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Eileen Davidson (born June 15, 1959) is an American film and soap opera actress. She is known for her portrayal of Ashley Abbott on The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful, and for the multiple roles she portrayed on Days of our Lives.

Davidson started her career as a model in Mexico City and California, eventually adding commercials and print work in Europe. Her agent had recommended that she take acting classes to get work in commercials, but she took to acting so well that she was sent out to auditions for acting roles. She originated the role of Ashley Abbott on The Young and the Restless in March 1982, beating out more than 100 candidates. The character of Ashley became a front-burner character, and Davidson became an integral part of the show. She quit the show in February 1989 and the producers took her recommendation of hiring a look-alike actress named Brenda Epperson Doumani, whom Davidson had discovered waiting tables at a charity function.

Davidson then appeared in primetime television, but her show, Broken Badges (1990-1991), flopped. She returned to daytime when she assumed the role of Kelly Capwell on Santa Barbara from May 1991 until the soap`s cancellation in January 1993. She next appeared as Kristen Blake on Days of our Lives beginning in May 1993. As originally conceived, Kristen was a heroine, who had an Achilles` heel in that the show`s supervillain, Stefano, had raised her after the death of her parents. James E. Reilly, who assumed head writing reins in 1993, began to make Kristen more of a villainess. Reilly eventually developed an outrageous second role for Davidson, having her play Susan Banks, a Kristen look-alike. Reilly eventually penned three more roles for Davidson (Sister Mary Moira, Thomas, and Penelope). Davidson enjoyed the challenge, but after playing so many multiple characters and making daytime television history, she decided to take a breather and leave the show. Her character, Kristen, intended to keep her other character, Susan, prisoner on an island, but Susan ultimately prevailed and Kristen has remained on the island and has not been heard from since. All related characters were last seen in May 1998. Davidson`s five roles earned her a Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in 1998.

After a year-long vacation, she returned to her role on The Young and the Restless in March 1999. After a successful return as Ashley Abbott, which included Davidson`s second Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress, Davidson was fired from the show. In December 2006, Davidson told TV Guide that she was fired from Y&R due to lack of storyline. Her last airdate as Ashley was January 11, 2007. According to co-star Melody Thomas Scott, the firing was protested behind the scenes of Y&R and was seen as unfair. Scott said: "That was so heartbreaking. We`re still upset about that. That was a blow. Terrible. Eileen Davidson was such a part of the core of the show and such a brilliant actress; beautiful and always prepared. It was crazy. I`m not the only one who feels that way." In a surprise move a few months later, Davidson signed a three-year contract with Y&R`s sister soap The Bold and the Beautiful to once again play her Y&R character Ashley Abbott at the request of B&B executive producer Bradley Bell. She first aired on March 9, 2007. Ken Corday called Davidson about a week before she was fired from Y&R to get permission to use a picture of her on

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