Melissa Reeves

Melissa Reeves (née Brennan; born March 14, 1967)<ref name="about">Template:Cite web</ref> is an American actress. She is known for playing Jennifer Horton on the NBC Daytime soap opera Days of Our Lives (1985–1995, 2000–2006, 2010–2022, 2024-present). She has been nominated for two Daytime Emmy Awards for her work on Days of Our Lives. She has also won four Soap Opera Digest Awards.

Early life

Reeves was born in Eatontown, New Jersey and raised in Red Bank.<ref name="welovesoaps">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="tvguide">Template:Cite web</ref> Her maiden name is Melissa Brennan.<ref name="tvguide" /> Her father was a Disc jockey for a radio station in Asbury Park, where he met musicians like Bruce Springsteen.<ref name="golden">Template:Cite journal</ref> She has one sibling, a brother.<ref name="about" />

At the age of thirteen, she started taking the bus and train to New York to attend dance classes, studying with Phil Black. Reeves wanted to become a dancer on Broadway.<ref name="welovesoaps" /><ref name="about" /> She also studied at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in Manhattan.<ref name="soapbook">Template:Cite book</ref>

Career

1983-1985: Santa Barbara

In the early 1980s, Reeves (then known as Melissa Brennan) began acting in television commercials to help pay for her dance classes. She worked as an extra on the NBC soap opera Another World.<ref name="welovesoaps" /> She appeared in the afterschool special The Lakeside High Experiment.<ref name="about" /> She also appeared in the film Somewhere, Tomorrow (1983), co-starring with Sarah Jessica Parker.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Reeves moved to Los Angeles in 1984, when she was cast as Jade Perkins on the NBC soap opera Santa Barbara. She was seventeen years old at the time. She became emancipated from her parents and finished high school with a GED.<ref name="welovesoaps" /> Reeves was dismissed from her role on Santa Barbara after nine months. The character of Jade went out on a date and was never seen again.<ref name="tbt">Template:Cite web</ref> Reeves received two Young Artist Award nominations for her work on Santa Barbara.<ref name="young83">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="young84">Template:Cite web</ref>

1985-1992: Days of Our Lives

In 1985, she guest starred on Hotel and Highway to Heaven.<ref name="tbt" /> A month after leaving Santa Barbara, Reeves was cast as Jennifer Horton on the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives. She auditioned with Michael T. Weiss, who played Mike Horton.<ref name="welovesoaps" /> The role had previously been played by child actress Jennifer Peterson in 1978.<ref name="jennifer">Template:Cite web</ref> Reeves received two Young Artist Award nominations for her work on Days of Our Lives.<ref name="young85">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="young86">Template:Cite web</ref>

Reeves played Heather in the thriller film Summer Camp Nightmare (1987).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She guest starred on The Hitchhiker.<ref name="about" />

During her early years on Days of Our Lives, Reeves was involved in teen storylines. In 1990, the character of Jennifer was given an adult storyline when she was paired romantically with Jack Deveraux (Matthew Ashford).<ref name="jennifer" /> In 1991, Reeves and Ashford won a Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Super Couple: Daytime.<ref name="sod91">Template:Cite web</ref> In 1992, they won Soap Opera Digest Awards for Best Love Story and Best Wedding.<ref name="sod92">Template:Cite web</ref> In 1992, Reeves was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series.<ref name="emmy92">Template:Cite web</ref>

1992-1999: Leaving Days

Reeves played Jennifer Horton Deveraux in the Days of Our Lives television film One Stormy Night (1992).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She also played Jennifer in the Days of Our Lives television film, Night Sins (1993).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 1994, she won a Soap Opera Digest Award for Hottest Female Star.<ref name="sod94">Template:Cite web</ref> She played Jennifer in the Days of Our Lives television film Winter Heat (1994).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In November 1995, Reeves abruptly left Days of Our Lives. Rumors began to circulate when she didn't attend the 30th anniversary party for Days. In a statement, Reeves said, "I'm at a point in my life where I need to spend more time with my husband Scott, and our daughter."<ref name="quits">Template:Cite journal</ref> Soap Opera Digest reported that Reeves leaving Days disrupted plans for a spinoff involving her character, Jennifer.<ref name="quits" /> Reeves' final airdate was December 15, 1995.<ref name="jennifer" /> The role was recast with Stephanie Cameron, who began airing on December 19. Kimberley Simms, Jessica Tuck, and Karen Witter had reportedly been considered to replace Reeves.<ref name="quits" /> Corday Productions and Sony Entertainment sued Reeves for breach of contract. The lawsuit was settled out of court with Reeves paying an unspecified sum, which Days Executive Producer Ken Corday donated to pediatric HIV/AIDS research.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1999, Reeves and her husband, Scott Reeves, co-starred in the ABC television film Half a Dozen Babies. The movie was based on the true story of the Dilley sextuplets, with the Reeves playing their parents.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

2000-present

In 2000, Reeves returned to Days of Our Lives, playing the role of Jennifer Horton.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Her first airdate was October 6, 2000.<ref name="jennifer" />In November 2000, she played Jennifer in the television film Days of Our Lives' 35th Anniversary.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She decided to leave the show again in 2006. Reeves was unhappy with her storyline and she wanted to move to Nashville, Tennessee, where her husband works as a country musician. Her last airdate was September 21, 2006.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2010, Reeves returned to Days of Our Lives for a short-term visit when the character of Alice Horton died.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She aired from June 10, 2010 to July 9, 2010.<ref name="jennifer" /> It was announced in July 2010 that she had signed a long-term contract with the show.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She began airing again on November 12, 2010.<ref name="jennifer" /> In 2016, Reeves was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.<ref name="emmy16">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2017, she co-starred with her husband, Scott Reeves, in the film Where the Fast Lane Ends.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On September 15, 2020, it was announced that Reeves had opted not to return to the role when filming began again after a hiatus brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The role of Jennifer was recast with Cady McClain. This followed criticism Reeves received from some fans, as well as her co-stars Lamon Archey and Linsey Godfrey, for 'liking' social media posts by conservative commentator Candace Owens which denounced the Black Lives Matter movement.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Reeves had previously drawn criticism in 2012 for expressing support for fast-food chain Chick-fil-A during a controversy over its chief operating officer declaring the chain's stance against same-sex marriage.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Reeves has made return appearances to Days of Our Lives in 2021 and 2024.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Personal life

She met actor Scott Reeves when he briefly played the role of Jake on Days of Our Lives. They became engaged on April 1, 1989 in Vancouver, where he was filming Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan. Shortly before their wedding, Scott underwent surgery to have an abscess removed from his brain. They were married on March 23, 1990 at Lake Manor Chapel in Chatsworth, California. The Reeves are Christians.<ref name="golden" /> They have a daughter, born in 1992, and a son, born in 1997.<ref name="about" />

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1983	Somewhere, Tomorrow	Georgina	Credited as Missy Brennen
1987	Summer Camp Nightmare	Heather	Credited as Melissa Brennan
2001	Basic Training	Shannon	Short film
2017	Where the Fast Lane Ends	Rachel Morgan

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1984–1985	Santa Barbara	Jade Perkins	Contract role Credited as Melissa Brennan 92 episodes
1985	Hotel	Jenny	Episode: "Wins and Losses" Credited as Melissa Brennan
	Highway to Heaven	Cathy	Episode: "A Song for Jason: Part One" Credited as Melissa Brennan
1985–1995, 2000–2006, 2010–2020 Guest/Recurring: 2021-2022, 2024-present	Days of Our Lives	Jennifer Horton	Contract role
1987	The Hitchhiker	Denise O'Mell	Episode: "Homebodies" Credited as Melissa Brennan
1992	Days of our Lives: One Stormy Night	Jennifer Horton	Television film
1993	Days of our Lives: Night Sins	Jennifer Horton	Television film
1994	Days of our Lives: Winter Heat	Jennifer Horton	Television film
1999	Half a Dozen Babies	Becki Dilley	Television film
2000	Days of Our Lives' 35th Anniversary	Jennifer Horton	Television film

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Title	Result	Ref.
1983–1984	Young Artist Award	Best Young Actress in a Daytime or Nighttime Television Series	Santa Barbara	Template:Nom	<ref name="young83" />
1984–1985	Young Artist Award	Best Young Actress in a Daytime or Nighttime Television Series	Santa Barbara	Template:Nom	<ref name="young84" />
1985–1986	Young Artist Award	Exceptional Performance by a Young Actor in a Daytime Series	Days of Our Lives	Template:Nom	<ref name="young85" />
1986–1987	Young Artist Award	Best Young Actress Starring in a Television Drama Series	Days of Our Lives	Template:Nom	<ref name="young86" />
1991	Soap Opera Digest Award	Favorite Daytime Super Couple (shared with Matthew Ashford)	Days of Our Lives	Template:Won	<ref name="sod91" />
1992	Soap Opera Digest Award	Best Daytime Wedding (shared with Matthew Ashford)	Days of Our Lives	Template:Won	<ref name="sod92" />
	Soap Opera Digest Award	Best Love Story Daytime or Primetime (shared with Matthew Ashford)	Days of Our Lives	Template:Won	<ref name="sod92" />
	Daytime Emmy Award	Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series	Days of Our Lives	Template:Nom	<ref name="emmy92" />
1994	Soap Opera Digest Award	Hottest Female Star	Days of Our Lives	Template:Won	<ref name="sod94" />
2016	Daytime Emmy Award	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series	Days of Our Lives	Template:Nom	<ref name="emmy16" />

See also

• Days of Our Lives
• Jack Deveraux and Jennifer Horton

External links

• Template:IMDb name