Ashley Rickards

Ashley Rickards, born in Sarasota, Florida, established herself early, graduating high school at the age of 15 and becoming a member of Mensa. Her acting career began with minor roles before she gained substantial recognition for portraying Samantha “Sam” Walker in The CW’s drama series “One Tree Hill” (2008–2009). This role, a run-away foster child, provided her with significant acting experience across multiple episodes. Following this, in 2009, she appeared in her first feature film, “Gamer,” demonstrating her versatility.

A turning point in Rickards’ career occurred when she secured the lead role of Jenna Hamilton in MTV’s comedy-drama series “Awkward.” (2011–2016). This role garnered her a Critics’ Choice Television Award nomination for Best Actress in a Comedy Series in 2012. Concurrently with “Awkward.,” she took on a profoundly different role as Mandy, a severely autistic girl, in the 2011 independent drama film “Fly Away,” for which she received the Best Performance award at the 2011 Arizona International Film Festival. Her abilities expanded behind the camera as well, with Rickards directing two episodes of “Awkward.” between 2014 and 2015.

Rickards continued to build her filmography with roles in films such as “Struck by Lightning” (2012), “Sassy Pants” (2012), “At the Devil’s Door” (2014), and “A Haunted House 2” (2014). From 2016 to 2022, she took on the recurring role of Rosalind “Rosa” Dillon / The Top in The CW series “The Flash,” further showcasing her range in different genres. Beyond acting and directing, Rickards published a book titled “A Real Guide to Getting It Together Once and For All” in 2015 and has been involved in charitable work, including serving on the board of directors for the Project Futures Somaly Mam Foundation to combat human trafficking.