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Ashley Judd, an eighth generation Eastern Kentuckian, first proved her acting abilities in her debut feature film role as Ruby Lee Gissing in Victor Nunez' internationally acclaimed Ruby In Paradise. Having won major acting awards worldwide, Judd has demonstrated her range in a variety of genres and is a proven box office draw.

In 2009, Judd starred in the independent film Helen, written and directed by Sandra Nettlebeck. This dramatic story revolves around a music professor named Helen (Judd) who suffers from a deep, debilitating depression and the only one who can relate to her pain is a young female student. Helen premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.

In 2006, returning to her indie roots, Judd starred in the feature film Come Early Morning, and in the film Bug.

On the small screen, Judd last appeared as the focus of the National Geographic documentary that featured Judd's travels to India in early 2007 on behalf of her ongoing commitment as Global Ambassador for YouthAids. The documentary aired on December 1st, World Aids Day. In 2006, a similar documentary aired on The Learning Channel that featured Judd's travels to Central America with her friend, colleague, actor, feminist, and human rights activist, Salma Hayek.

In 2004, Judd delivered a heartfelt, emotional performance as socialite Linda Lee Porter in the Cole Porter bio-pic, De-Lovely, for which she earned a Golden Globe nomination. In early 2004, Judd starred in Twisted and also starred on Broadway for six months as Maggie in Tennessee Williams' Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

Judd had a very successful and diverse 2002. She had a small, but significant appearance in Frida, and a strong supporting role in The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. Judd starred in Twentieth Century Fox's High Crimes which re-teamed her with Kiss the Girls co-star, Morgan Freeman. Also for Fox, Judd starred in Someone Like You. Judd's other film credits include Where the Heart Is, Double Jeopardy and Eye of the Beholder. Judd also starred in the 1998 drama Simon Birch, based on the John Irving novel A Prayer for Owen Meaney.

In 1997, Judd starred in the box-office hit Kiss the Girls, as well as in The Locusts. Judd was also seen in Michael Mann's Heat, for which she won critical acclaim opposite Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino and Val Kilmer. In the summer of 1996, she appeared in Joel Schumacher's A Time To Kill. In late 1996, she starred in the black comedy Normal Life. Also in 1996, Judd received an Emmy nomination and a Golden Globe nomination for her portrayal of Norma Jean in HBO's Norma Jean & Marilyn.

Judd made her debut theatre performance in the Naked Angels' production of Busted, directed by Timothy Hutton. She then went on to star as Madge on Broadway in William Inge's Pulitzer-prize winning play, Picnic at the Roundabout Theatre Company, while simultaneously filming an unforgettable supporting role in Smoke. Judd is on the board of directors for PSI (Population Services International). Judd joined PSI as board member in 2004 after serving as Global Ambassador for PSI's HIV education and prevention program, YouthAIDS since 2002. Judd has visited PSI programs in Thailand, Cambodia, Madagascar, Kenya, South Africa, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, India, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In her work, she witnesses the lives of the exploited and poor to help educated the world about the reality of global poverty and bring solutions to the devastating effects of social injustice and gender inequality.

Judd was the subject of three award-winning documentaries aired in more than 150 countries worldwide on VH1, The Discovery Channel and The National Geographic Channel. In her role as PSI board member, Judd has graced the covers of countless magazines and been the subject of newspaper and television interviews bringing vital awareness to issues closest to her heart, gender inequality and poverty alleviation. Judd has visited legislators on Capitol Hill, addressed the General Assembly of the UN on the scourge human trafficking, spoke at the National Press Club, testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for the protection of vulnerable women from violence, sexual abuse and HIV and, most recently served as an expert panelist at Clinton Global Initiative to discuss the issue of safe water and the empowerment of girls in the developing world.

Recently, Judd has come on board as a spokesperson for organizations Defenders for Wildlife and The Sierra Club providing her time and voice to advocate against practices of aerial wolf hunting (Defenders for Wildlife) and mountaintop removal coal mining (The Sierra Club).