Leaders In The Arts, A Star, An Icon

HOLLYWOOD —Actress Ashley Jones is this week’s Leader in the Arts. The beautiful lady who portrays Bridget Forrester Marone on “B&B” and has played Daphne, the female shape shifter on HBO’s “True Blood” counts her blessings every day for having worked with two of the greatest producers, writers in the industry. Bradley P. Bell is the shining light at CBS and is credited with putting a daytime soap opera on a world stage with his talent, ingenuity and superb writing style. “B&B” is the most watched show on the planet and shows no signs of slowing down. She’s also worked with Alan Ball, a legend who is credited with saving HBO with the vampire series.

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This week Jones poured herself into heavy drama when her alter ego on the soap was faced with yet another betrayal by the man she loves. That’s a stark change from her days as a shape shifter, where she was the one doing the double dealing and backstabbing. Jones worked with classically trained actor Sam Trammell on “True Blood” and works with television’s most magnetic superstar Jack Wagner on “B&B.”

Modesty suits Jones just fine, but the reason she’s a leader in the arts is because she has made history like few actresses in Hollywood her age. If you could simply ignore her beauty, you can’t ignore the powerful impression she makes regularly on the small screen. There are many fans of Ashley’s who frequently write to our paper to offer their devotion and support.

All the way from down under, Jeff Dean in Melbourne, Australia says, “The guys behind ”˜True Blood’ are masters at making the True Blood novels come to life without being exactly the same so I live and hope beyond hope that beautiful Ashley Jones will get a second chance to live again in Bon Temps. Between witches, stasis spells, vampire bites and god knows what else that exists in that parallel universe, there must be a way to bring Ashley Jones back to the show and Daphne back to life. Sam needs Daphne! They belong together.”

While Alabama reader and Jones fan, Bobby Head says, “True Blood without a doubt is the TV show with the most loyal fans on earth. I also am aware that to move the story along, certain characters must come and go. But some can and do come back and in this case the ”˜come back character has just got to be Daphne, the beautiful shape shifter played by exciting Ashley Jones. The last we saw of her after the evil Mary Ann had her killed, she was in the walk in freezer in Sam’s cafe. Evil Mary Ann had cut her heart out and served in up in a tasty dish for Tara and Eggs. All Daphne needs is a heart, and a good doctor could put Sam’s one true love back where she belongs, in Sam’s arms. The beautiful Ashley Jones played this part with all her heart, please bring her and the character [Daphne] back, if for no other reason, just to say goodbye. It would make an outstanding story.”
While Trubie devotee Antonio in New Jersey, did not like the character of Daphne because of her betrayal of Sam Merlotte, the fan did add, “He really got treated like crap! Daphne seemed to be good for him it seemed to be a promising new relationship I was happy for him that he found someone like himself who was also a shifter,” said Antonio.

“True Blood” or “The Bold and the Beautiful.” Whatever show you watch Jones for, she’s astonishing in the role and continues to be one of the most exceptional actors in Hollywood today.