Fans Stunned as Y&R Takes Melissa Ordway Off Contract – What’s Next for Abby?
Earlier this month, we shared a video of The Young and the Restless star Melissa Ordway’s new haircut, where she went from long to extremely short, and though it appeared at the time she just needed a change, the actress has now revealed exactly why she made the drastic move.
During a few Instagram stories, Ordway was answering fan questions on November 13, the same day the CBS soap aired its 13,000th episode, which surrounded Abby and Devon’s wedding…
When asked what made her cut her hair, she replied, “Honestly, it’s been an interesting couple of months. The show decided to take me off contract so I decided to change my look up a bit for auditions.”
She went on to admit, “Definitely not something I wanted but I love and respect my Y&R family and appreciate any time they ask me back.”
In another story, she went on to explain exactly what “off contract” means and stated, “I’m still playing Abby. I’m just not guaranteed episodes and can work on other projects. I’m still a part of the Y&R family and pray they continue to let Abby be a part of all the things in Genoa City.
Trust me, I hope I’m still there all the time!” To further explain the move made by the show, regarding the role she’s held since 2013, Ordway added, “I think they’re just focusing on other characters and storylines,” then teased, “But I worked today and lots of fun stuff coming up!”
Abby and Devon just got married and it looks like the couple might just live happily ever after given that Melissa Ordway has revealed that she is no longer on contract at The Young & The Restless!
(Soap characters tend to be happier when they’re recurring!) While stuck on an airplane, the actress decided to kill time by answering fan questions in her Instagram Stories, and one of them asked why she recently cut her hair short.
“Honestly, it’s been an interesting couple of months,” Ordway confided. “The show decided to take me off contract so I decided to change my look up a bit for auditions. Definitely not something I wanted, but I love and respect my Y&R family and appreciate any time they ask me back.”
Last October, Ordway and her family — husband Justin Gaston and their daughters Olivia and Sophie — moved into their new home and in October 2024, she announced they’d bought a cabin and were in the process of restoring it. The actress has been commuting from her home in Tennessee to the Y&R set in Los Angeles for years now. “I love Nashville,” she told another fan, “but L.A. will always have my heart, too.”
Ordway joined the cast of Y&R back in 2013 to take over the role of Abby Newman from Emme Rylan. In 2022, she was nominated for the Outstanding Supporting Actress Daytime Emmy Award. But viewers shouldn’t worry that Abby and Devon’s lavish wedding will be the last they’ll see of her.
“I’m still playing Abby,” Ordway clarified for her fans. “I’m just not guaranteed episodes and can work on other projects. I’m still a part of the Y&R family and pray they continue to let Abby be a part of all the things in Genoa City. Trust me, I hope I’m still there all the time! I think they’re just focusing on other characters and storylines. But I worked today and lots of fun stuff coming up!”
Given Y&R’s taping schedule, fans can expect to see Abby again for the Christmas holidays and perhaps even New Year’s. But who knows what the future might hold? In daytime, you never know what twists and turns might be right around the corner!
We too hope to see more of Abby in the future but wish the actress the very best on all of her new endeavors.
