An Actress and political activist, Ashley Judd was born in Granada Hills, California, USA, on April 19, 1968. She was raised in a household of renowned performing musicians, as the child of country music performer Naomi Judd and the sister of Wynonna Judd.
Now she is successful in the film industry, but it was not always like this. She worked hard to get there to where she is now reigning. She had her days of ups and downs when Ashley had to clean her mother’s and sisters’ tour bus for just $10. Before entering the industry, she even labored as a waitress at the trendy “Ivy” restaurant. While she studied the Sanford Meisner performing method at Playhouse West in Los Angeles. Ashley made her debut appearance in 1992’s Kuffs, starring Christian Slater. Ultimately her breakthrough performance was with the lead part in Ruby in Paradise in 1993.
Currently, she is also politically active, but it won’t be fair to mix her acting career with it. Yes, it is possible to enjoy an actor’s work while disagreeing with the direction they incline. Unfortunately, many people struggle to distinguish between them. So take it as you will, but her on-screen presence has become a fair indicator of how believable she is when portraying a role. Here are the 10 best Ashley Judd movies to prove and for the fans to enjoy.
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Double Jeopardy (1999)
Director: Bruce Beresford
Writer: David Weisberg, Douglas Cook
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
IMDB Rating: 6.5
Runtime: 1 hr.45 mins
It’s an American crime thriller that garnered average ratings upon its release but was a box-office success. Critics praised Ashelys performance in the movie, and she earned an MTV Movie Award for Best Actress – Suspense.
A lady(Judd) accused of killing her husband believes he is alive but can’t be punished again if she locates and kills him.
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Helen (2009)
Director: Sandra Nettelbeck
Writer: Sandra Nettelbeck
Genre: Drama
IMDB Rating: 6.2
Runtime: 2 hrs.
It’s an American drama that premiered in January 2009 at the Sundance Film Festival. The film received mixed ratings from critics applauding the cast’s performance.
It’s a story of a brilliant professor(Judd) who is compelled to accept her clinical depression.
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Come Early Morning (2006)
Director: Joey Lauren Adams
Writer: Joey Lauren Adams
Genre: Drama, Romance
IMDB Rating: 6.2
Runtime: 1 hr.37 mins
It’s an American film released for a limited time on November 10, 2006. Critics took it well, applauding Adams’ directing debut and praising Judd’s performance.
Despite her responsibilities, a southern woman(Judd) in her 30s strives for love.
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Kiss the Girls (1997)
Director: Gary Fleder
Writer: James Patterson, David Klass
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
IMDB Rating: 6.6
Runtime: 1 hr.55 mins
This American neo-noir psychological thriller was adapted from James Patterson’s best-selling 1995 book with the same title. In 2001, a follow-up entitled Along Came a Spider premiered.
When a victim(Judd) successfully escapes for the first time, it helps police search for a serial abductor.
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Ruby in Paradise (1993)
Director: Victor Nunez
Writer: Jane Austen, Victor Nunez
Genre: Drama, Romance
IMDB Rating: 6.9
Runtime: 1 hr.54 mins
Ruby in Paradise is an American film that generally received favorable reviews from the audience and critics alike. The movie took home the Dramatic Feature Grand Jury Prize at the 1993 Sundance Film Festival. Additionally, it received six Independent Spirit Award nominations, with Judd taking up the prize for Best Female Lead.
A youthful woman(Judd) fights for her individuality and freedom in a little vacation town in Florida.
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A Time to Kill (1996)
Director: Joel Schumacher
Writer: John Grisham, Akiva Goldsman
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
IMDB Rating: 7.4
Runtime: 2 hrs.29 mins
Adapted from John Grisham’s 1989 novel of the same title, A Time to Kill is an American legal drama released in 1996. The movie was a smash hit, earning $152 million at the global box office, and garnered mixed to positive reviews. It is the second of Joel Schumacher’s two Grisham novel adaptation movies. Whereas Judd will be seen in a supporting role in the movie. It earned over $108 million nationwide and debuted at number one within its first two weeks.
A daring young attorney and his assistant in Clanton, Mississippi, are defending a black man suspected of killing two white men. But he had sexually assaulted his ten-year-old daughter and incited revenge from Ku Klux Klan.
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Where The Heart Is (2000)
Director: Matt Williams
Writer: Lowell Ganz, Babaloo Mandel, Billie Letts
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
IMDB Rating: 6.7
Runtime: 2 hrs.
It’s an American drama modeled on Billie Letts’ best-selling book of the same name from 1995. Despite mixed reactions from reviewers, the movie was a box office hit. However, critics say the outstanding cast is overshadowed by weak writing.
It’s a story of an expecting seventeen-year-old whose lover dumped her at a Walmart in Sequoyah, Oklahoma. It depicts how she built her life again. Following this, Lexie, an altruistic nurse played by Ashley Judd, brings Novalee and her infant daughter to her home.
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High Crimes (2002)
Director: Carl Franklin
Writer: Joseph Finder, Yuri Zeltser, Grace Cary Bickley
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
IMDB Rating: 6.3
Runtime: 1 hr.55 mins
High Crimes is an American legal drama adapted from Joseph Finder’s 1998 novel with the same title. The film attracted mixed reviews from critics grossing over $63.8 million globally.
The husband of a prominent attorney(Judd) is detained for the 1988 killings of 9 people in El Salvador as a US soldier. She looks into the matter and represents him in military court.
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Bug (2006)
Director: William Friedkin
Writer: Tracy Letts
Genre: Drama, Horror, Thriller
IMDB Rating: 6.1
Runtime: 1 hr.42 mins
Bug is a psychological thriller modeled on Tracy Lett’s 1996 play with the same title. Critics gave the movie mixed to favorable reviews; they were divided over the narrative but appreciated the film’s intensity, direction, and performances. Ashley Judd received the nomination for the Saturn Award for Best Actress.
In a creepy Oklahoma hotel room, a combat veteran retreats with a lone woman(Judd). As they find a bug infestation, the distinction between reality and illusion becomes murky.
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Heat (1995)
Director: Michael Mann
Writer: Michael Mann
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
IMDB Rating: 8.3
Runtime: 2 hrs.50 mins
It’s an American drama that premiered by Warner Bros. Pictures on December 15. It was a critical and commercial success earning over $187 million compared to a $60 million budget. The critics praised the action scenes, sound editing, performances by an ensemble cast, and direction. It is one of the most significant movies of its genre that influenced several additional works.
When a crew of highly skilled robbers unintentionally leave a hint at their most recent theft, they get under LAPD pressure. Ashley Judd is in the movie as a supporting actress.
