Ashley Suzanne Johnson is an American actress, singer, and voice actress.
She is best known for her roles as Chrissy Seaver in the sitcom Growing Pains and for
playing Mel Gibson's character's daughter in What Women Want.
As a voice actress she is well known for the part of Gretchen Grundler in Disney's Recess
as well as for Gwen Tennyson in the series Ben 10: Alien Force, and its two successors
Ben 10: Ultimate Alien and Ben 10: Omniverse and Terra in Teen Titans and its sequel series,
Teen Titans Go!.
In 2012, Johnson played a small role as the New York City waitress Beth who is saved by
Captain America in The Avengers.
In 2013, she played the role of Ellie in the video game The Last of Us.
Early life Johnson was born in Camarillo, California,
the youngest daughter of Nancy Spennelli Johnson, an independent film producer; and Clifford
Johnson, who was the captain of an exploration ship.
Her father died of lung and liver cancer in July 2000.
When Ashley was nine days old, her father's job took him to Michigan.
The family settled in the village of Franklin, Michigan, among Detroit's affluent northern
suburbs.
Ashley graduated from high school when she was 15.
Acting career Johnson had a prolific career at a young age.
Before she was twenty-one years old, she had already been in the casts of eight different
TV series.
Her acting career began at age six, when she played the role of Chrissy Seaver.
Her age was accelerated from a toddler between seasons for plotting purposes.
On the television show Growing Pains from 1990 to 1992, in the sixth and seventh season,
she and then little-known actor Leonardo DiCaprio were added to the show before its cancellation.
In the one-season Phenom in 1993-1994, she played the mischievous younger sister of a
rising teenaged tennis star.
She also appeared in the 1994 sitcom All-American Girl, which lasted for only one season.
She played DJ's girlfriend Lisa in a 1995 episode of Roseanne, and was Mel Gibson's
character's daughter in the 2000 comedy What Women Want.
In 2008 she became a regular on the drama Dirt as Sharlee Cates, a starlet whose character
is based on pop singer Britney Spears.
In 2009, she appeared in "Omega", the finale of the first season of Joss Whedon's Dollhouse.
She also appeared in the show's unaired pilot, "Echo".
In 2012, she appeared in The Avengers as a waitress who is saved by Captain America.
Though this was a minor role, the Blu-ray edition of The Avengers contains some deleted
scenes that expand her role in the movie, and further her interactions with Captain
America.
Her "small-but-pivotal role" may lead to her returning in future movies as a friend or
love interest for Captain America.
The characters name 'Beth' may be a reference to the supporting character Golden Girl from
the Captain America comics.
Also a voice actress, in 1993 she voiced Holly on the cartoon Christmas movie Precious Moments
Timmy's Special Delivery.
She played Sean on the cartoon movie The First Snow of Winter in 1998.
Gretchen Grundler on the Walt Disney TV animated series Recess, Terra in the Teen Titans animated
series during the show's second season, Jinmay on Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!
and Gwen Tennyson on Ben 10: Alien Force and in future variations of the Ben 10 franchise.
Three of her roles have love interests who are voiced by Greg Cipes.
She co-starred in the PlayStation exclusive The Last of Us as the character Ellie, which
was released to critical acclaim and commercial success.
She subsequently won a video game BAFTA for Best Performer and a VGX Award for Best Voice
Actress for her role in the game.
Currently she can be seen playing occult specialist Morgan on the web series "Spooked" from Geek
and Sundry.
Personal life Johnson attended the International School
of Music, where she studied violin and piano; she also plays guitar and cello.
When not acting or studying music, Johnson co-runs the photography company Infinity Pictures,
with her friend, production assistant Mila Shah.
Johnson has an older brother, Chris, who worked on the television show The District.
Her older sister, Haylie Johnson, is best known for her role as Haylie on Kids Incorporated.
Haylie is married to musician Jonny Lang.
Both Ashley and Haylie are former Miss Jr.
Michigan titleholders, and they play in a band together.
Her friend Greg Cipes refers to her as his "cartoon girlfriend" in the Cartoon Network
studio.
Credits Film
Television Video games
References
External links Ashley Johnson at the Internet Movie Database
Ashley Johnson on Twitter