Eileen Davidson

Eileen Marie Davidson, born June 15, 1959, is an American actress and author best known for her long-standing work in television soap operas. She is widely recognized for portraying Ashley Abbott on CBS's The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful, as well as playing Kristen DiMera and Susan Banks on NBC's Days of Our Lives. She also provided the final portrayal of Kelly Capwell on Santa Barbara. Over her career, her performances have earned her two Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.

Davidson was born in Artesia, California, as the youngest of seven children to Charlotte Davidson, a homemaker, and Richard Davidson, an airplane parts manufacturer. She was raised Roman Catholic and completed her education at Corona Del Mar High School in Newport Beach, California, before attending Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa.

Davidson began her notable daytime television career in March 1982 when she originated the role of Ashley Abbott on The Young and the Restless after competing against more than 100 candidates. During the 1980s, she also appeared in feature films including the slasher movie The House on Sorority Row (1983) and Easy Wheels (1989). After leaving The Young and the Restless in 1988, she starred in the short-lived CBS crime drama Broken Badges from 1990 to 1991, followed by her role as Kelly Capwell on Santa Barbara from November 1991 until the show ended in January 1993.

In May 1993, Davidson joined the cast of Days of Our Lives as Kristen Blake. Head writer James E. Reilly progressively expanded her screen presence by creating four additional roles for her on the series: Kristen's look-alike Susan Banks, Sister Mary Moira, Thomas, and Penelope. Her portrayals across these five characters earned her a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in 1998.

Davidson returned to The Young and the Restless in 1999, later transitioning to its sister soap The Bold and the Beautiful from 2007 to 2008 before returning to The Young and the Restless once again. Outside of acting, she authored four mystery novels in her Soap Opera Mystery series centered on character Alexis Peterson: Death in Daytime (2008), Dial Emmy for Murder (2009), Diva Las Vegas (2010), and Swinging in the Rain (2011).

In 2014, Davidson received her first Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her performance on Days of Our Lives. That same year, she joined the cast of Bravo's reality series The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, appearing as a full-time cast member until 2017. She won her second Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in 2018 for her role on The Young and the Restless. Her later career includes feature films such as 7 Days to Vegas (2019), Middleton Christmas (2020), Symphoria (2021), and Holiday in the Vineyards (2023), alongside Peacock streaming projects including Days of Our Lives: Beyond Salem.