Eileen Davidson is no stranger to taking Ashley from glorious highs to the lowest of her lows on The Young and the Restless. Over the years, her character has gone off the rails multiple times, but this round comes with some new challenges.
Digging Deep For Ashley
While talking with TV Insider, Davidson gave the scoop on how Ashley’s DID story came to be. “Josh (Griffith, executive producer, and head writer) and I had been talking, and I happened to mention Ashley’s mental health issues [from the ’80s]. He remembered and got really inspired by that. So, it was an offhand conversation about the character that tied in beautifully with what he’d already been writing.”
As far as getting it right, that took some serious research. Something Davidson prides herself on doing for difficult and sensitive storylines. “When Ashley first had mental health issues in the ’80s, I went to Camarillo State Hospital. Now there’s Google. So I Googled it and talked to a couple of professionals and asked them about it. Everything is so readily available now, and there are so many ways that [DID] displays itself that you have a certain amount of latitude with it.”
She went on to say, “It had to be more subtle, especially in the beginning. She didn’t want to tip anybody off. As time went on, they each became more assertive.” Can you spot the difference when the switch happens? Eileen can and she makes sure everyone else can too. “It makes my head hurt because it’s Ashley and then sometimes mid-scene, I’m becoming the alter, so I’m starting off as one and ending up as another who’s talking to someone else in her head.”
It seems this may continue for a little while to come. Eileen is all for Ashley’s mental health struggles and bringing this story to the Y&R viewers. “It’s a huge gift. I told Josh, ‘Please just keep going. This is what I live for.’ It’s a blast for me. I’m having a great time.”
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