Eileen Davidson Net Worth

What is Eileen Davidson's Net Worth and Salary?

Eileen Davidson is an American actress, author, and television personality who has a net worth of $9 million.

Eileen Davidson is best known for her long-running work in daytime television, especially as Ashley Abbott on "The Young and the Restless" and "The Bold and the Beautiful," and as Kristen DiMera, Susan Banks, and other members of the DiMera/Banks family on "Days of Our Lives." One of the most recognizable soap opera actresses of her generation, Davidson has built a career around glamorous, complicated, and often larger-than-life characters who allowed her to move between drama, romance, comedy, and high-camp soap storytelling.

Davidson has won multiple Daytime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for "Days of Our Lives" and "The Young and the Restless." Outside of soaps, she has appeared in films and primetime television, written mystery novels, and joined the Bravo universe as a cast member on "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills." Her career has been unusually varied for a daytime star, stretching from slasher movies and CBS crime dramas to reality television and bestselling soap-opera franchises.

Early Life

Eileen Marie Davidson was born on June 15, 1959, in Artesia, California. She was raised in a large family as the youngest of seven children. Her mother, Charlotte, was a homemaker, and her father, Richard, worked as an airplane parts manufacturer.

Before becoming an actress, Davidson worked as a model. Her striking look helped her move into commercials and screen auditions, and she eventually began building an acting career in the early 1980s. Her early work included film roles and guest appearances before she found the medium that would make her famous: daytime television.

Soap Opera Career

Davidson's breakthrough came in 1982 when she was cast as Ashley Abbott on "The Young and the Restless." Ashley, the glamorous and emotionally complex daughter of the Abbott family, became one of the show's central characters. Davidson's performance helped turn Ashley into a core figure in the long-running rivalry between the Abbott and Newman families.

Over the decades, Davidson left and returned to "The Young and the Restless" several times, giving Ashley a long and layered history. She also brought the character to "The Bold and the Beautiful," strengthening the connection between two of CBS's major daytime dramas.

Davidson's other signature soap role came on "Days of Our Lives," where she played Kristen DiMera. The role became one of the most memorable villainess parts in modern daytime television. Davidson also played several related characters, including Susan Banks, Sister Mary Moira Banks, Thomas Banks, and Penelope Kent. The storylines allowed her to stretch into multiple identities, accents, disguises, and comedic extremes, while still anchoring the material emotionally.

Her work on "Days of Our Lives" earned her a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 2014. She later won the same category for "The Young and the Restless" in 2018. Those wins cemented her standing as one of daytime television's most respected performers.

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Film and Television Work

Before she became a soap icon, Davidson appeared in the 1983 horror film "The House on Sorority Row," a cult slasher movie that later became a favorite among genre fans. She also appeared in the short-lived CBS crime drama "Broken Badges," which aired in the early 1990s.

Davidson's other screen credits include television movies, guest roles, and independent films. In later years, she appeared in projects such as "7 Days to Vegas," which was co-written by her husband, Vincent Van Patten, and the Netflix holiday film "Holiday in the Vineyards." While daytime television has always been the foundation of her career, these projects showed her ability to move between soap drama, horror, comedy, and lighter television fare.

"The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills"

Davidson joined "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" in 2014 during the show's fifth season. Her casting was notable because she was already a well-known actress rather than a celebrity spouse or business personality. On the show, she appeared alongside cast members including Lisa Vanderpump, Kyle Richards, Lisa Rinna, Yolanda Hadid, Brandi Glanville, and Erika Girardi.

Davidson was a full-time cast member for three seasons. She brought a more measured and professional presence to the show, but she was still pulled into several of its major conflicts. Her friendship with fellow soap actress Lisa Rinna became one of her defining relationships on the series. She left the full-time cast in 2017, citing her acting schedule, but later made guest appearances.

Her time on Bravo introduced her to a different audience and added reality television income to a career already built on decades of scripted work.

Books

Davidson is also an author. She co-wrote a series of mystery novels with Robert J. Randisi, beginning with "Death in Daytime" in 2008. The series continued with "Dial Emmy for Murder," "Diva Las Vegas," and "Swingin' in the Rain."

The novels drew on Davidson's familiarity with the entertainment industry and soap opera world, mixing murder mystery plots with Hollywood and daytime television settings. Her publishing work gave her another creative outlet beyond acting.

Personal Life

Davidson has been married three times. She was married to actor Christopher Mayer in the 1980s and later to actor Jon Lindstrom. In 2003, she married actor and former professional tennis player Vincent Van Patten. The couple has a son, Jesse.

Real Estate

In October 2004, Eileen and Vincent paid $3 million for a home in Malibu. This continues to be their primary residence and today it is worth around $6 million.

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