Annaleigh Ashford

At 39 years old, Annaleigh Ashford has this physical status:

Annaleigh Ashford (née Swanson, born June 25, 1985) is an American actor, singer, and dancer. She is best known for her appearances in Wicked, and Margot in Legally Blonde, as well as for originating the role of Lauren in Kinky Boots, for which she was nominated by Tony in 2013.

In the revival of You Can't Take It with You, Ashford received the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play in 2015.

In the critically acclaimed, limited run revival of Sunday in the Park in 2017, Ashford appeared as Dot/Marie opposite Jake Gyllenhaal. In addition, Ashford is known for playing Betty DiMello on the Showtime American period drama television series Masters of Sex, which lasted for four seasons on Showtime. Lost in the Stars, her debut album, was released in 2015. Live at 54 Below.

Early life

Ashford was born in Denver, Colorado, on June 25, 1985, the daughter of Holli Swanson, an elementary school gym instructor, and Chris Swanson, a small-business owner. At the age of six, Ashford competed in Kids Cross Country and Track, coached by her mother. Ashford discovered she hated running, and it was more evident that she was more concerned about the race uniforms than in the actual races. The 400 meter dash was she ran in the last run she ran. Her mother took her to the nearest dance studio after that. On the day she began the second grade, she began working at Kit Andrée's Dance and Performing Arts Center. She appeared and performed in a number of appearances and competitions in her hometown. Ashford's career began at the age of nine in Denver, when she was first portrayed as Tina Denmark, the lead in the musical Ruthless! The Rocky Mountain News named her as "The Teen to Watch" at fourteen. Other Denver credits include appearances in The Sound of Music, West Side Story, and Paint Your Wagon, as well as in Little Women as Anne Grease as Sandy Dumbrowski, and Anything Goes as Reno Sweeney. She graduated from Wheat Ridge High School in three years, at the age of 16, and then attended Marymount Manhattan College, where she earned a degree in theater at the age of 19. Ashford starred Rosa Bud in The Mysterious Adventure of Edwin Drood and Emma in Tell Me on a Sunday while attending Marymount Manhattan College.

Personal life

Ashford suffers from celiac disease and, as a result, follows a strict gluten-free diet. On July 29, 2013, Ashford and fellow actor Joe Tapper were married at the Devil's Thumb Ranch in Tabernash, Colorado. People from Ashford revealed on May 11, 2016, a boy, their first child. In 2016, Ashford and Tapper's son was born.

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Career

Ashford first encountered Lady Starlight, a local rock DJ and show performer, while hanging around in Lower East Side clubs in New York City. Ashford was christened by Lady Starlight as a glitter rock band at "Lady Starlight's English Disco" in the 1970s and christened her Hollywood Starlight. At the New York Musical Theatre Festival in 2005, Ashford appeared as Natalie in Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey's Feeling Electric as Natalie.

Ashford received her big break when she first graduated from college, when she was understudying the role of Glinda on the First National Tour of Wicked. She joined the cast in December 2005 and then left in September 2006. She then portrayed Margot in Legally Blonde: The Musical, her Broadway debut, and then reprised the role. Elle Woods' lead role was understudied, but she only appeared in Elle Woods once. She appeared on the original cast recording and appeared in MTV's televised television broadcasting. Ashford appeared on September 7, 2007, but the display was not held in September 2007.

Brenda Strong performed as Brenda Strong on a musical version of Catch Me If You Can in July 2007. She also did a staged reading for the project under the supervision of Tony Award-winning director of Hairspray, Jack O'Brien.

Ashford performed in Wicked again, this time in the lead role of Glinda in the Broadway revival. On October 9, 2007, she took over Kendra Kassebaum. When Kassebaum returned to work and moved to Chicago in 2008, she departed the company on May 11, 2008, replacing Kate Fahrner as Glinda. On January 25, 2009, she appeared in her final appearance as Glinda after the Chicago production was closed.

She made her film debut in 2008 in Sex and the City: Playing a "spoiled label queen." She appeared in the film Rachel Getting Married as a counter girl.

Ashford appeared in the staged reading for the musical interpretation of The Addams Family in August 2008 with Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth, but she was later replaced by Krysta Rodriguez. Other readings include Bring It On: Campbell, The Black Suits, C'mon Get Well, Pal Joey, and a gender-bent version of Stephen Sondheim's Company.

Banana Shpeel, one of the main characters and singers in the new vainville styled Cirque du Soleil show, was revealed in 2009. However, it was later revealed that Ashford and her colleague Michael Longoria were no longer in the cast of the movie. Publicists also announced that it was a creative move to eliminate major portions of dialogue from the show, effectively making their characters non-existent. Ashford was originally supposed to remain in the production from its debut in Chicago until sometime in 2010.

In the Broadway revival of Hair, Ashford appeared as Jeanie. She took over Kacie Sheik's role from March 9, 2010 to June 27, 2010, when the company ceased production.

Ashford made her directorial debut at Birdland Jazz Club in September 2010, directing fellow Hair alum Jay Armstrong Johnson in his solo concert debut. The performance received rave reviews, including a note about Ashford's "thoughtfully put together" directorial style.

In September 2010, Ashford appeared in a concert version of the new musical Heathers, Veronica Sawyer in New York City. Barrett Wilbert Weed's initial appearance in the 2014 off-Broadway premiere.

Ashford appeared in a reading of the musical Carrie in November 2010. She appeared in a "creative workshop" reading of Diner's stage musical version as Beth in December 2010.

Ashford resigned as a performer in the Off-Broadway revival of Rent, which began July 14, 2011 and came to a close on September 9, 2012. On January 13, 2012, Emma Hunton replaced Ashford as Maube. Ashford paid a cameo on Smash as Lisa McMann and returned for another short appearance in 2013 before the show was cancelled in February 2012.

She appeared in the Off-Broadway musical Dogfight, based on the 1991 film of the same name, from June 27 to August 19, 2012. Marcy was a toothless hooker. Elizabeth Daily's role was played in the film. On the original cast recording of the musical, Ashford appeared on the original cast recording.

In Frozen, Ashford gave the voice of a troll. In the song "Fixer Upper" for the soundtrack, she has a short line greeting Kristoff and sings her second female solo after Maia Wilson.

Ashford reprised her role as Lauren in the Broadway revival of Kinky Boots, a book by Harvey Fierstein and music and lyrics by Cyndi Lauper, who appeared in the Chicago try-outs in 2013. Ashford has been nominated for the Best Featured Actress in a Musical and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical for this role. Ashford left her role in Kinky Boots on March 2, 2014.

In season one of Showtime's Master of Sex, Ashford appeared in the recurring role of young sex worker Betty DiMello. For Season 2, her character was moved from a regular to regular role.

Ashford's first single, "Another Time (Andrew's Song), was released on January 14, 2014, with musical director Will Van Dyke on iTunes. Van Dyke is the featured pianist on the album, in addition to writing music and lyrics. Michael Aarons on guitar, Steve Gilewski on bass, Sammy Merendino on drums, Philip Payton on violin/viola, and Allison Seidner on cello are among the tracks on the album. Derik Lee, who also mixed and mastered the album, was caught it on tape at Harlem Parlour Recording in New York City.

In the Broadway revival of You Can't Take It With You, directed by Scott Ellis, beginning on August 26, 2014, Ashford played Essie Carmichael. She appeared alongside Rose Byrne, James Earl Jones, and Elizabeth Ashley. On February 2, 2015, the show came to a close. Ashford received the 2015 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play.

Ashford starred as the titular canine in the first Broadway revival of A. R. Gurney's comedy Sylvia, a limited run from October 2, 2015 to January 3, 2016. On October 27, 2015, the Cort Theatre opened. The show was also directed by Daniel J. Sullivan, and Robert Sella. "She is a fantastic clown," Tony Sullivan wrote about Ashford's comparison to Bill Irwin, "she has the same formula... just throw it up there, keep finding it, and refining it."

Lost in the Stars, Ashford's debut album, was released on November 13, 2015.

Ashford had signed with talent agency ICM Partners on November 17, 2015.

BroadwayWorld announced on November 20, 2015, that Ashford would be the subject of a filmed career retrospective Q&A with SAG-AFTRA, which will take place at The New School on December 3, 2015. On December 14, 2015, a Q&A was posted on YouTube.

Ashford was chosen to present the sixth annual Clive Barnes Theatre Award on November 20, 2015.

Ashford appeared in eight scenes in a reading of Paul Rudnick's critically acclaimed play Jeffrey, directed by Christopher Ashley, on November 30, 2015. Michael Urie, Robin de Jesus, James Monroe Iglehart, Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Russell Tovey, and Russell Tovey appeared on other casts.

Let's Do the Time Warp Again: Ashford would appear in Columbia in the FOX television remake on February 1, 2016.

Ashford would appear opposite Jake Gyllenhaal in three of the Park with George's three October concert performances of SUNDAY in the Park with George, a role created by Bernadette Peters on Broadway.

Ashford's Dot/Marie opposite Gyllenhaal would reprise her role in the show's Broadway 10-week revival at the Hudson Theater on Sunday, December 13, 2016. This performance was not eligible for a Tony Award as the result of any award competition, including the Tony Awards, was not eligible. On February 3, 2016, a statement was issued: "The creators of Sunday in the Park with George will not be submitting Hudson Theatre's nomination of this New York City Center production for awards eligibility." With a season so packed with epic, soon-to-becoming new musicals, and revivals, the designers feel this extremely limited, special run is the most appropriate for any awards competition. Despite being part of such a historic Broadway season, the company is still proud to be a part of it."

Ashford will appear in The Public Theater's Dream as Helena on April 4, 2017.

Warner Music Group announced on April 20, 2017, that the revival of Sunday in the Park with George would be preserved on an album to be released by Warner Music Group. On September 21, 2017, the cast recording was released. Bart Migal produced and mixed it, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Sean Leonard, Erin Davie, and Penny Fuller.

It was announced on September 12, 2017, that Ashford would be cast member of Woody Allen's drama film A Rainy Day in New York, which was completed on October 23, 2017. In 2019, the film was released in Europe, Asia, Central America, and South America, as well as in the United Kingdom and the United States in 2020. Ashford would debut in a televised New Year's Eve concert honoring Leonard Bernstein's music on November 3, 2017. On the Town, West Side Story, Candide, and Wonderful Town will all be featured by Laura Osnes, Aaron Tveit, and Christopher Jackson. Bernstein on Broadway features songs from Bernstein's score for On the Town, On the Town, West Side Story, Candide, and Wonderful Town. Bramwell Tovey was joined by the program, and it was broadcast on PBS on December 31, 2017 at 9:00 p.m.

In four episodes of the mini-series The Assassination of Gianni Versace: An American Crime Story, which premiered on January 17, 2018, Ashford appeared as Elizabeth Cote. Ashford will be a member of ABC's Southern Hospitality on February 15, 2018. Tristram Shapeero was supposed to lead. The pilot was not identified when he was sent.

In the Jennifer Lopez-led comedy film Second Act as Hildy, opposite Vanessa Hudgens, Ashford co-starred. In 2018, the film was released. Ashford will appear in American Reject, a new musical film, on July 23, 2018.

In Sunday In The Park With George, Ashford was supposed to reprise her appearance as Dot/Marie at the Savoy Theatre in London. However, the run was postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ashford was one of CBS situation comedy B Positive's two leading roles in February 2020, portraying Gina, an elusive woman with the perfect match for a person in need of a kidney, a divorced father who she recognized from the past. The series was reimagined and centered on Ashford's character for its second season. Ashford also performed the series's long opening theme in a musical-theater style. The last episode of "Pote America" aired on March 10, 2022. CBS announced the series on May 8, 2020, as an entry in the 2020–21 television season.

Paula Jones appeared in the film American Crime Story: Impeachment in 2021.

In 2023, she will be seen in Sweeney Todd's revival, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

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