Eileen Davidson

At 64 years old, Eileen Davidson has this physical status:

Eileen Marie Davidson (born June 15, 1959) is an American actress, writer, television presenter, and former model.

Kristen DiMera of NBC's Days of Our Lives, as well as Ashley Abbott on CBS's "Young and the Restless and The Beautiful, Davidson is best known for her appearances in soap operas. In 2014, she was given a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, becoming the second actress to win the soap's category of "Lead Actress"; in 2018, she received the award once more.

Davidson appeared in The House on Sorority Row (1983), was a leading figure in the short-lived CBS crime series Broken Badges (1990–91), and he wrote a number of mystery books in the 2000s.

In 2014, Davidson joined Bravo reality television series The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills with a record salary of $750,000 a season.

Early life

Davidson, the youngest of seven children, was born in Artesia, California, and Richard Davidson, an airplane parts manufacturer. She was raised Roman Catholic. She attended St. Paul High School in Santa Fe Springs, California.

Davidson began her modeling career in Mexico City and California before expanding to Europe for commercials and print design. Her roommate had recommended that she enroll in acting lessons and she had studied at the Staircase Theater.

Personal life

Davidson has been married three times, her first marriage to actor Christopher Mayer from 1985 to 1986. Jon Lindstrom, a child of As the World Turns actor, was her second husband, from 1997 to 2000. Mayer and Lindstrom appeared on the television show Santa Barbara, which also lasted two years, although they did not appear on the program at the same time. Since 2003, Davidson has been married to actor, former tennis pro, and World Poker Tour commentator Vincent Van Patten. They have a son. Van Patten appeared as Christian, her character's boyfriend on a cruise on The Young and the Restless, in 2000.

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Career

In March 1982, Davidson played Ashley Abbott on The Young and the Restless, defeating more than 100 candidates. Ashley's character became a front-burner character, and Davidson became an integral part of the series. Brenda Epperson, a look-alike actress who had been seen at a charity function in December 1988, was fired from the program, and the producers followed her suggestion of recruiting Brenda Epperson, a look-alike actress who had been found waiting tables. Throughout the 1980s, Davidson appeared in many films, including a main role in the slasher film The House on Sorority Row (1983) and Easy Wheels (1989), opposite Ted Raimi.

Davidson appeared on primetime television before being unable to perform, but her program, Broken Badges (1990-1991) was cancelled. She returned to daytime after playing Kelly Capwell on Santa Barbara from November 1991 to the soap's cancellation in January 1993. Kristen Blake first appeared on Days of Our Lives in May 1993. Kristen was a heroine with an Achilles' heel in the show's supervillain, Stefano, who raised her after her parents' deaths, as she was originally imagined. Kristen became more of a villainess for James E. Reilly, who assumed head writing duties in 1993. Reilly made an unforgettable second appearance for Davidson, playing Susan Banks, a Kristen look-alike. Reilly later wrote three more roles for Davidson (Sister Mary Moira, Thomas, and Penelope). Kristen had intended to keep Susan, the islander's wife, on an island, but Susan later triumphed and Kristen remained on the island until she returned to Salem in 2012. The other main characters were last seen in May 1998. In 1998, Davidson's five roles earned her a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress.

In March 1999, she returned to her role on The Young and the Restless after a year absence from acting. Davidson was barred from the competition after a fruitful return as Ashley Abbott, which included Davidson's second daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress. Davidson told TV Guide that she was fired from The Young and the Restless due to a lack of storyline in December 2006. Ashley was the most popular on television until January 11, 2007. The firing was allegedly protested behind the scenes of The Young and the Restless's scene, according to co-star Melody Thomas Scott, and was seen as unfair. "It was so sad." Scott said, "It was so sad." We're still upset about it. That was a blow. Terrible. Eileen Davidson was such a key component of the show and such a good actor; charming and always dressed. It was wild. I'm not the only one who feels this way." In a shocking turn a few months later, Davidson signed a three-year deal with The Young and the Beautiful, to play her The Young and the Restless character Ashley Abbott on The Bold and the Beautiful executive producer Bradley Bell. She appeared on television for the first time on March 9, 2007. About a week before she was fired from The Young and the Restless, Ken Corday called Davidson to ask permission to use a snapshot of her on Days of Our Lives. The photograph, which featured Davidson as Susan, was seen in December 2006. After being fired from The Young and the Restless, Devon Martt, a fashion designer, approached her about designing clothes together, but not before being cast in The Bold and the Beautiful.

Davidson co-wrote her first book with author Robert J. Randisi, a mystery set in the soap opera world called Death in Daytime, which was released in October 2008. Dial Emmy for Murder (2009), Diva Las Vegas (2010), and Swing in the Rain (2011) were three sequels followed by the actress.

In July 2008, Eileen was downgraded to recurring status at The Bold and the Beautiful. Ashley, a teenager from The Young and the Restless full-time, returned to The Young and the Restless Full-Time on September 26, 2008. Nelson Branco reported in 2012 that Sony Pictures Entertainment wanted Davidson on both The Young and the Restless and Days of Our Lives, but that Y&R would not divulge the actor, causing Sony to break off her relationship with them. Consequently, it was announced that Davidson would reprise her role as Kristen Blake DiMera on Days of Our Lives.

In February 2013, Davidson appeared on The Young and the Restless for a short time. After a year as Kristen, it was announced in July 2013 that Davidson had the opportunity to leave Days of Our Lives. On November 13, 2013, Davidson departed from the role on film. It was reported in late November that Davidson would return to an episode that was set to air on December 3, 2013.

It was announced on January 28, 2014, that Davidson would return to Kristen's role in the summer of 2014. It was officially announced on May 1, 2014 that Davidson had been nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award in the category Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series For Days of Our Lives. It's her third daytime Emmy Award nomination, her second for Days. On June 22, 2014, she received the award on June 22, 2014.

It was revealed on June 17, 2014, that Davidson had signed a deal with The Young and the Restless. Davidson revealed that her Y&R employment was for two years and that it included a guarantee that she could continue doing Days of Our Lives in the future, as well as the possibility of taking a break if work became too tumultuous. Davidson also appeared in The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, a Bravo reality television series. It was confirmed on November 17, 2014, that Davidson was back on set of Days of Our Lives, with a briefing scheduled to air in spring 2015. She appeared from April 15 to June 30, 2015, an early adopter of the Renaissance Festival. On June 12, 2017, it was announced that Davidson would return to Days of Our Lives. Susan Davidson returned from November 2–21 as Susan. Kristen and Sister Mary Moira's roles were also reprised for a short time on November 21 and 22 of that year. Davidson said in 2019 that she had been offered a position on All My Children earlier in her career but had to cancel because she couldn't afford to move to New York with her five dogs. Alana D'Angelo, the dean of a prestigious high school, was featured in the Christmas film Middleton Christmas (2020).

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