Ashley Judd facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ashley Judd
Judd in 2023
Born	Ashley Tyler Ciminella (1968-04-19) April 19, 1968 (age 57) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Education	University of Kentucky (BA) Harvard University (MPA)
Occupation	Actress activist
Years active	1991–present
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Dario Franchitti ​ ​ (m. 2001; div. 2013)​
Parent(s)	Naomi Judd (mother)
Relatives	Wynonna Judd (half-sister)

Ashley Judd (born April 19, 1968) is an American actress. She grew up in a family of performers. Her mother, Naomi Judd, and half-sister, Wynonna Judd, are both famous country music singers. Ashley has been acting for over 30 years. She is also very active in helping people around the world and working for political causes. Ashley first appeared on TV in 1991 in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Her first movie was Kuffs in 1992.

Early Life

Ashley Judd was born in 1968 in Los Angeles, California. Her mother, Naomi Judd, later became a well-known country music singer. Her father, Michael Charles Ciminella, worked in horse racing. Ashley's older half-sister, Wynonna Judd, is also a country music star.

Ashley's parents divorced when she was four years old. After that, her mother moved with Ashley back to Kentucky. Ashley spent most of her childhood there. She went to many different schools before going to college.

At the University of Kentucky, Ashley studied French. She also took classes in anthropology, art history, theater, and women's studies. She even spent a semester studying in France. After college, she moved to Hollywood to study acting.

Career

Judd at an ABC Missing event in April 2012

Ashley Judd started her acting career in 1991. She played Ensign Robin Lefler in two episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation. From 1991 to 1994, she had a regular role on the TV show Sisters.

Her first movie role was a small part in Kuffs in 1992. In 1993, she got her first main role in the movie Ruby in Paradise. This movie won a big award at the Sundance Film Festival. Critics praised her acting as Ruby Lee Gissing, a young woman starting a new life.

Later, she appeared in movies like Smoke and Heat in 1995. In 1996, she played Marilyn Monroe in the TV movie Norma Jean and Marilyn. She also had a supporting role in the successful thriller A Time to Kill.

By the late 1990s, Ashley Judd was a very popular lead actress. She starred in hit thrillers such as Kiss the Girls (1997) and Double Jeopardy (1999).

In the early 2000s, she continued to star in movies like Where the Heart Is (2000) and High Crimes (2002). In 2002, she was in the popular film Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and the praised movie Frida.

Ashley Judd also acted on Broadway. In 2003, she played Maggie the Cat in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. In 2004, she was nominated for a Golden Globe award for her role in De-Lovely.

In 2011, she starred in the family movie Dolphin Tale and its sequel Dolphin Tale 2 (2014). In 2012, she played Rebecca Winstone in the ABC series Missing.

She appeared in the action movie Olympus Has Fallen in 2013. She also played Natalie Prior in the Divergent series, appearing in Divergent (2014), The Divergent Series: Insurgent (2015), and The Divergent Series: Allegiant (2016).

In 2015, Ashley Judd became the first woman to narrate the opening for the Kentucky Derby horse race telecast.

Sponsorships

Ashley Judd has also worked with different brands. Starting in 2004, she was the face of American Beauty, a makeup brand. She also worked with H. Stern jewelers. In 2007, a clothing store called Goody's Family Clothing launched three fashion lines with her name.

Personal Life

Judd at the 2009 Indianapolis 500 qualifications

In 1999, Ashley Judd got engaged to Dario Franchitti, a Scottish race car driver. They married in Scotland in 2001. They did not have children. Ashley has said she believes it is important to help children who are already suffering in poor countries. They divorced in 2013.

Ashley Judd enjoys martial arts. She has practiced kickboxing, judo, and Tae Bo.

In 2011, Ashley released her book called All That is Bitter and Sweet. In the book, she talks about her life and her work helping people around the world.

In February 2021, while hiking in the jungle in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ashley broke her leg badly. People helped carry her for 55 hours to reach a hospital in South Africa for surgery.

Ashley Judd is a Christian. She has spoken publicly about her faith. She also spoke out against injustice in Hollywood.

Education

Ashley Judd earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Kentucky in 2007. She also received an honorary degree from Union College in 2009.

She continued her studies and earned a Master of Public Administration degree from Harvard University in 2010. In 2016, she started a PhD program at UC Berkeley. However, she took a break due to severe migraines.

Interests

Ashley Judd is a big fan of sports at her old university. She often attends University of Kentucky basketball games.

Humanitarian Work

Judd (upper left) on the cover of Ms. magazine's "This is what a feminist looks like" 2003 issue

Ashley Judd does a lot of humanitarian work. She focuses on making sure girls and women have equal rights. In 2016, she became a Goodwill Ambassador for UNFPA. This is a United Nations agency that helps with reproductive health. She has visited UNFPA projects in many countries, including Jordan, Turkey, Ukraine, and Bangladesh. These projects help women and girls affected by difficult situations.

She has also traveled with YouthAIDS to places like Cambodia, Kenya, and Rwanda. She works to prevent poverty and raise awareness about global issues. She talks with leaders to encourage social change. Ashley has narrated three documentaries for YouthAIDS that were shown on the Discovery Channel, National Geographic, and VH1.

She is also involved with other groups like the International Center for Research on Women and Equality Now. Ashley often gives speeches about gender equality and helping people.

Political Activities

Ashley Judd is also active in politics. In 2008, she supported Barack Obama's campaign for president. She has spoken out against certain policies, like aerial wolf hunting in Alaska. She also signed a petition to protect homeless animals in Kentucky.

Judd meeting with Senator Richard Lugar in 2005

She was named a Global Ambassador for YouthAIDS. This program helps prevent and treat AIDS. In 2009, she received an award for her work with this group. She has campaigned for many Democratic candidates, including President Barack Obama.

In 2010, she was interviewed by CNN about her trip to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. She traveled with the Enough Project, which works to end violence and crimes against humanity.

Ashley Judd was a delegate for Tennessee at the 2012 Democratic National Convention. She also thought about running for the U.S. Senate in Kentucky in 2014. However, she decided not to run, saying she needed to focus on her family. She later supported another candidate, Alison Lundergan Grimes.

In 2016, she attended an event supporting DC Statehood. This means making Washington, D.C., a state. In 2020, she supported Senator Elizabeth Warren for president. In 2024, she shared her views on current political events in an article for USA Today.

Filmography

Film

Television

Documentaries

Accolades

Awards and nominations

Honors

• Kentucky Colonel
• Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, Union College, Barbourville, Kentucky
• 2017 Time Person of the Year, as part of the "Silence Breakers"

See also

In Spanish: Ashley Judd para niños