Bio
Annaleigh Ashford is an American actress and singer best known for her starring role as Betty Dimello, one of the first participants in Dr. Masters' study while working as a prostitute, in the period drama television series Masters of Sex.
In 2015 Ashford won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her portrayal as Essie Carmichael in the Broadway Revival of Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman's You Can't Take It With You. She starred alongside James Earl Jones and Rose Byrne.
Following her Broadway run, Ashford reclaimed her spot starring in her cabaret performance titled "Annaleigh Ashford - Lost in the Stars" at 54 Below in New York City. The critically acclaimed show was musically directed by Will Van Dyke.
She then starred in Benjamin Fox's New York based romantic comedy Stereotypically You, opposite Aaron Tveit, Kal Penn and Lauren Miller.
Ashford completed her Tony Award nominated turn in Harvey Fierstein and Cindy Lauper's Tony Award winning Kinky Boots, directed by Jerry Mitchell in 2013. Her role as Lauren earned her a nomination for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in Musical as well as a nomination for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical.
Additionally, she won The Clarence Derwent Award in 2013, which honours the most promising female and male performer on the New York metropolitan scene in a given year.
In 2004, Annaleigh met NYC nightlife personality and rock DJ performance artist Lady Starlight and was invited to make her performance art debut go-go dancing at the 70's glam rock party "Lady Starlight's English Disco", where she was christened Hollywood Starr.
Annaleigh's first professional New York acting job was playing Natalie at the New York Musical Theatre Festival in Tom Kit and Brian Yorkey's Feeling Electric, which became The Pulitzer Prize winning Next to Normal.
On Broadway she has starred as Glinda in Wicked, as Jeannie in the critically acclaimed revival Hair, and made her Broadway debut as the original Margot in Legally Blonde: The Musical.
Off-Broadway she portrayed Maureen in the Michael Greif revival of Rent, for which she was nominated for a Drama League Award and Clive Barnes Award. She next played the toothless hooker Marcie in Joe Mantello's musical Dog Fight.
Additionally, she voiced a small troll in Disney's critically-acclaimed and Academy Award winning animated feature Frozen, opposite Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel and Aaron Tveit.
In 2008, Annaleigh made her film debut in Sex And The City: The Movie, and next appeared in the Jonathan Demme film Rachel Getting Married as the 7-11 counter girl. She can also be seen in the independent film Franny, starring Francis Fisher.
Annaleigh has had various roles on television on shows including The Big C, A Gifted Man, Law & Order, Nurse Jackie and Smash.
Born and raised in Denver, Annaleigh now divides her time between Los Angeles and New York.