READER PANEL

PROFILE

Kelley Menighan Hensley

ON SOAP OPERA DIGEST AND WEEKLY ONLINE

SOAP STAR STATS

Kelley Menighan Hensley (Emily, ATWT)

— CBS

Vital Statistics

Birthdate:: February 15
Hails From:: Glenview, IL
Marital Status:: Married to co-star Jon Hensley (Holden) since May 25, 1996
Children:: Daughters Sophie May (b. December 23, 1998) and Georgia "Gigi" Grace (b. June 28, 2007), and son Spencer James (b. January 31, 2002)

THE 411

The second of three daughters (Kathleen, Kelley and Karoline) born to the tight-knit Menighan family, Kelley Menighan Hensley was raised outside of Chicago, IL. After receiving her liberal arts degree from Southern Methodist University, she moved to L.A., where she became so fed up with the acting business after five years, she almost went into production instead. Then, she won the role of ATWT's feisty, insecure Emily Stewart in 1992. At the show's New York studio, she became "friendly, but not friends" with co-star Jon. Though they both confided about each other to Martha Byrne (Lily), they didn't start dating until he moved back to L.A. From then, it was a whirlwind romance — she didn't tell him, but she booked the church for their wedding a week after their first kiss. Today, they're both still on ATWT and live with their two children in New Jersey, and count co-stars Byrne and Michael Park (Jack) among their close friends.

ET CETERA

—Once worked for a production company that produced Playboy videos
—Used to entertain her sister's friends by sticking her fist in her mouth
—Auditioned for ALL MY CHILDREN's Gloria and ONE LIFE TO LIVE's Sarah before she won her current role

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

TV Roles
THE GAMBLER RETURNS
THE LUCK OF THE DRAW (1991)
YOUNG CHARLIE CHAPLIN (1989)
Film Roles
Guns (1990)

MEMORABLE QUOTES

"I would never succumb to going out to lunch with half of the slimeballs in that town. People don't think that [casting couch] stuff happens, but it happens every day. I was lucky I didn't ... succumb to that."—on life in L.A., Soap Opera Digest, 8/3/93

"I would probably be a millionaire by now. I look back and go, 'What if I did that?' But I wouldn't have my family. I wouldn't have my husband. Nothing is worth that. Regret is not in my vocabulary because that means looking back. You can only look ahead."—on giving up a career in production, Digest, 9/30/97

"I don't want to leave this Earth with a legacy of, 'She did a soap opera for 20 years, and she was a really good mom.'...I need to contribute something more." —Digest, 5/11/04