What happened to Melody Thomas Scott, aka Nikki Newman in “Y&R”?

 

Melody Thomas Scott

Melody Thomas Scott was born in Los Angeles, California, USA, in April 1956, and is a household name thanks to her role as Nikki Newman in “The Young and the Restless” (“Y&R”). The former child actress’s first film credit was in the 1964 Alfred Hitchcock classic “Marnie”, and over the next decade, the blonde had roles in a handful of TV shows and movies until she began taking parts in night-time series including “Charlie’s Angels” and “The Rockford Files”.

Aged 23, Melody left her recurring role in “The Waltons” to play Nikki Reed in “Y&R”, replacing the former actress, who had lasted just six months. Originally, Nikki Reed was a poor girl from the rough side of town, until she married Victor Newman and became an integral part of Genoa City society. Of the role, Melody previously said: “It’s a miracle for an actor to have a job last 35 years. I am so blessed.”

“Y&R” aired a stand-alone episode in February 2019 to commemorate Melody’s 40^th year in the role. As of 2023, she is the longest tenured actress in the show and a firm fan favorite.

Details of Melody’s personal life are somewhat cloudy; although we can confirm that she married and divorced her first husband, Lindy Davis, in 1979, it’s unknown when her marriage to second husband Bob Shield ended. Melody would meet her third husband, Edward J. Scott, on the set of “Y&R”, as he happened to be the executive producer. It remains unclear if Melody remained married to Bob when she pursued a romance with Edward in the 1980s; whatever the case, she exchanged her vows for the third time in 1985.

Melody and Edward share a daughter named Elizabeth. When the couple married, Melody already shared daughter Alexandra Danielle with make-up artist Carlos Yeaggy. Melody and Carlos had also met on the set of “Y&R”. Meanwhile, Edward had a daughter named Jennifer from a previous marriage. As of 2023, the family lives in Beverly Hills; Melody became a grandmother for the first time when Jennifer birthed twins in May 2011.

Have been incapacitated w/a serious reaction 2 a medication I was prescribed 4 a sinus infection.Have just returned to work after a (cont.)

— Melody Thomas Scott (@MelodyThomasSco) December 15, 2014

The soap opera vet had a health scare in 2014, following an adverse reaction to prescription meds she had been taking for a sinus infection. The actress took to Twitter to inform her fanbase of the drug’s side effects, adding: “Have just returned to work after six weeks of misery, a brief hospital stay, and have turned to alternative remedies, as the medical community had nothing to offer me.”

In early 2023, morbid rumors of Melody suffering from cancer began circulating online. Although the actress neither confirmed nor denied the rumors, it’s possible that the confusion stemmed from her role in “Y&R”, as her character was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2022. Melody spoke of Nikki’s diagnosis in an interview, saying: “Fans on Twitter are already thinking Nikki’s gonna die what with all these mysterious symptoms she’s been having. They thought it was maybe going to be cancer or something.”

Luckily, Melody hasn’t had any more health problems since that reaction in 2014.

Nikki Newman

Moving on to Melody’s role as Nikki Newman, the socialite is one of the leading characters in Genoa City with a decidedly rich history. Her marriages to Victor Newman and Jack Abbott, as well as her friendship with Katherine Chancellor Murphy, and feuds with Jill Abott Fenmore and Sharon Newman, have made Nikki an unforgettable part of “Y&R” for years.

Nikki had a harrowing adolescence and frequently suffered sexual abuse at the hands of her father. Shortly after becoming a stripper, she was introduced to Victor, who would later become the love of her life, and who taught her everything she needed to know about high society, and showed a clear interest in the blue-eyed blonde; however, Nikki was jealous of his feelings towards Ashley Abbott, and went on to have an affair with Ashley’s brother, Jack.

When Nikki was diagnosed with an incurable disease, Victor forgot about Ashley and returned to her; despite their ups and downs, the couple married and had two children named Victoria and Nicholas Newman. Nevertheless, Nikki and Victor divorced, with Jack subsequently coming back into Nikki’s life and ruining her fledging romance with Dr. Scott Grainger.

Years passed and Nikki married Jack, who loved her but also hoped to use her as leverage against Victor when the latter became interested in Jabot Cosmetics. Jack stayed by Nikki’s side as she battled her alcohol and painkiller addiction following a crippling back injury; unfortunately, their marriage disintegrated when Nikki miscarried their son, potentially John Abbott III.

Despite hoping to remarry Victor, Nikki was disappointed to see him walk down the aisle and have a child with Hope Adams. After a failed romance, Nikki married Dr. Joshua Landers; his wife, Veronica, who had been presumed dead, soon infiltrated herself into the couple’s home, pretending to be a maid. When Joshua caught Veronica, she killed him and shot Nikki. During another memorable incident, Veronica tried to kill Nikki for the second time, but died after falling on a pitchfork.

Over the next few years, Nikki and Victor’s turbulent romance was one of the most important storylines on “Y&R”. From Victor’s epilepsy diagnosis and brain surgery, to a private jet accident, the couple went through practically everything together, but ultimately divorced for a second time, despite supposedly remaining inseparable.

After four decades in “Y&R”, which is no small feat, Nikki’s character has overcome more than almost anyone else in Genoa City. Despite no longer being the focus of the show, Nikki is still a prominent figure as part of the illustrious Newman clan.

Surprisingly, Melody doesn’t make as much from the show as many fans might think, with online sources claiming that the actress pulls in just $3,000 per episode; her net worth is estimated at over $7 million as of mid-2023. However, she’s spoken positively of the show in her memoirs, “Always Young and Restless: My Life On and Off America’s #1 Daytime Drama”.

The actress, who has 85,000 Instagram followers, rarely posts on social media unless it’s work-related. However, she has shared the odd snap with her daughter or husband in the past. Although the Californian rarely gives interviews, she was front and center at the soap opera’s 50^th anniversary party, and happily answered reporters’ questions. The show is currently on its 50^th season and will remain on air for the foreseeable future.