Ashley Rickards

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Ashley Rickards – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

Learn about Ashley Rickards — her early life, breakthrough roles in Awkward and Fly Away, her writing and advocacy, and her memorable quotes.

Introduction

Ashley Nicole Rickards (born May 4, 1992) is an American actress, director, and author. She is best known for her starring role as Jenna Hamilton on MTV’s Awkward and for her emotionally powerful portrayal of an autistic girl in the film Fly Away. Beyond acting, Rickards has ventured into writing and philanthropy, making her a multifaceted influencer in youth culture and mental health.

Early Life and Background

Ashley Rickards was born in Sarasota, Florida.
She was raised on a horse farm that also served children with special needs, which helped shape her empathy and awareness from a young age.

She attended a local Montessori school, and around age 13 she first experienced acting through a school opera production.
Remarkably, she graduated high school at age 15 and is a member of Mensa.

As she prepared for a career in entertainment, she moved to Los Angeles, assembling agents and managers while still a teenager.

Career and Achievements

Early Roles & Breakthrough

Rickards began appearing in small guest roles in TV shows such as Everybody Hates Chris, CSI: NY, Zoey 101, Ugly Betty, and Entourage.
Her first significant TV role was Samantha “Sam” Walker on One Tree Hill (2008–2009), playing a troubled foster child.
Around the same time, she also appeared in her first feature film, Gamer.

Awkward and Critical Recognition

In 2011, Rickards landed the lead role of Jenna Hamilton in MTV’s Awkward, a comedy-drama about the trials and tribulations of teen life.
As Jenna, she grew in prominence and also directed an episode of the show.

Also in 2011, she starred in Fly Away, portraying Mandy, a young girl with severe autism — a role that earned her awards and acclaim at film festivals.

Later Projects & Diversification

After Awkward (which ended in 2015), Rickards continued acting in both films and TV:

• Horror / thriller films like At the Devil’s Door

• Recurring role in The Flash as Rosalind “Rosa” Dillon / The Top

• Appearances in Ctrl Alt Delete (2019)

• She also published a book in 2015 titled A Real Guide to Really Getting It Together Once and for All

Rickards has also been involved with Somaly Mam Foundation / Project Futures, working to help prevent human trafficking and sexual slavery in Southeast Asia.

Legacy and Influence

Ashley Rickards stands out among her peers because of:

• Her ability to traverse lighthearted teen roles and deeply emotional, dramatic ones (e.g. Fly Away)

• Her early intellectual achievements (graduating early, Mensa) that underscored she is not only a performer but also deeply thoughtful

• Her voice in self-help and youth empowerment through her book — offering a peer perspective on mental health, identity, and growth

• Her advocacy for social causes — contributing to awareness on human trafficking and giving back through her childhood milieu

She resonates with young audiences not just through character work, but through being open about struggles like body image, identity, and mental health.

Personality, Style & Themes

Rickards tends to convey honesty, vulnerability, and relatability. Her performances often anchor in internal emotional conflict — identity, acceptance, and the search for self.

She also shows courage in selecting roles that are risky or demanding (such as playing a character with autism). Her work as a director and writer further signals a desire to shape narratives, not only inhabit them.

Famous Quotes by Ashley Rickards

Here are a few insights and words attributed to her (drawn from interviews, public remarks, or her writing):

• “It’s so simple to get what you want in life, but so hard learning to love yourself enough to do it.”

• “They’re perfect and whatever they want in life they can have. They just need to work for it.”

• On her book: she aims for the advice she gives to come from personal experience, not distant expertise.

Because Rickards is more guarded about public quotes than some other celebrities, her published works and interviews are stronger sources for her guiding philosophy.

Lessons from Ashley Rickards

From her life and choices, we can gather several lessons:

• Don’t be afraid to start early — she navigated the industry as a teenager with unusual maturity

• Embrace your complexity — she balances intellect, creativity, activism, and artistry

• Use your platform — she chose roles and projects with social relevance, not just entertainment value

• Speak from experience — her book resonates because it isn’t just theoretical advice, but born of trials she’s lived

• Grow in multiple directions — not just acting, but writing, directing, and advocacy

Conclusion

Ashley Rickards is more than a successful actress; she is a voice for youth, a storyteller unafraid of emotional depth, and a public figure who bridges performance with purpose. From a horse farm in Florida to leading tv roles and authorship, her journey offers inspiration to those seeking authenticity, growth, and impact.