Ashleigh Cummings

Ashleigh Cummings
Ashleigh Cummings, 2014
Born	(1992-11-11) 11 November 1992 (age 24) Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Occupation	Actress
Years active	2007–present

Ashleigh Cummings (born 11 November 1992) is an Australian actress. She was born in Saudi Arabia and moved to Australia with her family when she was twelve. Cummings joined a performing arts school where she learned dance and acting, before appearing in Razzle Dazzle: A Journey into Dance in 2007. After making appearances in Green Fire Envy and the soap opera Home and Away, Cummings was cast as Robyn Mathers in Tomorrow, When the War Began. The film, based on the book of the same name, earned Cummings a nomination for Best Young Actor at the 2010 Australian Film Institute Awards. In 2012, the actress began co-starring in ABC1's Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries as Dorothy Williams for three seasons. That same year, she was cast in the new television adaptation of Puberty Blues.

Cummings was born in Jeddah Saudi Arabia, where her parents lived and worked. She moved to Australia when she was 12 years old. From the age of two, Cummings trained as a ballet dancer. When she was 14 she joined the Brent Street School of Performing Arts, where she learned dance and acting. Cummings then attended Wenona School in North Sydney. She also attended the film and television school Screenwise. Cummings studied philosophy at university between acting roles.

Cummings appeared as a dancer in Darren Ashton's Razzle Dazzle: A Journey into Dance in 2007. She went on to star as Ally Sheppard in Green Fire Envy a project that was produced by the Participate Film Academy. Cummings' next projects were a role in the television film Dream Life and a guest stint in soap opera Home and Away.

In September 2009, it was announced Cummings had joined the cast of Tomorrow, When the War Began, a film based on the John Marsden book of the same name. Cummings learned how to ride dirt bikes and operate AK-47 assault rifles before filming began. She also sat her year 11 exams early and missed the first part of year 12, while shooting the film. Cummings earned a nomination for Best Young Actor at the 2010 Australian Film Institute Awards for her portrayal of Robyn Mathers.