ABOUT
Ashley Jackson is an actress, screenwriter, and producer best known for her starring roles in the Netflix film "BEATS," alongside Anthony Anderson, Uzo Aduba, and Khalil Everage, and "BLAST BEAT," a Sony Pictures/MACRO Entertainment collaboration that premiered at Sundance Film Festival. At age fifteen, Jackson became a protégé of veteran actor Richard Lawson and has appeared in numerous film and television projects in the years since. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jackson accepted an Apprentice position at Freeform in the first inaugural Disney General Entertainment Apprenticeship Program. In 2024, Jackson made her directorial debut with the short film, "Underling."
Jackson is the youngest daughter of American political activist Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. and author and intellectual Karin Stanford. She formed her production company to develop projects that align with her passions for gender equality, education, and civil rights, values shaped by her upbringing. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Spelman College in an independent major she developed: "African American Narratives in Cinema and Television" with an emphasis in Screenwriting. Jackson is currently pursuing a Master's degree as part of the renowned Peter Stark Producing Program at the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts.
As an activist, Jackson has partnered with numerous organizations including People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) on their food justice campaign and serves as Celebrity Ambassador for the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) and Kevin Hart's restaurant chain, Hart House. She won a peta2 "Libby Award" in 2023 for her "Food Justice for All" PETA campaign. In 2021, she became a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and was recognized as one of the Most Influential People of African Descent by MIPAD in their Class of 2021 "100 Under 40" Edition, spotlighted in Media & Culture: High Achievers of African Descent Worldwide.
As a speaker, Ashley has addressed audiences at events for the National Action Network, the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Organization, and other prominent organizations. She delivers thoughtful and inspiring conversations from the perspective of a young Black woman with keen insight on both politics and entertainment.
In 2024, Ashley plans to launch a social justice-focused nonprofit organization and podcast aimed at promoting youth political engagement. Speaking from her own experience with long covid, she is also committed to using her platform to address health advocacy. Through her work in entertainment, activism, and public speaking, Ashley Jackson continues to inspire and engage audiences while promoting causes close to her heart.
Selected Credits: A Kid Called Mayonnaise (Amazon), BEATS (Netflix), BLAST BEAT (MACRO/Sony)
FUN FACTS
Her "Top-Ten" Favorite Movies are: The Hate U Give, Iron Jawed Angels, Dog Day Afternoon, Love Jones, A Walk to Remember, Dead Poets Society, Thelma & Louise, Picture Perfect, If Beale Street Could Talk, and Mr. and Mrs. Smith (and special shoutouts: Queen & Slim and Chevalier)
Her "Top Ten" Favorite TV Shows are: Abbott Elementary, The Big Bang Theory, A Different World, FRIENDS, Girlfriends, Grey’s Anatomy, Living Single, The Morning Show, This Is Us, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (and honorable mentions: The Offer, Bob's Burgers, Cheers, Sex and the City, and Roots)
Birthday: May 18, 1999 (25-years-old)
Zodiac Sign: Taurus