The character was introduced on November 13, 2000, as the daughter of Ashley Abbott (Eileen Davidson) and Victor Newman (Eric Braeden).

Rylan was let go in 2012 due to budgetary cuts but returned months later in February 2013 on a recurring status following viewer complaints.

[1][2][3][4] However, her return was cut short once Rylan vacated the role to join General Hospital as Lulu Spencer.

Rylan compared Abby to her previous role, Lizzie Spaulding on Guiding Light, saying they were both wealthy heiresses who cause trouble.

Byrnes' run came to an end in June 2008 when Noah Newman was aged to a teenager, and Abby's character was soon to follow.

[8][9] In March 2010, it was announced that the character had rapidly aged again to an adult, with Marcy Rylan scheduled to join the cast.

[12] In September 2012, it was announced that Rylan had been let go from The Young and the Restless reportedly due to budgetary cuts,[1][2][3] with her last airdate on October 23, 2012.

[19] "Now that I’m in the trenches, I don’t feel that way... After hitting the stage, I realized immediately that Abby and Lizzie are very different, especially when it comes to the relationships they share with their family."

Abby was conceived when Ashley Abbott, desperate to have Victor Newman's child to replace the one whom she aborted years prior, stole his sperm from Diane Jenkins, who had obtained the sample illegally from a fertility lab.

When Ashley had cancer, she recorded a video message for Abby to see when she was older and revealed Victor was her biological father.

[6] Rylan was initially afraid that Abby was very similar to Lizzie Spaulding as they were both wealthy rich heiresses who caused trouble.

Rylan felt that she was "more mature" and said, "For the first time, Abby is feeling a little embarrassed about her previous choices [...] She's trying really hard to be a better person...and figure out where she fits if she's not running around naked.

[22] He also stated that he hoped Carmine would have more of a "darker turn", and that he still believes there is a "left over spark" with Abby as their storyline "was never finished" and "nothing was wrapped up properly".

[22] Shortly after her failed relationship with Carmine, Abby took romantic interest in Detective Ignacio Serricchio's Alex Chavez, and they began dating.

Then, Abby planned to start her own reality television show, entitled "The Naked Heiress", but she didn't have the money to fund her dream.

To spite her parents, Abby rode a horse, while naked, inside the Genoa City Athletic Club while Victor and Nikki were celebrating their engagement.

He refused their offer, and with the help of testimonies from their estranged half-brother Adam Newman and Neil Winters, they each received $500 million in the settlement.

When a powerful storm hit Genoa City, Abby searched for her mother, and she found Tucker with Diane Jenkins.

The next day, Abby woke up with dirt on her clothes to hear the news that Diane's body was found in the park.

She is now working at Newman alongside her sister Victoria and father Victor and just married Ben Rayburn on December 31, 2015, but is having doubts.

Tommy Garrett of the website Highlight Hollywood slammed executive producer Jill Farren Phelps for her initial firing of Rylan, who he described as "the best thing on Y&R in decades".

Garrett was unfavorable of Ordway's performance, calling her "Melissa Ordinary" and stating that she is "as exciting to watch, as being stuck in traffic on the L.A.

[25] Soap Opera Digest wrote that letting Rylan "slip away" to join General Hospital was "puzzling".

Anyone requiring proof that The Young and the Restless corrected a recent blunder by bringing Emme Rylan back as Abby... and then allowed her to be stolen away by General Hospital, where she'll take over the role of Lulu.

Gone were the antics of the Naked Heiress and in their place was a young woman determined to take full advantage of her position as the rare Newman/Abbott hybrid.

Despite Abby's newfound maturity, Rylan had plenty of opportunity to let her alter ego's mischievous side to play... especially where her former beau Carmine was concerned.In 2022, Melissa received her first Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.