Biography
Who is Ashley Judd?
Early life and background
Ashley Judd was born Ashley Tyler Ciminella on April 19, 1968, in Granada Hills, United States. She grew up in a family of performing artists, as the daughter of singer Naomi Judd and the half-sister of singer Wynonna Judd. Her parents divorced when she was four years old, and she spent most of her childhood living in Kentucky with her mother.
During her school years, Ashley attended numerous schools before attending the University of Kentucky. At university, she majored in French and minored in anthropology, art history, theater, and women's studies. She was a member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority and graduated from the university honors program after studying abroad in France for a semester.
Acting career highlights
Ashley made her television debut in 1991 with a guest role on Star Trek: The Next Generation and later appeared on the drama series Sisters. She made her feature film debut in the 1992 movie Kuffs. In 1993, she played her first starring role in Victor Nunez's Ruby in Paradise, which won the Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize and earned her positive reviews for her performance as Ruby Lee Gissing.
Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Ashley established herself as a successful leading actress in thrillers and dramas. She starred in box office successes such as Kiss the Girls in 1997 and Double Jeopardy in 1999. Her other well-known film credits include Where the Heart Is, High Crimes, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, and Dolphin Tale.
Education and theater work
In addition to her film and television work, Ashley pursued further education and stage acting. She played the role of Maggie the Cat in the 2003 Broadway revival of Tennessee Williams's play Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. She also received a Golden Globe nomination for her performance in the 2004 musical film De-Lovely.
Ashley continued her education later in life, earning a mid-career Master of Public Administration degree from the Harvard Kennedy School in 2010. She also enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley, to pursue a doctoral degree in public policy before taking a medical leave of absence due to migraines.
Personal life and family
In December 2001, Ashley married Scottish racing driver Dario Franchitti at Skibo Castle in Scotland after becoming engaged in December 1999. The couple did not have any children together, and they divorced in 2013. Her father is Michael Ciminella, who worked as a marketing analyst for the horse racing industry.
Outside of her acting career, Ashley is an avid martial arts practitioner who has trained in kickboxing, judo, and Tae Bo. She is also heavily involved in global humanitarian efforts and political activism, and she released a memoir titled All That is Bitter and Sweet in 2011 that focuses on her humanitarian work.
Birthday and age
Ashley Judd was born on April 19, 1968, which makes Ashley 58 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aries sign. Ashley shares the date with 56 other famous people.
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