Gwinnett High School Grad Now A Movie Star

Excitement has been building for the Massey family of Peachtree Corners. Their 21-year-old son, Chandler Massey, a graduate who landed a role on a daytime television show two years ago, is heading to the big screen with the debut of his first film.

"16-Love," is to be released this week in over 10 major cities, including Lawrenceville, and is showing at beginning Friday.

Massey and other members of the cast appeared at Suwanee City Hall last spring on a book tour.

Massey honed his acting skills under the guidance of his high school's drama teacher, Gina Parrish, who couldn't be more proud of her former student in his film debut. "We would love for this to do well," she said.

Since graduating in 2009, Massey has had a quick run of success, landing the role as Will Horton on the long-running daytime drama, "Days of Our Lives." Massey also appeared in television episodes of "Army Wives" and "One Tree Hill."

In "16-Love," Massey plays the love interest of the No. 1 junior player in the country who is injured, and while recuperating she begins to discover the teenage life she never got to live ... and finds the love she never thought she'd have.

Chandler's mother, Amy Massey, said they're expecting their son home this weekend and plan on seeing the film together as a family, which includes dad Lewis, sister Cameryn, a 2011 Norcross High School graduate, and brother Christian, 13, who is a student at . "We're very excited," said Amy Massey. "Chandler is excited about it too."

Amy Massey said it was Gina Parrish who planted the seed that Chandler should pursue an acting career. "She thought he had what it took," remembers Massey, "so we allowed him to follow his dreams."

Those dreams meant moving away from family and friends and heading for Hollywood, where Chandler quickly landed his "Days of "Our Lives" role.

But could she have envisioned that her oldest son would make it to the big screen. "I did not," admitted Amy Massey. "And I don't know that Chandler did either."