Melody Thomas Scott


Melody Thomas Scott is an American actress best known for playing Nikki Newman on the soap opera The Young and the Restless.

Early life & acting career

Scott was born Melody Ann Thomas in Los Angeles. Her first film credit was as a child actress in the 1964 Alfred Hitchcock movie Marnie. After parts in television and movies in the mid-1970s, 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. She was a replacement for the previous Nikki, who had lasted six months. Over time, her character reformed and became an important part of Genoa City society, as she married Victor Newman. Scott has said, "It's a miracle for an actor to have a job last 35 years. I am so blessed."
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.

Personal life

It was on the set of The Young and the Restless that she met her third husband, the show's executive producer Edward J. Scott. They married in 1985 and have three daughters, Jennifer, Alexandra Danielle Yeaggy 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.
In 2002, Scott was asked to be one of the original board members of the Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Center in
Jamestown, New York.

Acting roles

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryWorkResult
19918th Telegatto AwardsBest ActressThe Young and the Restless
199511th Soap Opera Digest AwardsOutstanding ActressThe Young and the Restless
199926th Daytime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Lead ActressThe Young and the Restless
200117th Soap Opera Digest AwardsOutstanding ActressThe Young and the Restless