Blessed with a rare combination of beauty, brains, charm and talent, supporting actress Ashley Judd has rapidly gained critical acclaim, industry respect and a broad fan base that have made her one of the most in-demand actresses of the late '90s.

The daughter of country-music superstar Naomi Judd and the baby half-sister of Wynnona Judd (who during the '80s sang with her mother as The Judds), and then launched a second, solo singing career after illness forced Naomi to retire), Judd was born in Los Angeles. A single parent, her mother supported them by taking odd jobs in California and Kentucky. Judd spent her first 13 years shuttling between the two states and attended 12 different schools. For a long while, the Judds lived in various shacks in remote areas of Kentucky. Most of those places had few if any amenities, including electricity. With no external sources of entertainment, Judd read books and amused herself by assuming various characters while her sister and mother whiled away time singing. Their life of poverty ended after Judd's mother and half-sister became country music sensations. Judd attended the University of Kentucky and graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1990 with a degree in French.

It was her big sister who suggested that Judd become a Hollywood actress. An outgoing, forthright woman, Judd was able to secure an agent on her first try and then, on her very first audition, won a small role in the film Kuffs (1992) -- Judd was originally to have a larger part, but she rejected it when she learned of a nude scene. She next debuted on television wih a recurring role laying Ensign Lefler on Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Judd's first major role was in the hit independent drama Ruby In Paradise (1993). Her portrayal of a spoiled Tennessee heiress who runs away to sell tourist trinkets in a ramshackle resort, won Judd considerable acclaim for her subtle, realistic performance; it also won her an Independent Spirit Award at the 1993 Sundance Film Festival. Between 1991 and 1994, Judd was memorable as the screw-up daughter of Swoosie Kurtz in the popular NBC comedy/drama Sisters. In film, Judd was also acclaimed for her work in Smoke (1995). On stage, Judd has worked both on an off Broadway.