Annaleigh Ashford
| Annaleigh Ashford | |
|---|---|
Ashford at PaleyFest 2014 for Masters of Sex
|
|
| Born |
Annaleigh Amanda Swanson June 25, 1985 Denver, Colorado, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Marymount Manhattan College |
| Occupation | Actress, singer |
| Years active | 2005–present |
| Spouse(s) | Joe Tapper (m. 2013) |
| Children | 1 |
| Website | www |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instruments | Vocals, kazzoo |
| Labels | |
| Associated acts | Will Van Dyke |
Annaleigh Ashford (born Annaleigh Amanda Swanson; June 25, 1985) is an American actress and singer.
She is known for her work on Broadway as Glinda in Wicked, Margot in Legally Blonde, as well as for originating the role of Lauren in Kinky Boots, a performance for which she received a 2013 Tony nomination. Ashford won the 2015 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her performance as Essie Carmichael in the revival of You Can't Take It with You.
Ashford is also known as Betty Dimello on the Showtime American period drama television series Masters of Sex.
In 2015 she released her debut album, a live album entitled Lost in the Stars: Live at 54 Below.
Ashford was born in Denver, Colorado and raised in a single parent household by her mother, Holli Swanson, an elementary school gym teacher. Ashford participated in Kids Cross Country and Track at the age of six, coached by her mother. It was discovered there that she hated running, and it was very clear that she was more interested in the costume for the races rather than the actual races themselves. The last race she ever ran was the 400 m. After that race, her mother decided it was time to enroll her in the nearest dance studio. She was first enrolled and started studying at Kit Andrée's Dance and Performing Arts Center the same day she started the second grade. She acted and sang in numerous performances in her hometown, including the leads in the musicals Ruthless!, and Anything Goes. 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 theatre in another three years at the age of 19. Ashford's professional career began at age nine, when she was cast as the lead in Ruthless! at "Theatre on Broadway". At fourteen, she was profiled as "The Teen to Watch" by the Rocky Mountain News.
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