# Ashley Jones
**Ashley Aubra Jones** is an American actress best known for playing Megan Dennison on the CBS soap opera *The Young and the Restless* and Dr. Bridget Forrester on *The Bold and the Beautiful*, roles that together have anchored a television career running from the mid-1990s into the 2020s. She was born in 1976 in [Memphis, Tennessee](https://www.edgepedia.org/memphis-tennessee), and later based in Texas and California[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0427521/). Her work spans daytime serials, prime-time guest roles on network dramas such as *True Blood*, *NCIS: Los Angeles*, and *The Mentalist*, and made-for-television movies on Lifetime and other outlets[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/ashley-jones/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1976, Memphis, Tennessee, USA[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0427521/) |
| Signature role | Dr. Bridget Forrester on *The Bold and the Beautiful*, credited from 2004 to 2025 across 820 episodes[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0427521/) |
| Breakthrough role | Megan Dennison on *The Young and the Restless*, originated in 1997[3](https://www.buddytv.com/actors/ashley-jones/) |
| Daytime Emmy nominations | Four, in 1999, 2000, 2005 (shared Special Fan Award), and 2024[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0427521/awards/) |
| Other notable roles | Daphne Landry on HBO's *True Blood* (2008–2009); Parker Forsyth on *General Hospital* (2016)[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/ashley-jones/) • [5](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/ashley-jones-gh-gig-ive-been-scared-tell-anyone/) |
| Beyond the Gates | Joined the CBS soap as Heather Armstrong in 2025–2026[6](https://www.tvinsider.com/1258817/ashley-jones-beyond-the-gates-cast-new-role/) |
| FilmQuest award | Won the 2019 Festival Award for Best Supporting Actress – Short for *We Die Alone*[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0427521/awards/) |
## Early life and start in acting
Jones was born in Memphis, Tennessee, and raised in Houston, Texas[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0427521/) • [7](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/ashley-jones/). According to *Soap Opera Digest*, she did her first commercial at age 5 and was performing in community theater by age 11. At 15 she was commuting to Los Angeles, where she had a recurring role as Ingrid, the girlfriend of Chad Allen's character Matthew, on *Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman*[7](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/ashley-jones/). After that she took a break from acting to return to her family in Texas, where her father, Shawn, worked as a Church of Christ minister, and she later attended [Pepperdine University](https://www.edgepedia.org/pepperdine-university) in California before resuming her career[7](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/ashley-jones/).
## The Young and the Restless and early television work
Jones spent most of her early career in television movies before joining *The Young and the Restless* in 1997[3](https://www.buddytv.com/actors/ashley-jones/). There she originated the role of Megan Dennison, the wife of Tony Viscardi (Nick Scotti)[3](https://www.buddytv.com/actors/ashley-jones/). During her three-year run, with a brief return in 2001, she earned two Daytime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series, in 1999 and 2000[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0427521/awards/) • [7](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/ashley-jones/).
After leaving the show she worked steadily in prime time, with guest roles on *V.I.P.*, *The District*, *Without a Trace*, and *Crossing Jordan*, and roles in films including the [Luke Wilson](https://www.edgepedia.org/luke-wilson) comedy *Old School* (2003) and *Extreme Dating* (2004)[3](https://www.buddytv.com/actors/ashley-jones/) • [2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/ashley-jones/).
## The Bold and the Beautiful
In late 2004 Jones returned to daytime television on *The Bold and the Beautiful*, taking over the role of Bridget Forrester, the daughter of [Eric Forrester](https://www.edgepedia.org/eric-forrester) and [Brooke Logan](https://www.edgepedia.org/brooke-logan), from [Jennifer Finnigan](https://www.edgepedia.org/jennifer-finnigan)[3](https://www.buddytv.com/actors/ashley-jones/) • [7](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/ashley-jones/). As *Soap Opera Digest* recounts, she was initially unsure she wanted to return to soaps and to replace a three-time Emmy winner, but the part brought her nearly continuous front-burner storylines[7](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/ashley-jones/). A defining storyline of her run had her character, a doctor, providing in vitro fertilization for Taylor Hayes (Hunter Tylo) so that Taylor and Bridget's then-husband Nick Marone (Jack Wagner) could have a child[3](https://www.buddytv.com/actors/ashley-jones/).
**Long-running presence.** Bridget became the role most associated with Jones. Her IMDb credit lists the character from 2004 through 2025 across 820 episodes, though her status on the show shifted over time: her role was recurring in 2011 and 2012, and from 2013 to 2025 she made guest appearances[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0427521/) • [6](https://www.tvinsider.com/1258817/ashley-jones-beyond-the-gates-cast-new-role/).
Her 2024 Emmy-nominated work came from the storyline in which Bridget returns home expecting a celebration and learns, in real time on screen, that her father Eric Forrester ([John McCook](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-mccook)) is dying. In her own description to *Soap Opera Digest*, the arc moved from excitement through betrayal and grief into Bridget going into doctor mode to help save her father alongside Finn (Tanner Novlan)[8](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/daytime-emmy-nominee-qa-ashley-jones-bridget-bold-and-beautiful/).
## Prime-time roles
Jones's best-known prime-time part came on HBO's *True Blood*, which she joined in 2009 as Daphne, a new waitress at Merlotte's and a potential love interest for Sam Merlotte ([Sam Trammell](https://www.edgepedia.org/sam-trammell))[3](https://www.buddytv.com/actors/ashley-jones/). Her character was later described as a shape-shifter, Daphne Landry[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/ashley-jones/). Other prime-time credits include *NCIS: Los Angeles*, *Trust Me*, *FlashForward*, *The Mentalist*, *90210*, *Private Practice*, *Bones*, *The Rookie*, *9-1-1*, *The Resident*, and *For All Mankind*[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/ashley-jones/) • [9](https://www.metacritic.com/person/ashley-jones/).
In 2016 she joined *General Hospital* as Parker Forsyth, a professor involved with Kristina Corinthos-Davis, a casting kept secret enough that she said she had been "scared to tell anyone"[5](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/ashley-jones-gh-gig-ive-been-scared-tell-anyone/). She later appeared on Apple TV's *In Flight* as Ellen[10](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/veteran-soap-star-ashley-jones-joins-the-locher-room/).
## Beyond the Gates and recent work
In April 2026, after *Beyond the Gates*, CBS's newest soap opera, was picked up for two additional seasons, it was confirmed that Jones was joining the cast. A show spokesperson confirmed her casting to TV Insider, and her role as Heather Armstrong subsequently appeared in her credits with 22 episodes[6](https://www.tvinsider.com/1258817/ashley-jones-beyond-the-gates-cast-new-role/) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0427521/). She has continued to return to *The Bold and the Beautiful* as Bridget in guest stints[11](https://www.soapoperanetwork.com/topic/ashley-jones).
She has also worked in television movies and behind the camera. Her recent credits include acting as Nancy Thompson in and executive producing *The Girl Who Survived: The Alina Thompson Story* (2025), directing the 2022 movie *Secret Lives of College Escorts*, and executive producing *Toxic Harmony* (2024)[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/ashley-jones/).
## Awards and recognition
Jones has one Daytime Emmy win on record plus four nominations, according to IMDb[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0427521/awards/). Her nominations were for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series in 1999 and 2000 for *The Young and the Restless*, a shared 2005 Special Fan Award nomination for "Irresistible Combination" with Jack Wagner as Nick and Bridget on *The Bold and the Beautiful*, and Outstanding Guest Performance in a Daytime Drama Series in 2024 for *The Bold and the Beautiful*[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0427521/awards/). At the 2024 ceremony, the guest performer award went to [Dick Van Dyke](https://www.edgepedia.org/dick-van-dyke), with Jones among the runners-up alongside [Alley Mills](https://www.edgepedia.org/alley-mills), Guy Pearce, and [Linden Ashby](https://www.edgepedia.org/linden-ashby)[12](https://apnews.com/article/e1fd25f345b26fd5cc40a40b316d8b60). She also won a 2019 FilmQuest Festival Award for Best Supporting Actress in a short film for *We Die Alone*[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0427521/awards/).
## Personal life
Jones has spoken publicly about her family. Her son Hayden was born in 2016[13](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/icymi-ashley-jones-interview/). TV Insider lists her spouse as Noah Nelson[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/ashley-jones/). In interviews she has described her long working relationships on *The Bold and the Beautiful*, noting that after years of taping the rhythms of sets, lighting, hair, and makeup become second nature, and naming castmates [Katherine Kelly Lang](https://www.edgepedia.org/katherine-kelly-lang), Jennifer Gareis, and [Heather Tom](https://www.edgepedia.org/heather-tom) as people she trusts with her son[14](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/tuesday-fast-five-with-ashley-jones/).
## References
1. [Ashley Jones, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0427521/)
2. [Ashley Jones – Actress, Producer, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/ashley-jones/)
3. [Ashley Jones, BuddyTV](https://www.buddytv.com/actors/ashley-jones/)
4. [Ashley Jones – Awards, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0427521/awards/)
5. [Ashley Jones on GH Gig: "I've Been Scared to Tell Anyone!" Soap Opera Digest](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/ashley-jones-gh-gig-ive-been-scared-tell-anyone/)
6. ['Bold and the Beautiful' Alum Ashley Jones Joins 'Beyond the Gates', TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/1258817/ashley-jones-beyond-the-gates-cast-new-role/)
7. [Ashley Jones, Soap Opera Digest star profile](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/ashley-jones/)
8. [Daytime Emmy Nominee Q&A: Ashley Jones (Bridget, Bold and Beautiful), Soap Opera Digest](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/daytime-emmy-nominee-qa-ashley-jones-bridget-bold-and-beautiful/)
9. [Ashley Jones, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/ashley-jones/)
10. [Veteran Soap Star Ashley Jones Joins The Locher Room, Soap Opera Digest](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/veteran-soap-star-ashley-jones-joins-the-locher-room/)
11. [Ashley Jones, Soap Opera Network topic page](https://www.soapoperanetwork.com/topic/ashley-jones)
12. [Dick Van Dyke becomes the oldest Daytime Emmy winner at age 98, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/e1fd25f345b26fd5cc40a40b316d8b60)
13. [ICYMI: Ashley Jones Interview, Soap Opera Digest](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/icymi-ashley-jones-interview/)
14. [Tuesday Fast Five With Ashley Jones, Soap Opera Digest](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/tuesday-fast-five-with-ashley-jones/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Soap operas and continuing serials › US and Americas daytime serials and characters › Daytime serial production and people*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license