Melissa Ordway

Melissa Pam Gaston (née Ordway) is an American actress and model. Born on March 31, 1983, she is best known for portraying Abby Newman on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless. As a model, she has been featured in major campaigns for numerous brands.

Ordway was born in Atlanta, Georgia, to John and Christine Ordway, and grew up as an only child. She began doing community theatre in Atlanta and participated in high school theatre productions in Snellville, Georgia, performing in shows such as Beauty and the Beast, The Women, and A Midsummer Night's Dream. After high school, she attended Georgia State University, where she joined the Delta Zeta sorority. While attending the university, she won the MTV reality show The Assistant, which led to her moving to Los Angeles to pursue acting and modeling.

In her modeling career, Ordway signed with Nous Model Management in Los Angeles and Front Management in Miami. She has appeared in campaigns for brands including Skechers, Old Navy, David's Bridal, Anchor Blue, Tillys, Kirstie Kelly, and Fabrizio Gianni. Additionally, she has appeared in television commercials for Axe, Geico Cavemen, Pontiac Vibe, Carl's Jr., and Payless. Ordway has graced the covers of Los Angeles Weddings Magazine, Grand Sierra Magazine, and Hona Hou Magazine, and has appeared as a frequent guest model on the game show The Price is Right.

Ordway's acting career began to gain traction with a recurring role as Jordanna on the television series Privileged, followed by her feature film debut in 17 Again. She went on to guest star on shows like Entourage and How I Met Your Mother, and appeared in independent films such as Callers, Tales of an Ancient Empire, and I Heart Veronica Martin. In 2010, she played Ashley in the film The Last Song and guest-starred on Melrose Place as Morgan McKellan. She later co-starred in Escapee and appeared in the comedy film Ted.

In 2012, Ordway starred as Chloe Carter on the TeenNick series Hollywood Heights. The following year, in March 2013, she joined the cast of The Young and the Restless as Abby Newman, replacing Marcy Rylan. That same year, she appeared in the supernatural thriller film Odd Thomas. For her portrayal of Abby Newman, Gaston received an Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Daytime Drama in May 2022.

In her personal life, she married actor Justin Gaston on September 22, 2012, after meeting him during the filming of Escapee. The couple adopted their first daughter, Olivia Christine, in 2016, and Ordway gave birth to their second daughter, Sophie Jolie, on December 9, 2017.