Melody Thomas Scott | |
|---|---|
 Melody Thomas Scott in 2007 | |
| Born | Melody Ann Thomas April 18, 1956 Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1963–present |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 3 |
Melody Thomas Scott (born Melody Ann Thomas, April 18, 1956)[1] is an American actress best known for playing Nikki Newman on the soap opera The Young and the Restless.[2]
Scott was born Melody Ann Thomas in Los Angeles. Her first film credit was as a child actress[2] in the 1964 Alfred Hitchcock movie Marnie. After parts in television and movies in the mid-1970s (most notably in John Wayne's final film, The Shootist, in 1976, in which she becomes the last actress to exchange lines with Wayne), she was offered parts on nighttime series such as, The Rockford Files, Charlie's Angels, and a recurring role on The Waltons.
In 1979, at the age of 23, she left The Waltons to take over the role of Nikki Reed, a poor girl from the wrong side of the tracks, on the daytime serial The Young and the Restless, choosing the part over a sitcom pilot that in the end was not picked up.[2] She was a replacement for the previous Nikki, who had lasted six months.[2] Over time, her character reformed and became an important part of Genoa City society, as she married Victor Newman (Eric Braeden). Scott has said, "It's a miracle for an actor to have a job last 35 years. I am so blessed."[2]
She was a celebrity guest on The $25,000 Pyramid for a week in June 1985.
On February 19, 2019 The Young and the Restless featured a stand-alone episode to honor Scott's 40-year history with the serial. She is also the longest tenured actress on the show because as of 2023, Melody has played the role of Nikki for 44 years.[3]
On the set of The Young and the Restless, she met her third husband, the show's executive producer Edward J. Scott. They married in 1985 and have three daughters, Jennifer (his daughter from a previous marriage[4]), Alexandra Danielle Yeaggy (father is the late Carlos Yeaggy, a makeup man Melody met on the set of Y&R.[5]) and Elizabeth. The family resides in Beverly Hills, California. Jennifer gave birth to twins on May 25, 2011, a boy named James and a girl named Charlotte. James and Charlotte are Melody and Edward's first and second grandchild, respectively.[6]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | Marnie | Young Marnie | Movie (uncredited) |
| 1965 | Wagon Train | Samantha | Episode: "The Katy Piper Story" (as Melody Thomas) |
| 1969 | Ironside | Leslie Richards | Episode: "Goodbye to Yesterday" (as Melody Thomas) |
| 1971 | The Beguiled | Abigail | Movie (as Melody Thomas) |
| 1975 | Posse | Laurie | Movie (as Melody Thomas) |
| 1976 | The Shootist | Girl on streetcar | Movie (as Melody Thomas) |
| 1977 | Secrets | Laura Fleming | TV movie (as Melody Thomas) |
| 1977 | Code R | Linda | Episode: "The Firebug" (as Melody Thomas) |
| 1977 | Fish | Joanie Kellen | Episode: "The Neighbors" (as Melody Thomas) |
| 1977 | The Car | Suzie Pullbrook | Movie (as Melody Thomas) |
| 1977 | The Waltons | Darlene Jarvis | Episodes: "The Go-Getter" and "The Seashore" (as Melody Thomas) |
| 1978 | Charlie's Angels | Betsy Harper | Episodes: "The Sandcastle Murders" (as Melody Thomas) |
| 1978 | The Fury | LaRue | Movie (as Melody Thomas) |
| 1978 | Piranha | Laura Dickinson | Movie (as Melody Thomas) |
| 1979 | Makin' It | Carol / Paula | Episodes: "Stayin' Alive" and "Tony's Homecoming" (as Melody Thomas) |
| 1979 | Billy | Shirley | Episode: "Computer Dating" (as Melody Thomas) |
| 1979 | The Rockford Files | Sherry | Episode: "Lions, Tigers, Monkeys and Dogs, Part 1" (as Melody Thomas) |
| 1979–present | The Young and the Restless | Nikki Newman | Series regular |
| 1980 | The Scarlett O'Hara War | Laurie Lee | TV movie (as Melody Thomas) |
| 1985 | Hotel | Mandy Vinning | Episode: "Sleeping Dogs" (as Melody Thomas) |
| 1997 | The Nanny | Herself | Episode: "The Heather Biblow Story" |
| 2001 | The King of Queens | Nikki Newman | Episode: "Inner Tube" |
| 2003 | The Paradise Virus | Linda Flemming | TV movie |
| 2005 | Freezerburn | Jill Renzie the Moviestar | Movie |
| 2007 | My Name Is Earl | Pill Popping Mom | Episode: "The Birthday Party" |
| 2011 | Castle | Tonya Wellington | Episode: "Nikki Heat" |
| 2014 | The Crazy Ones | Flora | Episode: "The Monster" |
| 2022 | The Bold and the Beautiful | Nikki Newman | Guest: 1 episode (September 26, 2022) |
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | 8th Telegatto Awards | Best Actress | The Young and the Restless | Won |
| 1995 | 11th Soap Opera Digest Awards | Outstanding Actress | The Young and the Restless | Nominated |
| 1999 | 26th Daytime Emmy Awards | Outstanding Lead Actress | The Young and the Restless | Nominated |
| 2001 | 17th Soap Opera Digest Awards | Outstanding Actress | The Young and the Restless | Won |
