Days of Our Lives’ Zach Tinker Reveals the WTH Plot Twist ‘I Was Eh About’
Wednesday, January 25th, 2023
“I’ve never seen Sonny get dark.”
On Days of Our Lives, Sonny has always been the guy next door — charming, responsible, and loving. Zach Tinker adores playing those characteristics, but admits that he wouldn’t mind taking his alter ego to a place he’s never really been: the dark side!
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Of course, in Salem, there are good guys and bad guys, and Sonny is pretty firmly established as being one of the former. And while Tinker likes the idea of exploring what might exist just beneath Sonny’s sunny exterior, he gets why it might be a tough sell. Why? “Because I like making things make sense,” he admits. Which means Sonny can’t simply wake up one morning and decide it might be a good day to go out and cause havoc in the lives of his neighbors!
Like viewers, Tinker is big on things making sense… even in the context of a world in which people routinely don masks that allow them to become someone else. In fact, one recent story gave him pause.
“I was ‘eh’ about the Leo storyline with us being friends again,” admits the actor. “He just drugged me and took pictures of me.” Sure enough, Sonny came to regret giving Leo a second (or would that be third?) chance, especially after his involvement in Bonnie’s kidnapping came to light.
Tinker admits that going dark “isn’t really who Sonny is,” but suggests that there’s a way for it to unfold logically (at least by soap standards). “I would love, maybe, where I got hit on the head and I have amnesia and ‘Dark Sonny’ comes out,” he shares. “I love getting mean and dark.” Should that come to pass, the real question might be whether Sonny would seek revenge on Leo… or perhaps join forces with him!
Check out all the drama Will and Sonny have endured over the years in our photo gallery below.
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Image: Paul Skipper/JPI
1/23
<p>Will had just graduated from high school when he ran into his cousin Abigail (then Kate Mansi). She then introduced him to <em>her</em> cousin, Sonny (originally played by Freddie Smith), who Will was surprised to learn was openly gay — and that they were somehow not related at all! This would’ve been the world’s shortest gallery if they were…</p>
Image: Paul Skipper/JPI
2/23
<p>Will’s relationship with Gabi wasn’t going great, especially after he kissed Sonny’s gay friend! Sonny urged his confused pal to talk to someone he could trust, so Will turned to grandma Marlena — apparently while Sonny stood <em>right</em> over them. Geeze, Sonny, we know you like him, but play it at least a little cool!</p>
Image: Paul Skipper/JPI
3/23
<p>By the time Will started coming out en masse, he and Sonny were officially an item. While Kate was also proud of her grandson, Lucas was both a tad disappointed and suspicious that Sonny was using his son, while Adrienne decided Will wasn’t good enough for her boy. Still, nothing could keep “Wilson” down! </p>
Image: Paul Skipper/JPI
4/23
<p>OK, <em>almost </em>nothing could keep “Wilson” down! A one night stand between Will and Gabi almost derailed things once she became pregnant. When Sonny learned what happened, he dumped Will, only to reconcile in time to help deliver his boyfriend’s baby! We’re sure this kind of thing happens all the time. </p>
Image: Paul Skipper/JPI
5/23
<p>Nick caused a <em>lot </em>of problems for the boys, between his homophobia after his time in jail, his obsessive pursuit of Will’s babymama, Gabi, (even <em>after</em> she thought she killed him… the first time) and an old prison mate attacking him and putting Will in the hospital instead!</p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
6/23
<p>Luckily, Will survived his (first) brush with prison life and all was well with the world of “Wilson.” The two moved in together to raise little Arianna and brought Gabi along with them to stage their own remake of <em>Three Men and a Baby</em>. </p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
7/23
<p>Actually, things were more like <em>Three Men and a Little Lady</em> since, like the sequel, this ended in a wedding! (What? Dont come for us just because we know the Tom Selleck/Ted Danson classics a little <em>too</em> well.) Grandma Marlena married the two in April of 2014, though by now Will was being played fittingly by Guy <em>Wilson</em>.</p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
8/23
<p>Soon, “Wilson” were thrust into an episode of<em> Temptation Island</em> with the arrival of Sonny’s ex, Paul. Surprisingly, Sonny remained faithful, while <em>Will</em> was the one to cheat with the newcomer! And again while he was in Los Angeles… That look on Sonny’s face kind of says it all. </p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
9/23
<p>Sonny, naturally, did what all rich people do — ran off to Paris to work at his family’s mega-conglomerate and ponder his relationship. That left Will to bro-out with newcomer Ben until he realized that his pal was the Necktie Killer. That encounter went about as well as you might think… RIP, Will. </p>
Image: Jill Johnson/JPI
10/23
<p>Sonny mourned for the proper nine months in Paris, then returned to Salem to hook up with Paul. But then Ben revealed that Will had been saved by Dr. Rolf’s wonder serum and was living in Nashville with Susan Banks, convinced he was EJ! (And was again back to Chandler Massey.) Seeing as how the real EJ was known to shack up with Will’s mom, that was wrong on so many levels.</p>
Image: Jill Johnson/JPI
11/23
<p>Amnesiac Will didn’t feel much for Sonny, but he did have the hots for Paul! Granted, Paul cheated a bit by taking his shirt off every time Sonny turned his back. Ultimately, poor Sonny ended up the odd man out, with <em>both </em>exes choosing each other over him! Harsh.</p>
Image: Jill Johnson/JPI
12/23
<p>Eventually, Dr. Rolf whipped up some serum to help Will regain his memories. He agreed to take the miracle cure, and at John and Marlena’s 2018 wedding, all his loving memories of Sonny came flooding back. Unfortunately for Paul, they also washed away Will’s promise to cherish him no matter what…</p>
Image: Jill Johnson/JPI
13/23
<p>One side effect of Dr. Rolf’s memory serum that was most definitely not on the label was a brain tumor. And as soap opera tumors are wont to do, it completely rewired his personality. Fortunately, a quick surgery fixed everything, sending Will back to his default setting so he and Sonny could return to cuddling. </p>
Image: Jill Johnson/JPI
14/23
<p>Things got super weird after the show’s infamous time jump. Will went to prison for killing Sonny’s mom while texting and driving, where he saved new bestie/roommate/<em>man who pretty much killed him</em> Ben from his dad, Clyde. At least Will clearly had lots of time to work out…</p>
Image: Jill Johnson/JPI
15/23
<p>Will wasn’t the only one making questionable decisions while he was in prison. At the same time, Sonny fell under Leo’s spell, not realizing that he’d been hired by Vivian Alamain (and later Kate) to seduce him and frame him for sexual harassment as the then-CEO of Titan! </p>
Image: Jill Johnson/JPI
16/23
<p>When Leo’s plan collapsed and he learned he wasn’t getting his payout, he tried blackmailing Sonny into marriage. That’s when a recently-exonerated Will revealed that Leo was actually a prositute and extortionist name Matthew Cooper. Leo reacted by giving Will a hug. With his hands. Around Will’s neck. </p>
Image: Jill Johnson/JPI
17/23
<p>Will and Sonny had been sure they’d killed Leo during their fight, but he showed up alive and ready to sell some Avon! Actually, it was worse. He tried using their attempted murder as blackmail to marry Sonny. Thank God, John (wrongly) believed he was Leo’s father and convinced him to leave Will and Sonny alone. Whew!</p>
Image: Jill Johnson/JPI
18/23
<p>Now that things had <em>finally </em>calmed down for the couple, Sonny was offered a job heading up a non-profit that his brother Alex started to raise money to help battle breast cancer. Sonny couldn’t say no, and he and Will packed Arianna up and moved to Arizona. And that was the last we saw them… or so we thought! </p>
Image: Jill Johnson/JPI
19/23
<p>Arizona couldn’t hold these boys down once <em>Days of Our Lives</em> stepped into the digital world! Will and Sonny (now played by Zach Tinker) got roped into the search for the Alamanian Peacock, teaming up with Chad and *blegh* Leo, and saving the day thanks to some timely drag performances. (You’d be surprised how often that statement is true.)</p>
Image: Peacock Screenshot
20/23
<p>After <em>Beyond Salem</em> proved such a hit, Sonny and Will came back to tell a very special story for a very special, er, special — <em>Days of Our Lives: A Very Salem Christmas</em>! The heartwarming tale Will wrote was entirely fictional, but hey, it did get the fellas back for a little drag encore!</p>
Image: Jill Johnson/JPI
21/23
<p>After their adventures across the globe and through fiction, “Wilson” came back to Salem to stop Craig from making the mistake of his life: marrying Leo! Craig, though, was a man in love, and nothing was gonna stop him from spreading his newfound wings. </p>
Image: Jill Johnson/JPI
22/23
<p>Will headed back to Arizona with Ari, but Sonny stuck around to stick it to Leo with Chad. And they won! Craig dumped Leo at the altar in a spectacular wedding implosion. Then Victor all but demanded Sonny take over as Titan CEO once more.</p>
Image: Jill Johnson/JPI
23/23
