Described by her own mother as "an intellectual pin-up", Ashley Judd portrayed a wide array of characters onscreen that possessed a fierce determination, coupled with an alluring sensuality. Whether she was playing a Southerner starting over in her breakthrough role in "Ruby in Paradise" (1993), to a pre-fame Marilyn Monroe in "Norma Jean & Marilyn" (HBO, 1996), or a kidnap victim who manages to elude her captor in "Kiss the Girls"(1997), this actress delivered strong, beautiful, delicate and forthright performances that impressed critics and audiences alike.