What You Don't Know About Reality And Soap Star Eileen Davidson

Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images Entertainment

Eileen Davidson has been iconic in daytime television for nearly 3 decades.

She's split her time from The Young and the Restless, and Days of Our Lives. When she's not busy filming dramatic scenes for soap operas, Davidson allows cameras to follow her for the Bravo reality series The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.

In a move that shocked her longtime fans, Davidson joined the reality show in 2014. Davidson had to deal with the drama created by other housewives Lisa Rinna and Lisa Vanderpump.

Davidson's reality show career has introduced her to a new fanbase. For those curious about Eileen, here's a brief tidbit of information you should know.

Jason Kempin/Getty Images

As fans know by now, Eileen is a popular soap opera actress.

In 1982, she landed the iconic role of Ashley Abbott on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless. Davidson would play the character off and on for the next 37 years.

In 1993, she would join the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives, where she played villain Kristen DiMera. Davidson would also play the role of Kristen on and off throughout the years.

Davidson earned praise for her work on both shows, and in 2014 she won her first Daytime Emmy for her role as Kristen on Days.

In 2018, Davidson earned her second Daytime Emmy win, this time for The Young and the Restless.

Soap fans were ecstatic for Eileen, who they felt were long overdue for an award.

Aside from being an actress and a reality star, there's another job Eileen has added to her resume: author.

That's right.

Davidson is a published author. She began her writing career back in 2008 when she worked with author Robert J. Randisi on the book Death in Daytime.

The fictional book is about a murder mystery that takes place on a soap opera set.

The book was a hit with Eileen's fans, and she and Robert wrote three sequels. Her last book Swinging in the Rain was released in 2011.

Getty Images

Like her soap characters, Eileen's love life hasn't always been easy.

The actress is happily married to her third husband Vincent Van Patten, who is the son of television star Dick Van Patten.

Eileen and Vincent have been married since April 2003, and their son Jesse was born a month later in May 2003.

Prior to settling down with Vincent, Eileen was married and divorced twice before.

Her first marriage was to actor Christopher Mayer, whom she married in 1986. Their marriage ended two years later.

Her second marriage was to soap opera actor Jon Lindstorm, whom she wed in 1997. However, three years later the couple called it quits, and shortly afterward Eileen met Vincent.

Like many celebrities, Eileen has often been the focus of gossip.

Gossip often swirl about a soap opera actor, and in 1980s, she became the subject of a weird rumor.

The rumor that circulated is that Eileen was really a man. As we all know, this isn't true, but how did this rumor get started?

On an episode of The Phil Donahue Show, there was a transgender model named Tula, who was being interviewed. Viewers noticed he bore a striking resemblance to Eileen, and that's how the rumor came about.