Biography
Who is Melissa Ordway?
Early life and education
Melissa Ordway was born in Atlanta, Georgia, to parents John and Christine Ordway. As a child, she started performing in local community theatre groups near her home. During high school in Snellville, Georgia, she continued to pursue acting in various stage productions. Her high school credits included roles in Beauty and the Beast, The Women, and A Midsummer Night's Dream.
After finishing high school, she enrolled at Georgia State University. During her time as a student, she became a member of the Delta Zeta sorority. While attending college, she participated in and won an MTV reality program titled The Assistant. Following this success, she moved to Los Angeles to begin a professional career in the entertainment industry.
Modeling and early acting
She signed with Nous Model Management in Los Angeles and Front Management in Miami. Her modeling portfolio includes campaigns for brands such as Skechers, Old Navy, David's Bridal, Anchor Blue, Tillys, Kirstie Kelly, and Fabrizio Gianni. She also appeared in commercials for companies like Axe, Geico, Pontiac Vibe, Carl's Jr., and Payless. Her face has appeared on the covers of magazines including Los Angeles Weddings, Grand Sierra, and Hona Hou.
Melissa also worked as a guest model on the game show The Price is Right. Her first major acting role was playing Jordanna on the television series Privileged. She made her feature film debut in 17 Again. Other early guest appearances included parts on Entourage and How I Met Your Mother. She also acted in independent films like Callers, Tales of an Ancient Empire, and I Heart Veronica Martin.
Television and film career
In 2010, she appeared in the movie The Last Song and took a guest role on the show Melrose Place. The following year, she appeared in the film Escapee and had a role in the Seth MacFarlane movie Ted. In 2012, she secured the main role of Chloe Carter on the TeenNick series Hollywood Heights. In 2013, she played Lysette in the supernatural thriller film Odd Thomas.
In March 2013, she joined the cast of the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless. She took over the role of Abby Newman, replacing actress Marcy Rylan. Her performance as Abby earned her a nomination for an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Daytime Drama in May 2022.
Personal life and family
Melissa married actor Justin Gaston on September 22, 2012. The couple first met while working together on the filming of the movie Escapee. They have two daughters together. They adopted their first child, Olivia Christine, in 2016. Their second daughter, Sophie Jolie, was born in December 2017.
Birthday and age
Melissa Ordway was born on March 31, 1983, which makes Melissa 43 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aries sign. Melissa shares the date with 25 other famous people.
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