Melissa Hayden (born November 13, 1967)[1][2] is an American actress. She is best known for playing the role of Bridget Reardon on Guiding Light from 1991 to 1997, returning for the final episodes in 2009. She won a 1994 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actress for her work on Guiding Light.
Melissa Hayden | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 13, 1967 Santa Monica, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1981-present |
| Website | iammelissahayden |
Early life
editHayden was born in Santa Monica, California. Her father was a car salesman and her mother worked part time in a pharmacy. She was enrolled in dance classes at the age of three.[2] Hayden was ill from the ages of twelve to sixteen with an undetected ovarian cyst that left her paraplegic for a month. The cyst was finally detected when her appendix was removed. Hayden's mother also suffered from chronic illness.[1]
Career
editHayden was thirteen when she landed an uncredited role as a tap dancer in Pennies From Heaven.[2] This was followed by another uncredited role as an orphan in Annie.[1] Hayden appeared in the TV Movies Silence of the Heart and Not My Kid.[3] In 1988, she had an uncredited role in the film Punchline.[4] She guest-starred on TV 101 and had a recurring role on Almost Grown.[4] In addition to film and TV work, she was a member of the California-based song and dance troupe The Young Americans.
Hayden had a recurring role as Mouse on General Hospital in 1989.[1][2] She guest starred on a 1991 episode of Hunter.[4]
Hayden joined the cast of the CBS soap opera Guiding Light as troubled teen Bridget Reardon.[4][2] She received critical acclaim and appeared in memorable storylines from May 21, 1991, until her departure on June 18, 1997. She was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actress in 1993 and won in the same category in 1994.[5][6] She also won a Soap Opera Digest Award in 1994.[7] In 2009, she reprised the role of Bridget for the show's final episodes.[8][9]
She appeared in the 2001 film Venomous.[3] Since 2003, she has occasionally appeared as Agnes on The Young and the Restless.[10] She has had roles in the films American Sniper and Silver Skies.[3]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Pennies From Heaven | Dancer | Uncredited |
| 1982 | Annie | Orphan | Uncredited |
| 1988 | Punchline | Uncredited | |
| 2001 | Venomous | Katy | |
| 2013 | Nowhere Fast | Eva Trope | |
| 2014 | American Sniper | Receptionist | |
| 2016 | Silver Skies | Lisa | |
| 2017 | Unfortunate Circumstances | 911 Operator | Short film,
Voice only |
| 2018 | American Nightmares | Leanne | |
| 2019 | When Day Gets Dark | Lizzy's Mother | |
| 2021 | Not Alone | Dr. Loizzo |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Silence of the Heart | Rachel | Television film |
| 1985 | Not My Kid | Michelle | Television film |
| 1988 | TV 101 | Girl #1 | Episode: "Everything You've Always Wanted to Know About Teenagers (But Were Afraid to Ask)" |
| 1988-1989 | Almost Grown | Lisa Foley | 6 episodes |
| 1989 | General Hospital | Mouse | Recurring role |
| 1991 | Hunter | Meg Harris | Episode: "Cries of Silence" |
| 1991-1997;2009 | Guiding Light | Bridget Reardon | Contract role;
Guest appearances |
| 2003;2011;2016 | The Young and the Restless | Agnes | Recurring role |
| 2012 | Hollywood Heights | Julie Dixon | 2 episodes |
| 2013 | Perception | Ashley Richards | Episode: "Caleidoscope" |
| 2014 | Rake | Beatrice | Episode: "50 Shades of Gay" |
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Award | Category | Title | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series | Guiding Light | Nominated | [5] |
| 1994 | Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series | Guiding Light | Won | [6] |
| Soap Opera Digest Award | Outstanding Younger Leading Actress | Guiding Light | Won | [7] |
References
edit- ^ a b c d Henderson, Kathy (April 28, 1992). "When Life Gives Her Lemons...". Soap Opera Digest. 17 (9): 124–126.
- ^ a b c d e "Emmy Winner Hayden Made Right Move After All". Chicago Tribune. June 2, 1994. Archived from the original on April 22, 2024. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
- ^ a b c "Credits: Melissa Hayden". TV Guide. Archived from the original on May 20, 2024. Retrieved May 20, 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Comings & Goings". Soap Opera Digest. 16 (12): 39. June 11, 1991.
- ^ a b "Daytime Emmy Nominees". Greensboro News & Record. March 31, 1993. Archived from the original on May 20, 2024. Retrieved May 20, 2024.
- ^ a b "Oprah Wins a Pair of Daytime Emmys". Deseret News. May 26, 1994. Archived from the original on February 2, 2023. Retrieved May 20, 2024.
- ^ a b "1994". Soap Opera Digest. April 14, 2003. Archived from the original on April 28, 2023. Retrieved May 20, 2024.
- ^ http://soaps.sheknows.com/guidinglight/news/id/4915/ Archived 2015-01-27 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 20 December 2010.
- ^ ""GL" brings back Hayden and Englund for shows final weeks!". Michael Fairman TV. July 22, 2009. Archived from the original on April 22, 2024. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
- ^ Eades, Chris (December 29, 2015). "GL Emmy Winner Joins Y&R!". Soaps in Depth. Archived from the original on April 22, 2024. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
