Bellamy Young

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1 Mar 2024

Bellamy Young

Bellamy Young, born Amy Maria Young on February 19, 1970, is an American actress, producer, and singer. She is most recognized for her portrayal of Melody "Mellie" Grant in the ABC drama series "Scandal," which aired from 2012 to 2018. Young's performance in the series earned her the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2014. Additionally, she starred in the Fox series "Prodigal Son," which aired from 2019 to 2021.

Bellamy Young, originally born as Amy Maria Young, hails from Asheville, North Carolina, and was adopted. To avoid confusion with another registered Amy Young in the Screen Actors Guild, she changed her name to Bellamy. She chose "Bellamy" as a tribute to her late father's best friend, Bill, who played a significant role in raising her after her father's passing.

Young completed her high school education at Asheville School in 1987. She then pursued higher education at Yale University, where she initially majored in physics but later shifted her focus to English and theater. She graduated from Yale in 1991. During her college years, she also had the opportunity to enhance her acting skills at the British American Drama Academy in England during a summer program.

Bellamy Young's acting career took off in the realm of theater, where she made her Broadway debut in 1997 as Mary in the original cast of "The Life." Prior to that, she had appeared Off-Broadway in notable productions such as Stephen Sondheim's musical "Merrily We Roll Along" in 1994 and Randy Newman's "Faust" from 1995 to 1996.

Transitioning to television, Young landed her debut role in 1995 with a recurring character on the NBC daytime soap opera "Another World" as Dr. Courtney Evans. She then ventured into guest-starring roles on popular shows like "Law & Order" in 1997 and 1998, portraying different characters in each appearance. Her film debut came in 1999 with a small part in the crime drama "Black and White," followed by roles in several independent films.

Throughout the early 2000s, Young became a familiar face on television screens, making guest appearances on numerous dramas and comedies, including "The Drew Carey Show," "The X-Files," "ER," "Frasier," "The West Wing," "NCIS," "Medium," "Grey's Anatomy," "Private Practice," "Two and a Half Men," "Supernatural," "Drop Dead Diva," and "Castle." Over the span of 2000 to 2011, she amassed over 30 guest appearances on various TV shows.

In 2003, Young joined the regular cast of the USA Network series "Peacemakers," though the show was canceled after one season. She continued to secure recurring roles in series like the Lifetime legal drama "For the People," NBC's period drama "American Dreams," NBC's "Scrubs," CBS's "CSI: Miami," and ABC's primetime soap opera "Dirty Sexy Money," where she played Ellen Darling. Additionally, she portrayed Beth Clemmons in "Criminal Minds" from 2011 to 2013.

Bellamy Young's career reached new heights in 2011 when she was cast by Shonda Rhimes in the recurring role of Melody "Mellie" Grant in the ABC political thriller series "Scandal." Initially conceived as a three-episode arc, Young's portrayal of Mellie Grant garnered critical acclaim, leading to her becoming a series regular from the second season onwards. She appeared in every episode of the first season and received praise for her performance throughout her time on the show.

Young's role as Mellie Grant earned her a Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her performance in season three. She was hailed as the "Breakout Star" of the show by The Daily Beast in 2014, with critics lauding her compelling portrayal of the character. Her character-centric episode "Everything's Coming Up Mellie" in the third season received particular acclaim, with reviewers noting Young's exceptional performance.

Outside of "Scandal," Young ventured into music with the release of her first album, "Far Away So Close," on iTunes in 2015. She continued to expand her acting portfolio with roles in various films and television shows, including the crime drama film "The Night Stalker" in 2016 and the Disney live-action adaptation of "A Wrinkle in Time" in 2018.
In 2019, Young co-starred in the Fox drama series "Prodigal Son," which received a full 22-episode season order and became the highest-rated new show on any network. She also made guest appearances in other television series such as "Whiskey Cavalier" and "Dolly Parton's Heartstrings."

In 2021, Young guest-starred in the first episode of the Fox series "Fantasy Island" and starred in the CW reboot of "The Waltons' Homecoming," portraying the role of Olivia Walton.
Continuing her television success, Young starred in the ABC family drama series "Promised Land" in 2022, playing the villainous Margaret Honeycroft. She was later cast in the Hulu mystery thriller series "The Other Black Girl," based on the novel by Zakiya Dalila Harris. Additionally, she reprised her role as Olivia Walton in "The Waltons' Thanksgiving."
Throughout her career, Bellamy Young has showcased her versatility as an actress, captivating audiences with her compelling performances across various genres and platforms.