"These are supposed to be the best years of our lives and it's just been one disaster after another after another. This school is cursed." |
Ashley Kerwin (born 1988 in Toronto, Canada) is a former student at Degrassi Community School. Ashley is the daughter of Kate and Robert Kerwin. She is also the stepdaughter of Jeff Isaacs and Christopher and the stepsister of Toby Isaacs. She is popular and at the top of her classes, but damages her relationships with Jimmy Brooks and most of her friends after she takes ecstasy.
Ashley becomes a goth and dates Craig Manning until he cheats on her with Manny Santos. She later becomes cordial with Craig again and joins his band, Downtown Sasquatch, until Spinner Mason and Marco Del Rossi kick her out. Craig and Ashley rekindle their relationship; Craig proposes to her, but she refuses, resulting in the discovery of his bipolar disorder. She moves to England to work with her dad in the summer, breaking up with Craig via email when she meets a new guy, Alistair. She returns to Degrassi to finish school and rekindles her relationship with Jimmy. Her music talent is almost discovered, but is overshadowed when Jimmy's is spotlighted, with the tension resulting in their final breakup. She goes on a road trip with Emma Nelson, Manny, and Liberty Van Zandt to Smithdale University for the Purple Dragon concert. She sees Craig performing at the concert and decides to drop out of school and tour with him in Europe.
She is best friends with Ellie Nash and Terri MacGregor and close friends with Paige Michalchuk. She is also friends with Spinner. She was rivals with Manny. Ashley was portrayed by Melissa McIntyre.
Character History
Season 1
In Mother and Child Reunion (2), Ashley is first introduced and seeing giving school tours to the alumni with Terri MacGregor.
In Family Politics, her mother, Kate, has recently remarried and moved in with Jeff, Toby's dad. Ashley and Toby do not get along because Ashley is popular and "perfect" while Ashley finds Toby annoying and that he monopolizes Kate's time, not to mention the school year difference (Toby is in 7th grade while Ashley is an 8th grader).
When Ashley is set to win School President, Toby gets his friend, J.T. to run against her, just for the sake of annoying her. This conflict permeates into their home life and things reach breaking point when Ashley bribes J.T. with 80 Canadian dollars to quit. However, she makes peace with Toby and wins the election (fairly).
The year's first dance is coming up. Ashley gives Terri a makeover for the school dance to give her a bit more self-esteem (as Terri believed she was ugly and fat). Because she's School President, she has to arrive early at the dance, leaving Paige alone with Terri.
Paige manipulates Terri's vulnerable emotional state and gets her drunk. Ashley is furious with Paige for taking advantage of her.
Ashley is also dating the equally popular Jimmy Brooks, but some issues arise in their relationship. Days before their eight-month anniversary, Dr. Sally, a very popular sex expert, deemed "The Sex Lady," comes to the 8th grade health class to talk to them about sexual issues that teenagers usually face.
Afterward, Spinner pressures Jimmy to have sex with Ashley just as Paige is doing so with her. In English class, Ms. Kwan assigns the class roles for Romeo and Juliet to do a brief class presentation/performance of certain parts of the play. Jimmy and Paige are playing Romeo and Juliet which makes Ashley insecure. She confides in Terri, who tells her not to worry, but she does not listen and insults her ("I can't believe I'm taking advice from someone who hasn't even been on a date!") She makes "plans" with Jimmy anyway.
When they are actually in the situation they planned for, they confess that they are not ready for sex yet and that it was more about pressure than what they really wanted to do.
Ashley tells him of her insecurities, but he reassures her that he likes her and not Paige.
During Parents' Day and a school open house, Ashley and Paige vie for the attention of Toby's mother, who happens to be a Hollywood casting agent. It turns out that she was more interested in Terri than the other two girls. Ashley and Paige are both left in disappointment and dismay. However, Ashley is happy for Terri.
Ashley also had troubles with the school's Vice President, Liberty. Liberty was sick of not having enough say and asked Ashley if she could do the morning announcements.
Originally, Ashley refused and when she let her do it, Liberty froze and ran away in humiliation for being so confident, yet showing her speaking fears on the school television. Feeling terrible, she gave Liberty another, better chance ("after I graduate") and she did the announcements from then on.
Ashley's father is back in town and she's proud to show him off at school. Her teachers and friends are impressed with him, including Paige who comments that he's hot "for his age".
Ashley has hopes of her parents' remarrying, confused about why they even divorced in the first place since they got along very well. When Ashley asks her mother why they really broke up, she reluctantly tells her it's because he's gay.
The following day, Ashley goes to school upset and before she can tell Terri of her troubles, Paige rudely butts into the conversation. She tells Ashley the possible "real reason" for the divorce (which IS the "real" reason), not generally realizing she was telling the truth.
Thinking that Paige was being Paige, Ashley throws chocolate milk into her face and tells her to mind her own business, then stomps away. Paige is near tears as she confesses to Terri that her older brother is gay and she was usuallly trying to be serious with Ashley.
Later on, Ashley has a talk with her father and she tries to accept the fact that he's gay. However, she gets angry with him when he tells her that the real reason he left her mother was because he was having an affair with one of his longtime friends.
Soon after, Ashley confesses to Terri that she intends to refuse her father, but Terri suggests she reconsider, as Terri's mother passed away and she wanted Ashley to be grateful that she even has a choice as to whether she wants her father in her life or not. Ashley ends up reconciling with him later.
Later on, Jimmy begins spending too much time with Ashley and is at her place for dinner almost every night.
Her friends convince her to dump him and she proceeds to, despite Toby's protests but when he ends up by himself on his birthday, Jimmy leaves a message saying how Ashley's family are everything he gets. Ashley decides to stay with him, and they reconcile the next day.
When rumors begin to circulate that Mr. Armstrong, the math, gym, and health teacher, might be a pedophile because he is spending "extra time" with Liberty, she informs her of the rumor.
It is later shown that the reason he is doing so is because she needs more help with math as she has a learning difficulty relating to the subject.
For Degrassi's talent show, Ashley writes a song called "how can i b?" and teamed up with Terri under the name, "Two Girls and a Keyboard" but Terri felt the act needed some fun and that she wasn't being listened to, so she invited Paige to the band.
Paige wanted the band to be called "Paige Michalchuk and the Sex Kittens" and wanted to mix Ashley's song. Ashley refused and wished the band to be called, "Three Girls and a Keyboard."
Terri, interested in the supernatural world, especially tarot cards and Ouija boards, was asked to decide by using the card set and lied about a card's meaning. Ashley figured things out and quit but re-entered when Terri and Paige were a hit at the talent show. They called the band PMS and Ashley agreed to give Terri more of a say.
Ashley's "perfect" world came crashing down when she invited Terri, Paige and Hazel over for a slumber party whilst Kate and Jeff were away. Paige told Ashley that she believed her to be "boring" and "predictable," upsetting her. J.T., whom Toby had invited, brought ecstasy as a party favor. Sean went to replace it with aspirin and told Ashley to throw it away. She consumed it however, determined to not be seen as predictable.
Soon, more people came over and Ashley (who was extremely high) was out of control. She began dancing and made out with Sean even though she was still dating Jimmy.
Ashley then publicly dumped Jimmy, telling him everything she thought of their relationship. She also called Paige a "hag," insulting her looks and personality. Everyone (except for Terri) left the party, disgusted at Ashley's behavior.
The next day, Ashley wakes up sick from her high. Nobody answers her phone calls. Spinner comes with a box of Ashley and Jimmy's "stuff" from the relationship. He bluntly tells her that Jimmy, and probably everyone else, wants nothing to do with her.
Things don't seem to improve as Kate and Jeff arrive to a messy house, obvious that a party happened there.
Terri and Toby comfort a broken-down Ashley as the parents call for a "family meeting" as Toby and Ashley are obviously in trouble.
But her parents' wrath are the least of Ashley's worries, as she has also lost her friends and her reputation.
Season 2
As Ashley commenced her freshman year, it seemed like "a burning pit of fire". Every time she tried to reach out to her old friends, they were cold and scathing towards her.
However, Ashley apologized to Jimmy & Paige and was accepted again. Jimmy hoped that he would get back together with Ashley, and his grants seemed to be coming true when she flirted with him.
Things took a turn for the worse when Sean asked her out and she accepted. Terri warned her about Jimmy, but Ashley shook this off and accidentally insulted her. Terri then misheard her apology.
When everyone finds out about her and Sean, Jimmy calls her a "slut," as that's the name for "girls who cheat on their boyfriends" and everyone turns on her.
Even Terri chooses Paige and Hazel over Ash. On Sean's date, Ashley notices Paige and Hazel nearby and worries what they will think.
When she gets over them, she worries what Sean thinks of her, ruining the date. Ashley now has returned as being friendless and alone.
Ashley later becomes a goth when she befriends Ellie Nash. Their friendship is terrific until Ellie gets a ear piercing and Ashley decides to get a belly button piercing. Ashley is afraid of needles, though, and has not told her parents. Ashley freaks out at the last minute and decides not to get one, but Ellie is alright with it and Ashley is happy to have a friend that will not judge her.
Ashley tells Ellie that she was trying to be cool, but Ellie explains she does not have to be as they are best friends. When another talent show swings around, Paige invites Ashley to be a member of PMS and makes peace with her.
Ashley writes something "real" (as Paige had requested) and she writes "Poor Thing" about rape just as Paige is getting over her own.
Paige gets into a fight with Ashley and runs out, but Ashley runs after her and comforts her, promising not to use the song.
Ashley also gets Paige counseling sessions with Ms. Sauve. However, Dean turns up at the competition, and Paige decides to use Ashley's song, which makes him uncomfortable enough to leave. They are given an honorable mention and Ashley begins to win her old friends back.
Her relationship with Toby continued to grow when Toby began to use laxatives to make the wrestling team. Ashley saw him using them and he tried to make her not care, but she still did and spoke with J.T. about it. At the end, Toby stopped using them.
Ashley and Jimmy still have feelings for each other but did never know how to tell each other. Jimmy invites Ashley to his party and they become a couple again.
Soon after, Ashley begins playing music for Jimmy, but he does not seem to understand it or appreciate it. They are studying "Taming of the Shrew" and Craig is Ashley's partner.
It is clear Jimmy hates Ashley's goth look as he keeps a picture of her from last year in his locker even though she gives him a more recent one. Ashley changes her style for a day, which shocks Craig, who accepts her for who she is.
Ashley decides she does not want to change herself for Jimmy and asks which picture he liked better of her. Jimmy tells her, "The old one." They then break up, but there is no big ill-will.
Craig and Ashley both crush on each other until he asks her to the Hawaiian-themed dance and she accepts.
When Craig begins hanging out with his abusive father, Ashley is unsettled so he introduces them over dinner at a restaurant. Albert insults Ashley and can't even remember her name.
Albert begins to be abusive again and dies in a car crash. Ashley tries to be there for Craig but he is happy and enters them in the luau.
When Craig breaks down, Terri comforts him and returns to dance with Ashley.
Season 3
The year begins happily for Craig and Ashley, until Paige's Sweet 16.
Days before, Ashley tells Craig that she loves him and he is shocked and wants to have sex.
Ashley explains she won't until she knows that he loves her back. Craig has some difficulty trying to tell her and she almost breaks up with him for it, but he ends up telling her through song. They then agree to have sex after Paige's party, but Craig tells Spinner, who makes crude gestures.
Being a private person, this bothers Ashley. When she cancels their plans, they get into a huge argument at the party and break up.
The next day, however, Ashley apologizes and they both explain that they love each other, despite Craig hooking up with Manny in their time apart.
When Ashley is out of town, Craig cheats her on with Manny and continues to do so for a few months.
During Christmas, Ashley and Craig are singing a duet at the Christmas Talent Show and happier than ever. Ashley peaks at Craig's Christmas presents and discovers a figure skater bracelet.
When Craig is about to break up with Ashley for Manny, she gives him a top of the range guitar that her grandfather used to own and so he loses heart.
When Manny is applying Ashley's makeup before the talent show, Ashley notices the bracelet and asks her about it.
Manny explains that she did not want her to know that Craig had moved on so quickly, when Ashley reveals they're still together.
Onstage, Ashley is not singing and when Craig asks what's wrong, she slaps him across the face and breaks up with him. Manny follows suit.
When Manny becomes pregnant with Craig's baby, she confides in Paige who tells Ashley when she is having a bad day. Ashley then sees the two with a baby names Book and announces the pregnancy to the whole cafeteria.
Later, a Battle of the Bands competition comes to Degrassi and Ashley enters the contest along with Ellie, Paige and Hazel under the name, "Hell Hath No Fury" but so does Craig's band, "Downtown Sasquatch".
"Hell Hath No Fury" essentially becomes an anti-Craig band, with their T-shirts having a cross over his face and their song "Mr. Nice Guy" about Craig.
Craig finds out and they get into an argument in class with Ashley mocking him and Craig offending her.
At the contest, Craig decides to apologize to Ashley in a song called "Dust" and wins the competition. Ashley also forgives him, saying "nice lyrics. they were just right."
Despite forgiving Craig, Ashley is still hurting from the emotional trauma he left her with, coupled with her dismay over Terri in a coma. Paige and Spinner (having borrowed Dylan's car to skip school) find Ashley at home in bed with Kate remarking "Ashley's sanity has left the building."
Eventually, the two get her to come with them. They do a lot of rebellious things, such as eating lunch and running off without paying. Ashley wants to see Terri so they do, but at the sight of Terri's stitches, she runs out.
Ashley then reveals that she will be leaving Degrassi as she believes that it is cursed. Spinner thinks that she is crazy, but Paige gets fed up and tells her to enjoy life and loosen up.
Ashley takes Paige's advice and enters an Elvis Presley impersonation competition and wins third prize. Ashley then decides to stay at Degrassi.
Season 4
When Ashley sees Craig during his birthday at the beginning of the year, she runs away as she still has feelings for him.
However, the next day, she apologizes and they begin a friendship. Craig reveals that his father left him 16,000 dollars and he wants to buy a guitar with it.
Ashley helps him pick it out, but this gets him into trouble with Joey and he ends up using all his money. She begins to give Craig advice about his band and helps him perform better.
Impressed that she has more musical knowledge than his other bandmates, he asks her to join. She plays with them at a Spirit Squad car wash and she seems jealous when he looks at Manny.
After the school shooting, Ashley is in deep shock and at home she calls the shooter, Rick Murray, a "psycho" although ironically she's heard of him, but never met him in person. Emma stands up for Rick and surprises Ashley, saying that he was Toby's friend.
Whilst Ashley's keyboarding did improve the band, Marco and Spinner feel she is stealing the spotlight. When they are asked to record a demo for a record label, something they were asked to do one year prior, the issues become more prevalent. Spinner and Marco then make their own additions to the band by having Manny on the tambourine and Marco on the accordion.
In a band meeting without Ashley, Craig decides that he has to cut her and tells her so before the demo.
However, after their first song, Craig runs out and tells Ashley that he loves her and it has always been her. Surprisingly, Ashley takes him back.
Days before Ashley's father's wedding, she and Craig have sex. She is overcome with emotion, as it is her first time, but when Craig begins to act strange, Ashley knows something's wrong.
At the pre-wedding party, Craig proposes to Ashley and, in shock, she gently refuses.
In a rage, Craig spirals down a tunnel of depression and trashes his hotel room, leaving Joey with the bill.
The next day, she calls him up and says that one day she would love to marry him. Craig was relieved, but Ashley warned him not to mention it at the wedding. He does and gets into a fight with her father.
Ashley and Joey are both concerned and when Craig begins to beat up Joey, Ashley calms him down and he is quickly happy and confused about Joey, so she takes him to the hospital. He is diagnosed as having bipolar disorder, but Ashley and his family continue to stand by him.
Ashley begins focusing too much on Craig's disorder though and he feels as if it's the only thing they ever talk about.
Ashley tries to get Craig to join a support group and he does it for her, but he is enraged when he discovers it is the same group that Ellie attends.
Ellie manages to send out the situation and Craig tells Ashley that he wants to be her boyfriend, not some crazy guy that she has to save all the time.
However, Ashley becomes stressed and decides to move to England for the Summer with her father for a break, but not to break up with Craig. Craig tries to get her to stay by writing the music for Kevin Smith's new film Jay and Silent Bob Go Canadian, Eh!, but she refuses.
Craig feels abandoned and goes off his medication. Joey is able to calm him down and he is okay in the end.
Season 5
At the beginning of the season, Ashley has stopped contacting Craig, which upsets him more than he lets on.
She sends an email to Ellie (who has become Craig's best friend over the summer) and explains that she will be staying in England for the year and is dumping Craig because she has found someone else in England.
Ellie breaks the news to Craig on his birthday, which causes a rift but they reunite.
Ashley returns to Degrassi in the finale, and is a lot happier, carefree and kinder. Craig is also back from Vancouver, but he keeps his distance from her as he has moved onto Manny.
Jimmy confides in Ashley that he likes Ellie and when the latter says she is crushing on someone, Ashley tries to push them together, however, Ellie admits she likes Craig and only loves Jimmy as a friend, so he leaves.
Jimmy then thanks Ashley but explains that nobody wants to date a guy in a wheelchair, she stops him and kisses him, again kindling their middle school romance.
Ashley does not appear until the end of season 5, but in Our Lips Are Sealed (2), Hazel mentions to Alex that if you want to know how Paige can freeze people out, phone up Ashley Kerwin.
Season 6
After Ashley's return from England, Jimmy and Ashley saw a same old love in each other. However, after attempting to take a step forward with sexual relations, Jimmy realized that his physical damage has made it hard for him to get an erection. He attempted to take these further by taking pills for erectile dysfunction.
Despite taking the medicine, Jimmy's erections still failed. This frustrated Jimmy to the point that he said he's not wanting to see Ashley.
Despite this, Ashley explained she still wants to be with him, and found other ways to show each other love.
Also, in a deleted scene, Jimmy was shown typing the Internet on the anatomy of the penis, due to his erectile dysfunction. The website showed how men achieve an erection in their penis by giving a diagram from flaccid to erect state.
Spinner and Jimmy open a store with money from Jimmy's academic fund while Marco, Ashley, Paige, Ellie and Dylan stand by their side for support.
Ashley also tries to support Ellie when she is preparing to have sex with Jesse and through her relationship with him.
Ashley is also seen at J.T. Yorke's memorial service talking to Ellie about her sorrow for Mia and the death of her boyfriend, J.T.
Season 7
When Craig's CD finally came out, Ashley found out that he uncredit her for using one of her songs. Jimmy was happy that he was mentioned in the shout-outs, but the album inspired Ashley to go back into music.
Ashley wanted Jimmy to follow her on her dreams, so he wrote a rap to perform with her. She decided to write Jimmy out of the song and to go on stage alone.
When she performed, the crowd booed her and attempted to sabotage the act Jimmy helped her by going onto the stage with his rap, much to her disdain.
Ashley thought that people only saw her as Craig's ex-sidekick, and she did not want to be Jimmy's, but she still encouraged him to pursue a music career.
Griffin (Ellie's new roommate) heard the track and asked Jimmy to perform at a show. Jimmy still wanted Ashley there with him, but she stepped aside so Jimmy could get the spotlight.
Griffin showed their work to a producer, and asked them both to make a demo. Jimmy was excited about his opportunity and asked Ashley to manage it.
Ashley ended up deleting Jimmy's rap and sent the producer just her song instead.
When Jimmy found out Ashley deleted his rap of the demo, Jimmy became upset and called her his "biggest disappointment". At the clinic, Jimmy meets a girl named Trina who inspires him to keep trying to walk.
After Trina convinces Jimmy to drive, he realizes he has feelings for her, which leads to his break-up with Ashley. Later, he finds out that Trina has signed up for stem cell surgery and she convinces him to do the same.
After recently being accepted to Hudson University to study law like his father, Jimmy decides to use his grant money to pay for the surgery.
However, his father does not approve and tells him to wait a few years for research into stem cells to advance, but after catching his father having an affair, Jimmy questions himself for trying to live up to a man who did not have any standards himself.
After a confrontation with his father, Jimmy decides to go through with the surgery and at dinner that night, he tells his parents he wants to go to Amsterdam with Trina and have the surgery done as soon as possible, but does not explain his mother about his father's infidelity.
After this, he begins spending more and more time with Trina. Jimmy becomes tired of relying on Ashley for everything and when Trina tells him about stem cell surgery, he is caught between two girls. He eventually chooses Trina and is distant to Ashley afterwards.
Ashley later gets tickets to a Purple Dragon concert Craig is performing at over spring break and invites Emma, Liberty and Manny, who she has since made a truce with, to come.
Jimmy is in ill-will to her at the concert but she is happy and informs him that she will be touring with Craig, who she goes up onstage to join.
Mentions
Season 8
In Degrassi Goes Hollywood, Ellie wonders what happened to Ashley and asked Craig what happened, Craig informs Ellie that he and Ashley toured together for some time after the events of Bust A Move.
The two parted ways after playing a show in England when Ashley decided to stay in Europe and Craig moved to Los Angeles.
Appearances
- Mother and Child Reunion (2)
- Family Politics
- Eye of the Beholder
- Parents' Day
- The Mating Game
- Basketball Diaries
- Secrets and Lies
- Coming of Age
- Rumours and Reputations
- Friday Night
- Cabaret
- Under Pressure
- Jagged Little Pill
- When Doves Cry (1)
- Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
- Karma Chameleon
- Weird Science No Lines
- Drive
- Shout (2)
- Mirror in the Bathroom
- Take My Breath Away
- Don't Believe the Hype
- Careless Whisper
- Hot for Teacher
- Message in a Bottle
- Relax
- Dressed in Black
- Fight for Your Right
- How Soon Is Now?
- Tears Are Not Enough (1)
- Tears Are Not Enough (2)
- Father Figure (1)
- U Got the Look No Lines
- Pride (1)
- Should I Stay or Should I Go?
- Whisper to a Scream
- Against All Odds
- Holiday (1)
- Holiday (2)
- This Charming Man
- Accidents Will Happen (1)
- Accidents Will Happen (2)
- Don't Dream It's Over
- Rock and Roll High School
- I Want Candy
- The Power of Love No Lines
- Ghost in the Machine (1)
- Ghost in the Machine (2)
- Anywhere I Lay My Head
- Islands in the Stream
- Time Stands Still (2)
- Neutron Dance
- Voices Carry (1)
- Voices Carry (2)
- Secret (1)
- Eye of the Tiger
- West End Girls
- Goin' Down the Road (1)
Style
Ashley is a character whose style changed drastically in every season. A passionate, creative, though insecure girl, her constantly evolving style reflected a desperate need for her to find herself.
As a grade 8 student in season 1, Ashley dressed the way a then-trendy young teenager typically did.
Although she was popular, and dressed more for comfort than for style. Her hair was a longer bob style, usually worn down with a headband.
Her slightly athletic wardrobe consisted mostly of tank tops or polo shirts, paired with jeans or khakis.
Her footwear of choice alternated between sandals or sneakers. However, Ashley's slightly tomboyish look was offset by lots of jewelry and makeup.
As a result of her ostracization from her group of friends in season 2, Ashley withdrew from most of the rest of her peers, and became a goth. Her harsh style refelcted her bitterness and resentment towards her old friends. Ashley's hair was cut into a thick, shorter pixie style.
Later that year, she cut it even shorter and dyed it black. Her dark, heavy makeup, preference for black lace and mesh clothing, metal jewelry, and overall more abrasive attitude earned her the nickname "vampire" by her classmates.
Ashley's style changed once again, and softened considerably, by the beginning of season 3. By this time, she was in a greater relationship with Craig, and had made amends with her friends.
Ashley's more positive outlook on life caused her to remove her goth look entirely. Her new style was influenced mostly by Craig's own indie rock wardrobe. She dyed her hair back to brown with auburn (bright red in some episodes and the season 3-4 intro) highlights and began growing it back out, wearing it in a everyday
flip. Her outfits featured mostly classic and rock-inspired t-shirts, jeans, denim and canvas jackets, and Converse sneakers.
Though her fondness for accessories and jewelry remained intact, Ashley began wearing fewer metal pieces, opting instead for studded leather cuffs and belts.
Season 4 was the first season that not feature a total overhaul of Ashley's style. She had still retained her rocker look by the beginning of grade 11 despite parting ways with Craig during the past year.
The two reunited as friends in the autumn however, eventually rekindled their romance, and began spending most of their
time writing music together. Their synchronized senses of style reflected the strengthening of their relationship.
The only slight difference to Ashley's look her hair, which she had growed out slightly into a thicker bob.
Although Ashley was absent throughout the majority of season 5, she returned to Degrassi at the end of the school year after having spent the past several months in
London living with her father. She arrived at Degrassi having shed her tomboyish rocker look, instead sporting an outfit vaguely inspired by London's mod culture. Ashley's hair was now the longest it had ever been, and overall, she had developed a very feminine, refined sense of style while living abroad.
In season 6, Ashley had re-enrolled as a senior at Degrassi and re-connected with her former boyfriend Jimmy.
Ashley had become a very positive and down-to-earth young woman, often giving Jimmy much needed support and sympathy in navigating their relationship in spite of his paralysis.
Her newfound warmth and serenity were expressed through a colourful, ultra-feminine, bohemian sense of style. Ashley continued to keep her hair long, wearing it down in elegant curls.
Her clothing was bright, and usually consisted of floral or patterned tank tops paired with light jeans. In addition, Ashley's outfits were combined with lots of jewelry and accessories such as filigree earrings, abalone shell bracelets, woven belts and headscarves.
After returning from Christmas vacation at the beginning of season 7, Ashley began making changes to her look once more.
The dreary winter weather, as well as the sombre mood in the school as a result of J.T. Yorke's murder had an impact on the way many of Degrassi's students dressed and Ashley was no exception. Her original relaxed, bright, cheerful look was replaced with a style that was much darker and moody.
The colourful patterns that had dominated her clothes only months before were overtaken by black and deep jewel-toned clothing in heavier fabrics such as crushed velvet.
Trivia
- Ashley shares similarities with Stephanie Kaye.
- Like Stephanie, Ashley was embarrassed to have her younger step-brother, Toby, attending Degrassi with her, and the two often butted heads. Stephanie was embarrassed of her younger brother Arthur. The two girls also ran for student council president during the start of their 8th grade days, and they both won and maintained a level of authority among their peers.
- Both Ashley and her best friend Ellie have been in a love triangle with Craig and Manny.
- Ashley is the third character to appear in a mini-episode during a season in which they did not appear. The other three are Sean Cameron, J.T. Yorke and Paige Michalchuk.
- Ashley lost her virginity to Craig in the Season 4 episode Voices Carry (1). She was a 16-year-old junior at the time.
- Both Ashley and her best friend Ellie have either kissed, dated, or flirted with Jimmy, Craig, and Sean.
- Ashley, Ellie, and Darcy Edwards have all been called vampires.
- Ashley is one of the girls that Craig wrote a song about, not standing his sister Angela Jeremiah. The other two are Manny Santos and Ellie Nash.
- Ashley was the first regular character to leave Degrassi to move to another country (she moved to England). The second was Darcy (who moved to Kenya), the third was Mia Jones (who moved to France), and the fourth and fifth were Declan and Fiona Coyne (who moved to the United States). She and Fiona are the only ones who eventually returned to Canada.
- She is afraid of needles, as revealed in Drive, however she is seen with a belly ring in Pride (1), so she may have gotten over her fear and also gets weak stomached over the sight of blood in I Want Candy.
- She is the only character in the franchise who has had same-sex parents (her father and stepfather), although she did not live with them.
- Ashley is the first female Degrassi student to have dyed their hair an unnatural color (bright red in the season 3-4 intro) before Lola (purple/pink/blue) and Grace (blue ombre).
- Ashley was the third character to dine and dash. The others were Spinner, Paige and Zig.
- In Tears Are Not Enough (2), she attended Albert Manning's funeral.
- She dumped two of her boyfriends on their birthdays: Jimmy on his 14th birthday in Coming of Age and Craig on his 17th birthday in Venus (1).
- In Careless Whisper, Ashley was the first person to genuinely (not jokingly) suggest that Marco Del Rossi may be gay.
- In Venus (1), it was stated that her email address was AKerwin@treeemail.com.
- She was the fourth character to have the main plot in an episode of a season in which she did not star. The first was Hazel Aden, the second was Marco Del Rossi, the third was Ellie Nash and the fifth was Anya MacPherson.
- She was a fan of British musician Craig David and has a poster of him in Karma Chameleon.
- Deanna Casaluce auditioned for the role of Ashley before being cast as Alex Nuñez.
- It was mentioned in Karma Chameleon that she spent most of the summer of 2002 in counseling due to her experience with ecstasy in Jagged Little Pill.
Quotes
- "Here we have our History room to the left, our Geography room to the right and our English room up ahead." (First Line) - Mother and Child Reunion (2)
- " (With Craig) 'Cause my window got the light that I know....oooh yeah!" - (Final line) - Bust a Move (2)
- (On the phone with Terri): "This is gonna be the best year ever!" - Family Politics
- "People thought I was Craig's sidekick, and I don't wanna be Jimmy's. Does that make me a bitch?" - It's Tricky
- "I wanted to die, Craig. I felt THAT bad." - Rock and Roll High School
- "Oh yeah Dad, keep telling me who I am." - Jagged Little Pill
- "That makes me vaguely itchy." - High Fidelity (2)
- "Excuse us, posers." - Rock and Roll High School
- "Cause nothing gets in the way of what Craig wants: not emotions, honesty, other people's feelings..." - Rock and Roll High School
- (To Toby): "For once just once, I wanted something that you couldn't take away. But you found a way." - Family Politics
- "He is so annoying! He's like a little mosquito buzzing in your ear!" - Family Politics
- "Sean, you brought drugs?!" - Jagged Little Pill
- "Sean, don't cry. Don't cry." - Jagged Little Pill
- "No, Paige. You are the hag on two fronts, your looks and your personality." - Jagged Little Pill
- (To Jimmy): "No, A B C D E!" - Jagged Little Pill
- (To Emma, Manny and Liberty): "Hey! You're not Jimmy and Spinner!...Unless they got a sex change!" - Jagged Little Pill
- (To Jimmy): "Chill, 'Dad'! I'm going to the bathroom! I'll drink some water... from the toilet!" - Jagged Little Pill
- "Ter, I love your shirt. It's so shiny like stars." - Jagged Little Pill
- "Liberty!...I didn't invite you! How did you know? Was I sending a second vibration?" - Jagged Little Pill
- "So one minute we're talking first recording session butterflies, and the next, full on lip lock." - Neutron Dance
- "Hey! Everybody! These two have an announcement to make! Guys? Oh, they're way too modest. So I'll help spread the joy. These two idiots are pregnant! That's right, because it's way too difficult to use a condom!" - Accidents Will Happen (2)
- (To Craig): "I can't believe you slept with her!" - Accidents Will Happen (2)
- "Moving on? We're still together." - Holiday (2)
- (To Toby): "Oh, please. My mom dotes on you! Ever since you moved in she doesn't care about me. So long as you're happy. You're everywhere! At home, at school even in my campaign!" - Family Politics
- (To Toby): "Just listen to my speech. Then, decide if I don't deserve to be president." - Family Politics
- "Paige, how many glasses did she drink? And don't lie." - Eye of the Beholder
- "I know what you're doing, Paige Michalchuk." - The Mating Game
- "I'm not blind. You were all over Jimmy in there." - The Mating Game
- "Madam, your mother craves a word with you!" - The Mating Game
- "You don't understand. Ever since we were little everything I got Paige had to have too. But, I have to draw the line at my boyfriend." - The Mating Game
- "It's called blackmail."
- "Jimmy, I'm sorry. But I'm just not ready for this. Paige might be, but-" - The Mating Game
- "She's ready for this. She's done this." - The Mating Game
- "I think you need to mind your own business, Paige!" - Secrets and Lies
- "He's just everywhere. Right, now I'm at the point where i could break up with him." - Coming of Age
- (To Spinner): "Because you put them there! What's in that container?" - Rumours and Reputations
- "Paige, it's Two Girls and a Keyboard and no, we're fine." - Cabaret
- "Terri, you predicted a twist in her day and she just twisted her ankle."- Cabaret
- "This cabaret will be the best! Wait 'til they hear our song."- Cabaret
- "You want us to look like prostitutes?"- Cabaret
- (To Paige): "I researched it. I know a lot more about than you do."- Cabaret
- "Tell me what's wrong with the song and I'll change it."- Cabaret
- "I didn't know my kitchen was upstairs." - Careless Whisper
- "And that's why the girls and I are gonna blow you right off the stage." - Rock and Roll High School
- "Typical, self-absorbed Craig actually thinks the song is about him." - Rock and Roll High School
- "These are supposed to be the best years of our lives and it's just been one disaster after another after another. This school is cursed." - I Want Candy
- "No, he's right. Next year, I'm leaving Degrassi." - I Want Candy
- "(To Craig): "Look, I was hoping we could be friends but as soon as I saw you..." - Ghost in the Machine (2)
- "Yeah. So, good birthday?" - Ghost in the Machine (2)
- "How about full on psycho? Certified freak? The guy made us a lead story on the 6:00 news." - Time Stands Still (2)
- "I didn't think you'd mind." - Secret (1)
- "Well, somebody's gotta make up for Spinner." - Here Comes Your Man (1)
- (To Jimmy): "Like you said, good things come to those who wait." - Can't Hardly Wait
- "So what Jimmy, you want me to just walk away?" - Live to Tell
- (To Manny): "Sorry doesn't make up for all the pain you caused." - Accidents Will Happen (1)
- "Black twisted agony, the fires of chaos burn on, from her tombstone before it's too late. The blood runs cold in her veins." - Rock and Roll High School
- (to Marco): "You like? It's amazing what you can do with a computer these days." - Rock and Roll High School
- Ashley: "I'm just scared on needles. I can't explain it."
Ellie: "So why would you try a piercing?"
Ashley: "I dunno, I just… thought it would look cool. And I thought I’d gain some points with you."
Ellie: "Points?"
Ashley: "You know what I mean."
Ellie: "No, I don't. Ash, you're my friend. You don't need a piercing to impress me." - Drive - Ellie: "I've never liked anyone like this before. It's weird."
Ashley: "It's love."
Ellie: "It's not your business. Shut up." - Karma Chameleon - Ashley: (referring to Manny) "Hey Ellie, do you smell something?"
Ellie: "I think it's the peculiar smell of a boyfriend thief." - Accidents Will Happen (1) - Ashley: (referring to Jesse) "So what's he like?"
Ellie: "Cute, funny, um sexy, smart, intimidatingly so. I don't know what he sees in me."
Ashley: "Oh come on, El."
Ellie: "Ash, he's 22 with tons of experience. I've only had two boyfriends. One was Marco...gay and the other was Sean. We never...you know."
Ashley: "You think he wants to?"
Ellie: "Um, he's a guy."
Ashley: "Yeah, good point. So have you know, talked about uh doing it?"
Ellie: "Can we not say doing it? And no. No, we haven't talked about it. Not yet. I mean I find it a little embarrassing and by a little, I mean hugely."
Ashley: "Well, if you can’t talk about it, you should at least be prepared in case, you know, it just happens."
Ellie: "I hate when you're right."
Ashley: "Lucky for you there's a health clinic at the university." - Eyes Without a Face (2)
Relationships
- Main article: Jimmy-Ashley Relationship
- Jimmy Brooks
- First Relationship:
- Start Up: 8 months before Family Politics (103)
- Break Up: Coming of Age (109)
- Reason: Ashley considers Jimmy was too clingy.
- Second Relationship:
- Start Up: Coming of Age (109)
- Break Up: Jagged Little Pill (115)
- Reason: Ashley cheated on Jimmy with Sean.
- Third Relationship:
- Start Up: Message in a Bottle (216)
- Broke Up: Dressed in Black (218)
- Reason: Ashley believes that Jimmy preferred the "old" her rather than the new her.
- Fourth Relationship:
- Start Up: High Fidelity (2) (519)
- Broke Up: Live to Tell (712)
- Reason: Jimmy developed feelings for Trina.
- First Relationship:
- Main article: Craig-Ashley Relationship
- Craig Manning
- First Relationship:
- Start Up: Tears Are Not Enough (2) (222)
- Broke Up: Holiday (2) (312)
- Reason: Craig cheated on Ashley with Manny.
- Second Relationship:
- Start Up: Neutron Dance (410)
- Broke Up: Venus (1) (501)
- Reason: Ashley began dating someone named Alistair while she was in England.
- First Relationship:
- Main article: Ashley-Alistair Relationship
- Alistair
- Start Up: Sometime before Venus (1) (501)
- Broke Up: Sometime before High Fidelity (2) (519)
- Reason: Ashley claimed the relationship fizzled out.
Love Triangles
- Main article: Ashley-Jimmy-Sean Love Triangle
- Jimmy Brooks and Sean Cameron
- Jagged Little Pill (115)
- Karma Chameleon (204)
- Reason: Jimmy found out that Ashley was going on a date with Sean and wanted nothing to do with her.
- Main article: Craig-Ashley-Manny Love Triangle
- Craig Manning and Manny Santos
- Start: Should I Stay or Should I Go? (307)
- End: Rock and Roll High School (318)
- Reason: Craig apologized to Ashley in his song and she forgave him.
Interaction
Friendships | Relationships | Conflicts | Attractions | Love Triangles | Siblings | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ashley-Ellie Friendship | Jimmy-Ashley Relationship | Ashley-Manny Conflict | Sean-Ashley Friendship | Ashley-Jimmy-Sean Love Triangle | Ashley-Toby (Siblings) | |
Ashley-Terri Friendship | Craig-Ashley Relationship | Craig-Ashley-Manny Love Triangle | ||||
Spinner-Ashley Friendship | Ashley-Alistair Relationship | |||||
Ashley-Liberty Friendship | ||||||
Paige-Ashley Friendship |
v - e - d |
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Alex • Alli • Anya • Ashley • Blue • Bruce • Caitlin • Chantay • Clare • Connor • Craig • Damian • Danny • Darcy • Dave • Declan • Derek • Ellie • Emma • Fiona • Hatzilakos • Hazel • Holly J. • J.T. • Jane • Jay • Jenna • Jimmy • Joey • Johnny • K.C. • Kelly • Leia • Liberty • Manny • Marco • Mia • Paige • Peter • Raditch • Riley • Sav • Sean • Snake • Spike • Spinner • Terri • Toby |