We chat with Little Rock native and prolific character actor Ashlie Atkinson. We discuss how she became hooked on acting while attending Hendrix College, working with Spike Lee in the film BlacKkKlansman and why she loves a good villain.
BIO:
Ashlie Atkinson is an award-winning theatre, film, and television actress. A 2003 graduate of the Neightborhood Playhouse, in 2005 she received the Theatre World Award for Breakthrough Performance for originating the role of Helen in Neil Labute's "Fat Pig"(opposite Jeremy Piven) - which also garnered her Outer Critics' Circle and Lucille Lortel nominations. She has graced screens both big and small in Denis Leary's critically-acclaimed Rescue Me, 3lbs, Spike Lee's Inside Man, Another Gay Movie, Sex and The City Movie, Margot at The Wedding, Law & Order, Law &Order: Criminal Intent, Puccini for Beginners, and Filthy Gorgeous. MTV fans may recognize Ashlie as her hip-hop alter ego, "Chunky Pam", a plus-size rap diva - and YouTube viral phenomenon. After appearing opposite Debra Jo Rupp in SecondStage's "Butcher of Baraboo", she returned to Broadway in 2007 to play Vivian Proclo in Terrence McNally's The Ritz (starring Rosie Perez). Ashlie is a proud member of both the Bridge Theatre Commpany and Gotham Girls Roller Derby (where she skates under the name Margaret Thrasher, Prime Minister of Your Demise). Ashlie toured the world in Sam Mendes' The Bridge Project and continues to work in film opposite actors such as Jessica Alba, Ryan Gosling, Kirsten Dunst, Ricky Gervais and Julia Roberts.
SOCIAL MEDIA:
TW: @ashlieatkinson
IG: @ashlie_atkinson