We Finally Know Why Freddie Smith Turned Down A Return Appearance As Days Of Our Lives' Sonny

In a video posted by Soaps on August 18, host Kristyn Burtt spoke with "Days of Our Lives" alum Freddie Smith, and after reading off his litany of accomplishments, including winning a Daytime Emmy in 2015, working in real estate, and being all over TikTok, Smith humbly replied, "These days you gotta spin many plates, you know, so I just try to keep myself busy." He explained that he shares details of his life on social media, noting that, "We're in an age where authenticity is important."

And that authenticity shined through as he explained when his life goals had changed. "I think around 2014 or 15 is when I first started having interest in business and in sales and in building something that was my own," he stated, adding that while acting is great, "You're still on someone else's schedule." He felt that acting might not financially sustain him, so decided to become an entrepreneur. In 2019 he chose to be near his family in Florida, working in business and real estate.

He planned to do "Days" for another year in 2020, but when the show sidelined his character and the pandemic hit, he knew it was time to do something different. "I look back and think '["Days"] was a cool chapter in my life,'" he stated, commenting that Sonny being recast was good, as it prevented him from going backward and meant that he could only move forward in his life.