Actor Jamie Martin Mann is set to bow out of Days of Our Lives this week, as his six-month run as troubled teen Tate Black comes to an end on Thursday, April 4.
“I felt a lot of gratitude that I had the chance to close the storyline,” Mann told Soap Opera Digest when discussing his exit.
Mann’s character has been through the wringer in recent months, including being arrested for a crime he didn’t commit and sent to rehab. But Tate was recently exonerated, which was as fulfilling for Mann the actor as it was for Tate the character.
“It was extremely fulfilling both for the character and also just for me, acting-wise, to be able to see the other side [of Tate’s predicament], to be able to actually step out, go back and re-encounter that sense of normalcy,” the Country Comfort alum shared.
Tate is the first child of Brady Black (Eric Martsolf) and Theresa Donovan (Emily O’Brien) and the first grandchild of legendary Days super couple Shane Donovan (Charles Shaughnessy) and Kimberly Brady (Patsy Pease). He’s been portrayed by several different actors since 2015, including four sets of twins.
Mann stepped into the role in September 2023 and has been dividing his time between the West Coast, where Days films, and the Midwest, where he attends the University of Michigan. Ultimately, the young actor said he chose to leave the show to focus on his education.
“I filmed the last two weeks of the show in the first month of my junior year,” he shared, adding, “traveling back and forth would’ve been a considerable impediment to [obtaining a] musical theater degree. I know it seems very hoity-toity and aloof, and it’s not a ‘real’ major, but there is a considerable amount of work and it requires a lot of time in class.”
Mann continued, “I mean, acting is all experience. Reading about acting only gets you so far, and having the practical application is such an imperative part of the major. So to miss class when you’re in an acting program can be extremely detrimental. I knew that and understood that trying to juggle [both] at the same time would’ve been a detriment to the work that I was doing in school.”
He went on to add that it “wouldn’t have been fair” to the show or his fellow castmates “not dedicating the time required” to do the job.
“You’re only as good as your partner. If you’re working with a scene partner who’s not prepared and who’s not fully committed, it’s not fair. And it’s not fun to do that. I didn’t want to put any of those fellow actors that I respected so much through that position,” Mann explained.
The 20-year-old said he discussed his decision with his parents, and it became clear he needed to step away from Days despite the love he has for the show.
“In the end, the pros outweighed the cons to stay and finish out my degree at the age that is stereotypically normal, maintain all the friendships that I have, and not put my college degree on hold,” he stated. “I also think part of that was just the fear that I would never find the time to finish it out. I really just want to be able to close this chapter before I inevitably enter the industry again.”
As reported by TV Insider last month, daytime newcomer Leo Howard will assume the role of Tate from April 5.
“I was glad for [Howard] to come in with a blank slate rather than having to pick up in the middle of some really intense material,” Mann said of his replacement. “I also think that, for the viewers, it’s going to be a little bit less jarring because he gets to start fresh in this moment.”
He added, “I watched Leo as a kid in Kickin’ It [the 2012-15 Disney series], and he’s awesome. I’m really excited to see what fresh take he brings, and I’m glad that he has the material to justify that.”