Eileen Davidson
A soap opera titan who brought fierce intelligence and surprising depth to the genre's most famously villainous and dual roles.
Born 1959 (age 67)·American actress, author and television personality·Birthday: June 15·Baby Boomers
Biography
Eileen Davidson didn't just join the world of daytime drama; she mastered its high-wire act of emotion and intrigue. For decades, she has been the formidable backbone of two major soaps, most famously as the complex heiress Ashley Abbott on 'The Young and the Restless.' But her true signature move became the art of the dual role, most spectacularly playing both the vengeful Kristen DiMera and her hilariously unhinged twin, Susan Banks, on 'Days of Our Lives.' Davidson brought a psychological realism and dark humor to these parts that elevated them beyond camp. Away from the soundstage, she channeled her understanding of soap opera twists into a successful series of mystery novels, proving her storytelling instincts extended far beyond Salem or Genoa City.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Eileen was born in 1959, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Eileen Was Born
The biggest hits of 1959
#1 Movie
Ben-Hur
Best Picture
Ben-Hur
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Eileen's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1959Born
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1964Started school
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1972Became a teenager
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1975Could drive
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1977Could vote
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Turned 21
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1989Turned 30
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 40
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 50
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 60
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 67 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 2014 for her role on 'The Young and the Restless.'
- Portrayed multiple iconic characters on 'Days of Our Lives,' including the famed dual roles of Kristen DiMera and Susan Banks.
- Authored a series of successful mystery novels, beginning with 'Dying for Daylight.'
- Was a main cast member on the reality series 'The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' for one season.
Did You Know?
She is an accomplished painter and has held art exhibitions of her work.
She initially auditioned for the role of Kelly Capwell on 'Santa Barbara' but was cast as the villainous Heather instead, eventually taking over the Kelly role years later.
She is married to television producer Vincent Van Patten.
“In soaps, you don't play the plot, you play the truth underneath the plot.”
