DAYS’s Leo Howard: Tate ‘Will Always Hold Out Hope’ Of Reuniting With Holly (Exclusive)

There have been hurdles aplenty tossed between Holly and Tate since the pair first fell for one another on Days of Our Lives. After Tate took the rap for Holly’s drug overdose, the star-crossed teenagers briefly reconciled. However, they quickly split up again, leading Tate to turn to Sophia, who got pregnant. Then Doug III entered the picture, immediately became smitten with Holly and posed another threat to the Tate-Holly end game. Leo Howard (Tate) chatted with Soap Opera Digest about the tortured couple, the obstacles they’ve endured, and where Tate stands on Holly, Sophia and nemesis Doug.

Soap Opera Digest: Holly and Tate are not together. In your opinion, how do they feel about each other?

Leo Howard: Holly and Tate will always have a place etched in their hearts for each other no matter what. Everything that’s happened to them definitely creates a lot of conflict to repair, if they were ever going to get back together. It just creates more depth and more reality to the complications of being an adult and trying to maintain a relationship. And now with the Doug element as well… It’s just throwing a whole new wrench in the situation.

Digest: Did you welcome the addition of Doug III as the latest obstacle to the couple?

Howard: I always love when they bring new people in. It’s fun. It keeps things new, and there’s always different dynamics working with different people. So I welcomed it as an actor. It’s been a fun challenge to approach.

Digest: Did you do anything to welcome Peyton Meyer (Doug) to the DAYS fold and help acclimate him to the world of daytime?

Howard: I remember what it was like to walk in new. It’s a really high-paced environment, and if you’ve never done it before, it’s very different. So I try to be welcoming and helpful to people. I know there’s other actors that are like that as well. It’s definitely a really supportive group. Everyone supports each other.

Digest: What are your thoughts on the dynamic that’s developed between the Tate and Doug, specifically Tate’s obvious jealousy toward him?

Howard: When you’re feeling something for a partner or someone that you’re close to, [Doug’s presence] feels really threatening. Tate is being stretched way too thin, and it kind of explains his behavior toward Doug, confronting him and all that stuff. It’s really uncomfortable for him [to see Doug with Holly]. Tate just feels stuck. I think people who have been in this position can relate to it. Tate’s got to do what he’s got to do – take care of Sophia, take care of this baby, and figure this situation out. He’s also trying to fix things with Holly, and deep down, he really wants that to work. So it’s a very confusing place to be in, and Doug just makes it so much worse.

Digest: Since Holly and Tate’s breakup, you’ve been working a lot less with Ashley Puzemis (Holly). What that an adjustment for you?

Howard: I love working with Ashley. There is a comfortability when you work with someone, especially as intimately as I’ve worked with her. There’s a knowing of each other. There’s a lot of playfulness that happens and a lot of departing from what’s on the page, sort of creating something more and adding to it. You kind of have to start over with new people. Sometimes [a connection] just happens naturally, but a lot of times you have to start over and build one. You see that on screen, and I don’t think it’s a bad thing. It works [between me and Rachel Boyd], because Sophia and I aren’t comfortable with each other. They had a fling. So it all plays into the storyline.

Digest: At this point, does Tate feel the Holly ship has sailed or is he still holding out hope that they can rekindle things at some point down the line?

Howard: Tate will always hold out hope, but in reality he feels there’s a chance the ship might have sailed away. He feels this Sophia thing is the final nail in the coffin.

Digest: How is Tate dealing with that?

Howard: He’s trying to deny it at this moment. There’s just so much going on in his life that compartmentalizes the way he copes with everything. So it’s in the back of his brain, but he can’t think about that. He’s got to handle what’s in front of him.

Digest: Is there anything you can tease about what’s coming up in the storyline that you’re particularly excited about or any scenes that you’re looking forward to people watching?

Howard: The whole storyline of how everything wraps up and turns out with Sophia and the baby will be an interesting thing for people. I’m excited for everyone to see it.