The Young and the Restless Melissa Ordway Celebrates Her Birthday

On The Young and the Restless, things have been a little tense in Abby Newman-Abbott’s life since her marriage imploded after Chance found her almost naked with Devon. Off-screen, performer Melissa Ordway has plenty to celebrate.

Happy Birthday, Melissa Ordway

That’s because she was born on March 31, 1983, in Atlanta, Georgia, which means that this fan-favorite is turning 40 years old today! Ordway’s passion for acting presented itself at an early age and she spent her formative years performing in both school productions and community theater.

By the time she graduated from high school, Ordway had appeared in Beauty and the Beast, The Women, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and more. For a time, she was a student at Georgia State University, but when an opportunity to appear in a competition series presented itself, Ordway indulged.

After emerging from The Assistant as the victor, she received several prizes, including a job at MTV. In response, she packed her belongings and headed to Los Angeles to pursue a career in both modeling and acting.

She was signed with Nous Model Management and was almost immediately inundated with work. Ordway posed for magazine covers and acted in commercials for popular brands such as Skechers, Old Navy, David’s Bridal, and Tillys. Her first acting role was a cameo in the 2006 film Friendly Fire with Sean Lennon and Jordana Brewster (ex-Nikki, As the World Turns).

Subsequent work included guest spots on episodes of Entourage and How I Met Your Mother, as well as a starring role in the short film Vanessa. The years 2008 and 2009 proved to be banner ones for Ordway.

First, she landed a recurring part in the CW dramedy Privileged, and then she appeared in three feature films — 17 Again, Miss March, and Alpha Males Experiment. By 2013, an association with Jill Farren Phelps helped Ordway land the part of legacy Y&R character Abby Newman-Abbott.

Soap Hub would like to wish Melissa Ordway a very happy birthday, and you can too by clicking on the Twitter link below.