Interview Y&R: Eileen Davidson Is Game for Anything, Part 1

Eileen Davidson is back in familiar territory: She has returned to The Young and the Restless, and Ashley is back in Victor Newman’s arms. This time, however, Ashley and Victor’s relationship is a more mature and kinder love. However, there are still those who would try to tear them apart (Adam, this means you!). After all, this is a soap opera.

Eileen, actress and author — her second book, Dial Emmy for Murder, was just released in June — talks about this go-round with Ashley and Victor, as well as being a murder-mystery author.

Now that Ashley has returned to Y&R, are you glad that you get to further explore her relationship with Victor? I know that many fans feel there is more to discover there.
Eileen Davidson: “The writers are definitely taking this down a completely different path than I thought they would, but that’s great. It’s a great way for these two characters to get reconnected this time around, maybe get some closure, and it’s a really interesting story line to play.”

Was coming back to the Y&R set like riding a bike?
ED: “It feels very familiar, since I know this character very, very well. But on the other hand, because the story is so unpredictable — because of Ashley thinking that she might be losing her mind and trying to hold on to her sense of sanity — it’s challenging from that aspect. It’s a different facet of the character. Even though she’s had emotional problems before, it’s never been quite like this, where someone from the outside is the one doing this to her.”

Tell me about playing Ashley and suffering from a hysterical pregnancy.
ED: “A lot of people don’t know that this is a real, physical situation that can happen to women who are so emotionally connected to being pregnant that their bodies can actually mimic a pregnancy when the baby is lost. It’s hard to understand. People wonder how she can still look big even though a baby is not in there, but it is her body that is creating this ‘pregnancy.’”

Were you excited to play this story line?
ED: “I’m always game for anything, and this seemed very interesting and different, and something I’d never seen done before. The fact that this does happen and it’s not just a contrivance makes it all the more interesting. Also, with how much Ashley wanted this baby, and how much she thought that maybe they should have had a child together years ago when she made a choice to have an abortion, with that being strong enough to create a pregnancy is just really cool.”

Victor finally takes down Sabrina’s statue. Does this make Ashley feel more secure in her relationship with him?
ED: “I don’t think she ever felt threatened by Victor’s previous relationship with Sabrina. I think she was very respectful of that relationship. Victor realizes it’s time to close that chapter of his life and move on.”

Tune in next week as Eileen talks mystery, murder and her latest book, Dial Emmy for Murder.