Aiding the Asian Elephant: Ringing the Bell on Animal Advocacy

Abstract

Actress Ashley Bell's mother is one of the founders of the famous comedy troupe The Groundlings, and her father is an actor and voice artist, so it's no surprise that Bell followed in her parents' footsteps. After graduating from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, she appeared in Machinal on Broadway, performing in eight shows a week, where she "learned the most by ... just watching and listening." In her first film role, as Nell Sweetser in The Last Exorcism, she received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress and an MTV Movie Award nomination, but, more importantly, the team's collaborative and inviting style set the tone for how Bell still works today.