Matthew Nile Ashford (born January 29, 1960) is an American actor and producer. He is known for playing the role of Jack Deveraux on the NBC Daytime soap opera Days of Our Lives for various stints since 1987. In 2012, he was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his role on Days of Our Lives. He has also won five Soap Opera Digest Awards. He stars as Steve Jensen on the web series The Bay (2010 to 2023). He is also a producer on the series, which has won multiple Daytime Emmy Awards. In 2017, he was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting or Guest Actor in a Digital Daytime Drama Series for his work on The Bay. Ashford has also produced several films.

Early life

Ashford was born in Davenport, Iowa. He is the sixth of eight children, with three sisters and four brothers. Ashford is of Irish descent. His sisters got him involved in acting when they joined junior theater classes and workshops in Iowa, eventually bringing him along.

His family moved from Iowa to Fairfax, Virginia when he was thirteen years old. After graduation, he enrolled at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where he earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in theater. During his college years, Ashford worked as a street performer in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and joined the Ragamuffin Magic and Mime Company.

Ashford was cast on The Hamptons, a 1983 summer replacement series, but he had to turn down the job because he was still under contract with One Life to Live.

1987–1999: Days of Our Lives and General Hospital

In 1987, Ashford joined the cast of the NBC soap opera Days of Our Lives, playing Jack Deveraux. The part had previously been played by James Acheson. The character of Jack was initially written as a villain and raped Kayla Brady. After Ashford began playing the role, the character was redeemed. He was paired romantically with Jennifer Horton (Melissa Reeves). In 1989, Ashford won a Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Villain. In 1991, he and Melissa Reeves won a Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Super Couple: Daytime. In 1992, they won Soap Opera Digest Awards for Best Love Story and Best Wedding.

Ashford played Jack Deveraux in the Days of Our Lives television film One Stormy Night (1992). He guest starred on Quantum Leap. Ashford won a Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Comic Performance. In September 1993, he left Days of Our Lives when the producers decided not to renew his contract. The role was recast with Mark Valley in 1994 and Steve Wilder in 1997. He appeared in the science fiction film Species (1995). He guest starred on Burke's Law. He guest starred on Charmed and Providence. He played Ron in the action film Paper Bullets (1999). He also guest starred on Dharma & Greg in 2001. In 2003, Ashford guest starred as himself on Friends. it was reported that Ashford would return to One Life to Live on a recurring basis as a new character, Stephen Haver. His first airdate was December 10, 2003. In 2004, Ashford returned to Days of Our Lives when it was revealed that The Salem Stalker's victims, including Jack, were alive and being held captive on a tropical island. Ashford left the show again on September 21, 2006.

In September 2006, he played Senator Fipp in Urinetown at the Matrix Theatre in Los Angeles. Ashford returned to Days of Our Lives for a short time in April 2007. In May 2007, Ashford played Mike in No Strings at the Freud Playhouse in Los Angeles. He co-starred with Scott Bakula. He played Father Michael in the horror film Chronicles of an Exorcism (2008). He was also one of the film's producers. In July 2008, Ashford played Frank Butler in Annie Get Your Gun at the Benedum Center in Pittsburgh. In July 2009, he played Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls at the Wells Fargo Pavilion in Sacramento. The final performances were cut short due to security concerns with the G20 Summit in Toronto, which was held nearby. He guest starred on 90210. He began playing the role of Steve Jensen on the web series The Bay, co-starring with his former Days of Our Lives castmate Mary Beth Evans. Ashford is also a producer on the series, which has received multiple Daytime Emmy Awards.

He appeared in the science fiction short film The Historian Paradox (2011). In April 2011, he starred as the male lead in Antony and Cleopatra at the Mesa Arts Center. He co-starred with Lana Buss.

Ashford returned to Days of Our Lives, first airing September 23, 2011. He was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his work on Days. In April 2012, it was announced that he had been dismissed from his role on Days, along with three other actors. His last airdate was August 15, 2012, when Jack seemingly died when an elevator crashed with him inside. He played Chris Valentine in the film Fuzz Track City (2012). He played Dr. Stringer in the film Bad Blood (2012). Ashford starred as Coach Loren DeJong in Winning Favor (2012), a film based on the true story of a group of friends in Iowa who became basketball players. He appeared in the television film The Good Mother (2013). Ashford and his former Days co-star Deidre Hall guest starred on the web series Dating in the Middle Ages.

2015–present

In November 2015, it was announced that he would return to Days of Our Lives as the ghost of Jack, airing in a 2016 episode. He made another return as a ghost in December 2017. In 2017, Ashford was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting or Guest Actor in a Digital Daytime Drama Series for his work on The Bay. He played Valentine in the action film The Fuzz.

In November 2018, it was announced that Ashford would be returning to Days of Our Lives as a regular cast member. Jack returned from the dead in the New Year's Eve episode. In 2020, Ashford guest starred on NCIS. He left Days of Our Lives in March 2023, but he returned on a recurring basis in 2024.

Personal life

Ashford met singer-actress Christina Saffran in 1985, when he auditioned for the World Peace Festival, a production she was choreographing. They were married on June 6, 1987. They have two daughters, born in 1992 and 1997. She is now healthy and working as an actress.

Ashford met actress Lana Buss when they played the title roles in a stage production of Antony and Cleopatra in 2011.