominent families in Salem, rather than just bringing in two brand-new gay characters and putting them together. As their story progressed, you forgot they were gay, and instead, you were watching two people who loved each other and were living their lives. It’s so cool to be a part of that history.”