Ashley Johnson bio, age, height, Last of Us, husband 2025

Biography of Ashley Johnson

Ashley Johnson is a remarkable example of an actress who began her career as a child. She made her film debut at the age of six, starring alongside Jean-Claude Van Damme in the action-packed thriller, "Lionheart." A decade later, Ashley landed her next major role in the 2000 romantic comedy, "What Women Want."

Johnson had already made her mark as a voice actress, bringing life to countless animated characters and video game roles. One project would change everything.

In 2013, the game "The Last of Us" was released, with Ashley responsible for the motion capture and voice of the lead character. The game became a massive worldwide hit, and Johnson went on to work on an expansion and a full sequel that launched in 2020. In early 2023, she also gave a brief but unforgettable performance in the television series "The Last of Us," adapted from the beloved video game.

Childhood

Ashley Johnson was born in Camarillo, California, on August 9, 1983. Her mother was an independent film producer, while her father captained a research vessel.

Ashley became the youngest of three children, with an older brother, Chris, and a sister, Hayley, already part of the family. After Ashley was born, the family moved to Michigan, where they lived for several years. When Ashley was ready to start school, they moved back to California and settled in Los Angeles.

Ashley's grandmother was a renowned pianist, which helps explain Ashley's early interest in the arts. She attended the International School of Music, where she studied both piano and violin.

In 1999, Ashley's father passed away from complications related to liver and lung cancer, as well as hepatitis C. The loss devastated the family. The 16-year-old girl found solace in her burgeoning acting career.

Acting Career

Ashley made her debut with a small role in the television series "Growing Pains." At the time of filming, she was only six years old. In 1990, Johnson appeared in her first feature film, playing the niece of Jean-Claude Van Damme's character in the action-packed thriller "Lionheart." The young actress was a natural on set and captivated audiences, opening doors to a steady stream of new roles and opportunities.

Over the next decade, she took on various supporting roles in TV series like "All-American Girl" and "ER." In 1995, the actress took on the lead role in the family film "Annie: A Royal Adventure."

Ashley Johnson in Annie: A Royal Adventure

In 2000, Ashley appeared in the popular romantic comedy "What Women Want," portraying the daughter of the main character, played by Mel Gibson.

In 2001, Ashley appeared in the drama "Rustin." Two years later, she appeared in the television series "The Guardian," starring Simon Baker in the lead role. Ashley reunited with the Australian actor starting in 2008 on the detective series "The Mentalist."

Johnson also made appearances in several other popular TV series of the 2000s, including "Dollhouse" and "Lie to Me."

In 2010, the actress played the lead female role in the historical romance film "Alleged." A year later, she joined the cast of the detective television series "The Killing," in which the central characters were portrayed by Mireille Enos and Joel Kinnaman.

In 2012, Johnson appeared in a cameo role in the blockbuster "The Avengers," where her character, a waitress, is saved by Captain America. She was initially slated to play Steve Rogers' love interest in subsequent films of the franchise, but this idea was eventually abandoned.

From 2015 to 2020, Ashley portrayed an FBI forensic specialist in the television series "Blindspot." She starred alongside Jaimie Alexander and Sullivan Stapleton in the project.

Voice Acting

Johnson broke into voice acting in the mid-1990s. She voiced characters in animated series including "Jumanji," "King of the Hill," "Recess," and "Family Guy."

Ashley Johnson Voices The Best Characters

Ashley also voiced characters in animated films like "Recess: School's Out" (2001), "Teen Titans" (2003), and "Ben 10: Alien Force" (2008). Since 2005, she's been actively voicing video game characters, including roles in "Teen Titans," "Ben 10," and "Marvel Heroes."

In 2013, Johnson brought the main character Ellie to life in "The Last of Us," providing both voice and motion capture. The game became a massive commercial hit. Her portrayal of Ellie earned Johnson two BAFTA Awards for Best Performance in a Video Game, plus a VGX Award for voice acting.

In 2015, Johnson joined the cast of the web series "Critical Role." In this show, voice actors play tabletop games, primarily Dungeons & Dragons. Ashley participated in the first three campaigns. The show's success was so huge that in 2018, the "Critical Role" creators launched their own Twitch and YouTube channels, Critical Role Productions studio, and merchandise store.

Soon after, they launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise $750,000 for an animated series based on their first D&D campaign. Instead, backers pledged over $11 million. In late 2020, Ashley became head of their charitable division, the Critical Role Foundation.

Between the Sheets: Ashley Johnson

Johnson also voiced characters in animated series like "Infinity Train" and "Close Enough." In 2020, the sequel to "The Last of Us" was released. This time, Ellie became the main character driving the entire story.

Ashley Johnson during the work on The Last of Us II

The sequel took over five years to complete. "When I learned the full story of the sequel, I was deeply moved, and I couldn't wait to embark on this journey—to tell this story and pour myself into it," Ashley said.

Ashley Johnson's Personal Life

In 2012, Johnson began dating Brian W. Foster, a writer and musician. He also appeared on "Critical Role" for several years. In 2018, the couple announced their engagement.

Ashley and Brian share a large home with their two dogs. The couple doesn't have children, but Ashley spends lots of time with her sister's kids—her nieces and nephews.

Ashley Johnson Now

The animated fantasy series "The Legend of Vox Machina" launched in 2022, based on the first campaign of "Critical Role." The first season proved so successful that the project was greenlit for two additional seasons. "The Legend of Vox Machina" continued with its second season premiering on Amazon Prime Video in early 2023. Johnson provided the voice for a gnome character named Pike Trickfoot.

Additionally, Ashley appeared in the spring 2023 finale of "The Last of Us," based on the hit video game. She portrayed the protagonist's mother in a scene depicting Ellie's birth—a moment specifically created for the series that wasn't in the original game. Critics raved about Johnson's performance, with many noting that "in less than 10 minutes of screen time, the actress delivered one of the series' finest performances."

Ashley Johnson in The Last of Us series»

Ashley herself was delighted by Bella Ramsey's portrayal of Ellie and her on-screen partnership with Pedro Pascal. "I'm blown away by what she's done. I'm so glad she had the opportunity to add her own touch to the character," Johnson said.

Ashley Johnson On Her The Last of Us Role | The Last of Us | HBO Max

Ashley also landed a role in the upcoming sci-fi action film "Paradox," co-starring Matt Dallas, which was announced in 2023.

Interesting facts

The director's cut of "The Avengers" on Blu-ray contains some deleted scenes that expanded Ashley's role.
Johnson co-owns photography company Infinity Pictures, which she founded with longtime friend Mila Shah. The duo also co-hosted a podcast called Wildly Hot & Bothered from 2012 to 2014.
The actress has always loved singing. Until late 2012, she regularly posted her own covers of popular songs online. Later, Ashley performed several original compositions as part of her voice work for The Last of Us Part II.