’90s Movie Star Honors Late Mother in Heartfelt Instagram Tribute

A 90’s movie star honored her late mother on what would have been her 80th birthday.

Ashley Judd shared a video clip and a personal message on Instagram reflecting on the lasting influence of her mother, Naomi Judd. The late country superstar’s birthday was on January 11.

Judd posted a video with an accompanying caption which read, “My Mommy, the little girl from Montgomery Avenue, gas station owner & home maker’s daughter, who had a vast & colorful imagination, is 80. Mom, I am so glad to be your girl.”

“You delighted in science & reveled in mystery. From whence did come your spark? The Public Library in Ashland, KY? The Paramount Movie Palace on Winchester Avenue? I am so glad to be your girl.”

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“I am especially honoring how very smart you were, & your abundant, endless curiosity. Pop [Larry Strickland] wishes folks could know about the thick neuroscience books you read, studied & marked up, always on your nightstand. Happy Birthday, Mommy. I am glad to your girl. Love, Sweet Pea.”

Judd’s fans were touched by her tribute, which honored the many friends the country superstar had in the science world, including Francis Collins, Marvin Minksy, Lisa Randall, Svante Pääbo, Rachel Naomi Remen, and Jack Horner. Naomi was fascinated by science, and questioned these thought leaders and friends, her daughter said.

In the video clip, Judd added that her mother was “enthralled by mysticism. She had an incredibly profound, very awake sense of wonder and awe.”

The actress and sister of Wynona Judd appeared in the hit 90s films Ruby in Paradise (1993), crime thrillers like Heat (1995), A Time to Kill (1996), Kiss the Girls (1997), and Double Jeopardy (1999). She has been open about issues such as grief and mental health issues since her mother’s death.

To mark the first anniversary of her mother Naomi Judd’s 2022 suicide, Ashley Judd wrote an essay for The New York Times. She described how she navigates her grief through journaling. “I might tell her how much I love her and miss her. It’s a way we stay very close,” she wrote, and she also emphasized the importance of keeping conversations about mental health open.

If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide or struggling with suicidal thoughts, help is available 24 hours a day through the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.