Let's make this birthday one to remember.

56 years old (Born on April 19, 1968)

American actress; She is famous from Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood.

Spouse: Dario Franchitti (12 December 2001 - present) Measurements: 34B-24-35 (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine) Was once considered for the female lead in Million Dollar Baby (2004). Ashley was able to play both a teenager and a thirty year old in the role of Vivian 'Vivi' Walker. Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002)) Worldwide Spokesperson for Youth AIDS International.

Is an enthusiast of the `c*ckapoo` breed of dog (cross-bred c*cker spaniels and poodles). Has a dog named `Buttermilk` and a tabby named `Buttercup`.

Her first screen kiss was with Wil Wheaton on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1987).

Good friends with Salma Hayek and Joey Lauren Adams.

She attended 12 schools in 13 years before college. She was a sister of the sorority Kappa Kappa Gamma and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa at the University of Kentucky, where she majored in French and minored in cultural anthropology, art history, theater, and women`s studies. She left a few credits shy of graduating in 1990, when she decided to drive cross-country to pursue an acting career in Hollywood.

Fractured her right ankle when she was thrown from a horse`s saddle in Franklin, Tennessee. She was hospitalized for two days. [23 November 1993]

Her mother, Naomi Judd, has publicly objected to many of Ashley`s movies because they contain either profanity, nudity, sex, or violence.

Dated Robert De Niro

Introduced Gloria Steinem at the March for Women's Lives in Washington, D.C. on April 25, 2004.

She is an etymologist

Named #77 in FHM magazine's "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2006" supplement. (2006).

A self-proclaimed feminist

Was listed as a potential nominee on the 2005 Razzie Award nominating ballot. (Her name was misspelled on the ballot as "Ashey Judd" by the way.) She was suggested in the Worst Actress category for her performance in the film Twisted (2004/I), she did not receive a nomination however.

Is fluent in French.

Though she only did two episodes of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1987), her character was loved by fans. Her image even appears on the Star Trek book 'End Game' (Star Trek New Frontier, No 4) by Peter David.

Known to be a avid fan of the University of Kentucky Wildcats basketball team, once not showering because she felt it would jinx them. For a cheerleading scene in her movie Someone Like You... (2001), she uses the Wildcats` cheerleaders` cheer routine, and thanks them in the credits.

Could have had Pamela Anderson`s role on "Home Improvement" (1991), but wanted to concentrate on making it in the movies instead. She later starred in Where the Heart Is (2000), which was directed by Matt Williams, the producer who wanted her on the sitcom.

2000) Voted one of the "50 Most Beautiful People in the World" by People Magazine.

Dated Robert De Niro and Matthew McConaughey.

Introduced to Gloria Steinem at the March for Women`s Lives in Washington, D.C. on April 25, 2004.

Modeled her "This is What a Feminist Looks Like" t-shirt for the Ms. Foundation and Ms. Online (ms.magazine.com), as have Whoopi Goldberg, Camryn Manheim and Margaret Cho.

Visited Guatemala from 2 May 2006 to 5 May 2006, along with Salma Hayek and Colombian singer Juanes, as part of a Youth/AIDS campaign.

Presented to the National Press Club on June 22nd, 2005 as a spokesperson for Youth AIDS International.

Hobbies: running, rock climbing, mountain hiking, yoga, gardening, cooking

Worked as a waitress at the trendy `Ivy` restaurant while studying the Sanford Meisner technique of acting at Playhouse West in Los Angeles.

Ranked #20 in FHM Magazine's 100 "Sexiest Women in the World." (2002)

Dated Matthew McConaughey

Replaced Jodie Foster for the lead in Double Jeopardy (1999).

Turned down a larger role in Kuffs (1992) because she was asked to do nude scenes. She responded, "My mother worked too hard for me to take my clothes off in my first movie."

Mother and sister are country singers Naomi Judd & Wynonna Judd. She once worked cleaning her mom`s and sister`s tour bus for $10 a day.

She was Kappa Kappa Gamma at the University of Kentucky

Was among 4,000 students who graduated on May 6, 2007 from the University of Kentucky. Attended U of K from 1986 to 1990 but left one course shy of graduation. Finished the work 17 years later and received a Bachelor`s in French.

Mother and half-sister are country singers Naomi Judd & Wynonna Judd. She once worked cleaning her mom's and sister's tour bus for $10 a day.

In February 2006, she started a 47-day stay for the treatment of long-term depression in a Texas rehab center. (source: Entertainment Weekly, issue #934, May 18, 2007).

Her husband, Indy car racer Dario Franchitti, won the 2007 Indianapolis 500, the 66th winner of the race, in the #27 Canadian Club car for Andretti Green Racing in the Indy Racing League. Franchitti is a native of Edinburgh, Scotland.

Her father, Michael Ciminella, a marketing specialist in the horseracing industry, divorced Naomi Judd in 1972.

Gave testimony to U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, "Stopping Cross Generational Sex and Sexual Violence To Protect Young Women from AIDS in Developing Contries: A Call to Action," June 23, 2005, as Global Ambassador for YouthAIDS and member of the Board of Directors of Population Services Inernational (PSI).

She had a role in Oliver Stone`s Natural Born Killers (1994), but it was left on the cutting room floor.

Was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful People by People Magazine in 2002.

[1997] Becomes a vegetarian because a friend told her that "you eat the animal`s fear".

Presented all the clues on the 'The World AIDS Crisis' category on the 12/2/2005 episode of the "Jeopardy!" (1984) TV show.

Dated Michael Bolton.

Bakes chocolate chip cookies as a means to relieve stress.

Was named one of "The 50 Most Beautful People In The World" by People Magazine. (1996, 2000 & 2002)

Models a Hello Kitty t-shirt with the words "Handle with Care" printed on the front. Proceeds go to the Youth AIDS Foundation. (2003).

Turned down the role of Catwoman in Catwoman (2004) so she could star as Maggie in `Tennesse Williams`` "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" on Broadway.

Publicly announced her engagement to racer Dario Franchitti; they had been engaged since December 1999. (December 2001) Married at Skibo Castle near Dornoch, in Sutherland, Scotland, the same castle that hosted Madonna`s wedding to Guy Ritchie a year earlier. [April 2000]

Was named after Ashland, Kentucky, and is an eighth-generation Kentuckian

Named one of the "25 Most Intriguing People" by People magazine. [1999]

Drove from Memphis to L.A. at the age of 22 to begin her rise to fame.