If you’re anything like me, the name “Ashley Benson” conjures a cartoonish “?????” thought-bubble. I know I’ve seen her before, and I’m pretty sure she’s been trying to break into bigger and better things for years now. Some cursory research indicates that Ashley was in that Spring Breakers movie (the one with Selena Gomez) and Ashley was on/is still on Pretty Little Liars. So… good for her. She had a steady gig on a CW show and she’s been working somewhat consistently in other film and TV projects. That still doesn’t make her a major celebrity though, and I question whether she was even worthy of the cover of Canada’s Fashion Magazine. But here we are. And I honestly would have ignored it except I glanced through her quotes and I had a good chuckle. You see, Ashley Benson wants you to know that she could never date high-profile men the same way Angelina Jolie has. Because similarities.
She can’t date like Angelina: “I don’t think I would be able to date a high-profile actor the way Angelina Jolie has. Her and Brad [Pitt] have done a good job at keeping private, but I’m sure that takes work. It’s too much attention when two powerful people are together.”
She hates the red carpet: “I hate the red carpet. It’s nerve-racking. People are yelling at you and pictures are being taken at all angles. It is not a comfortable thing for a human to experience!”
Her role in Spring Breakers: “My family hated the movie, but I told them, ‘There are going to be films that you are not going to want to support, but you don’t have to see those films.’ I wanted that challenge.”
J-Law is the coolest: “I think she’s the coolest person in the business. She’s breaking the mould of what Hollywood stars are supposed to act like. I look up to her so much. Actors should stop acting when the cameras are off.”
I feel like people are going to nit-pick me about this, but just go back and re-read the Angelina quote. “It’s too much attention when two powerful people are together.” She is saying that she’s like Angelina, right? That she’s a powerful woman, just like Angelina, but Ashley “WHO?” Benson could never date a high-profile man, because Ashley Benson is just too famous and powerful already and it would just be too much power and celebrity in one relationship if she ever dated someone famous. Except I’m pretty sure she tried to “date” James Franco a while back, and no one even cared. My general takeaway: Ashley Benson would love it if you knew her name because of a connection to a famous person. She would love it if she was in Page Six as “Jake Gyllenhaal’s canoodling partner” or whatever.
So, congrats, Ashley Benson. I know your name now because you basically told the world that you wouldn’t date Brad Pitt because your combined star-power would be too much for the world to take.
Photos courtesy of WENN, Fashion Magazine.
She’s in her twenties and blonde, Leo DiCaprio could make her career. Ashley have your people call his people, you never know you might end up with Lively’s luck in case it doesn’t work.
P.s. You look amazing.
She’s like 25-26 though, and that’s about the age Leo gets around to dumping them.
She’s too short for Leo. Not his type.
LOL!! Stop. That interview was unintentionally funny.
She could probably never date a high profile actor, but more importantly will probably never have the opportunity.
Exactly.
Lol at these actresses always talking as if the ball is in their court in that respect.
That is exactly what I thought. I kind of felt like, oh that’s cute that you think you’ll be at that same level, bless.
Wasn’t she dating James Franco for a while? I suppose he’s not really high profile when compared to Brad, however…
Well Franco tried to date a 17 year old and Brad dated Juliette Lewis and Shalane McCall when they were underage, so they have that in common I guess.
@Jesmari
Franco didn’t try to date her–he tried to hook up with her, which was uber gross, because from what I remember, they were interacting as celebrity-fan/normal people……
VC your right. What kind or creeper tries to scam on underage fans.
@ VC, Brad Pitt also dated teenagers so would you have the same standerd and opinion about him dating teenagers( and probably bedding them) just like how Franco tried to date a 17 year old high school kid? Brad is equally if not even more disgusting then even James Franco is. I don’t care if he dated them back in the 80s, 90s, or even 10s, Its still the same thing.
@jessia
I think Brad was wrong when he dated Juliette Lewis (I just googled and found nothing but rumors that he and Shalane McCall ever dated….I found a PEOPLE article from 1988 when Shalane was 15 that said she had dated two boys that were 15 and 13), 1989 is when he was 26 and got with Juliette Lewis when she was 16.
My point with Franco was that he was having a fan/actor interaction on some site (can’t remember), and when the girl mentioned that they were in the same state, that she was visiting NYC from Ireland, he went straight to “should I get a hotel room?”. That’s SO skeevy and gross and disgusting.
i would generally advice no one to date a famous person as that seems like such a bad idea. imagine they cheat on you and you have to see their faces on billboards and being celebrated on tv…and celebs are celebrated for the most basic stuff and hailed as the saviours for very little. i cant imagine living with that. we already see the effect facebook has on some people being confronted with their ex partners i dont want to live in a world where my ex who treated me bad is hailed as “flawless” and stares at me from an ad on a bus. (with a good looking model of course!)
But if you are as famous as both Angelina and Brad its probably the best to try to be with someone on the same level. first of all they already have all the crap that comes with fame in their live anyway and i think rumours are less likely to affect you if literally every week you are accused of cheating, fighting, adopting, being pregant and so on. it must be harder to fight it if all of a sudden there is one nasty rumour. i think its easier to laugh it of if its the amount Brad and Angelina get.
Ashley is actually pretty well known you’re probably just too old to know about her
how charming
Hi Ashley!
Calm down Ashley
Bro… Lmfao
We are a bunch of jelli h8ers. She told us!!
*eye roll*
LOL.
If only teens know her she isn’t famous enough.
When teens, moms, grandmothers, dad’s and your ups guy knows you — then you’re famous.
This^^^^^^
Took the words right out of my mouth!
How I judge whether a person is truly FAMOUS: my dad knows who they are. LOL!
I am 47 and know who Ashley is. She is Fantastic on PLL. Comical and beautiful.
aren’t you adorable.
there are plenty of famous teenagers that us senior citizens have heard of…she’s just not one of them.
My thoughts exactly after wondering, “Who the hell is this chick?”. She’s obviously not that famous.
Actually she’s not. If you have to tell me she’s “actually pretty well known” then it’s safe to say No she’s not actually pretty well known.
BOOM!
I might be ancient as hell, but I know who Emma Watson, Jennifer Lawrence, Emma Stone, and Shailene Woodley are. My old brain just didn’t have enough storage left to remember this Ashley Benson lady.
Oh brother.
*having my day nurse type this for me before my pudding arrives* is she related to Taylor Swift’s cat, Det. Olivia Benson?
Oh wait… so we don’t know her because we’re old, not because of her own basic irrelevancy?
“Her and Brad Pitt.” Oy.
Her and Angie got nothing in common.
Killed me too!
Ugh yes. I cringed.
Yeah,Ash, don’t let a whole lot of glamor and talent get in the way of your delusions!
Ha, that was a complete needle scratch for me, too. Similar to when my purportedly highly educated, good old boy former boss used to say “Me and X are going to lunch (or golf or whatever).” Glad I’m not the only one who cringes at bad grammar.
I cringed at it too. Poor grammar and spelling drives me nuts, especially when it’s people I went to school with – we received the same education!
My first thought was who is this woman? Second thought was Ashley Olsen got married?
Her wording is a bit off, which is clearly the problem. Horrible example to use of all of the celebrity couples. That this is the couple she used instead of say J Law and Nicholas Hoult says a ton about an ego inflated.
The fact that Kaiser printed four quotes and one is, “Her role in Spring Breakers” makes it all the more laughable. Because similarities, of course.
@Little Darling: Regarding Benson not mentioning Lawrence and Hoult…she is nowhere near Jennifer Lawrence’s level either.
At this point in her career, Nikki Reed/Ian Somerholder would be a better comparison.
Not the sharpest knife in the box, is she?
I didn’t know having a show on ABC Family put you on par with Angelina Jolie?!?!?! Where can I sign up to be on Girl Meets World?
I get what she’s trying to say I THINK. She’s saying double the star power double the paparazzi and more attention. But it came out horribly horribly wrong. Plus she’s not that famous yet so it was a little presumptuous. It kind of makes sense though, because you see Ben and Jen Affleck papped all the time and then you look at Matt Damon who married a non-famous woman and you get way less paparazzi attention.
That’s how I interpreted the comment. I didn’t really think she was talking about herself, but maybe she was speaking too quickly and it sort of came out that way.
Yep. I think guys are reaching here because…Brange. Shes just saying that celebrities together can be a pap magnet.
No one would have noticed if she picked another example, more in her league. Like Nikki Reed and Ian Somerhalder. But because she picked Brangelina and followed by that part about “powerful people”, she just came out delusional. Brad and Angelina are as A-list in terms of popularity as it gets. The only way Ashley Benson would receive as much attention is if she had an affair with either of them. Even if she was canoodling with Gyllenhaal, people would be mildly interested for 5 seconds and moved on.
Yes, I thought the same thing. She used Brad and Angelina as an example but I didn’t get that she was comparing herself to them. That would be Octomom’s delusion.
Ashley used Brad and Angelina’s names because she knows whenever Brad and Angelina are mentioned people will react, good or bad. Ashley is just trying to get noticed IMO.
Agreed. I actually felt a bit bad for this poor little nobody.
But seriously, reign in the hounds, guys.
Because Matt Damon is boring and hides behind l’m so private.
Moved to NYC, paps took pictures twice and that was the end now in LA and hardly any pictures.
It is supply and demand, Tabloids hardly buy pictures of Matt and his family, because they don’t sell.
Matt don’t want to be questioned, about his wife being in the oldest profession.
She was a sheep herder? Hehe I thought she was a waitress who was rewritten as an interior designer. As far as publicity, this is far more in the celebs’ control than most people realize. The pr folks know exactly who to call.
I thought she was a bartender.
I thought she was a bartender too.
Eh…she seems nice enough. My girls like PLL and her character. So…she seems harmless.
Yeah, but, that’s what Jennifer Garner probably thought about Blake Lively and we all know the rumors of how that went down. They’re harmless until…they’re not.
I think she’s right that dating anyone with a very high profile must be difficult, but she definitely worded it poorly and made it sound like she thinks very highly of her star power.
Her name is familiar but I don’t think I’ve seen her in anything. You never know though, sometimes people are just one break away from the big time.
That’s true.
You’d think that she would re-think that after watching what Vergara is going through.
Somehow, I think Vergara would’ve been in a better position if she had dated someone with some level of power if only to prevent a grasping, creeping attempt to remain connected to someone who has clearly moved on.
I don’t think that situation has anything to do with level of power. Loeb just has a shitty personality, end of. If he was high-profile/A-List, he would just be a high-profile/A-List douchecanoe.
Angelina Jolie isnt really a fair comparison. I mean Angelina herself is very high profile. No matter who she dates, there is going to be paparazzo interested in it.
That’s the point. She comes across as kinda delusional because she’s saying they’re both high profile movie superstars dating, and that she could never do that. What she’s omitting is that she can’t do that anyway, because it requires HER being a movie superstar dating another movie superstar. Which she ain’t. So it doesn’t apply..hence the delusion.
Personally, I think it was shade to desperado Jennifer aniston and her no name balding little hipster dude. Lolok
I love her so much! Her PLL character is hilarious plus she made some comments some time back about body image that were really beneficial to the young girls that watch the show.
I’ll take it as a bad choice of words, otherwise she might be delusioning. And Jennifer Lawrence is nice, but not as cool as people say she is.
@Naddie: LOL!…know Jennifer Lawrence personally, do you?.
Yes, she always calls me at 3 a.m., what a pain.
She calls me, too. Just burps in the phone, then starts maniacally giggling.
That was…an ambitious name check.
Also a bit presumptive. You may want to achieve A list status first before you can form an opinion about A list dating options.
To me, it makes perfect sense to date a fellow A lister. Sure you could do the Christina Aguilera , Jessica Simpson , K Fed thing and marry a regular dude that you can kinda sorta control with money and lifestyle. But there is the issue of supporting the dude in such a way that his ego isn’t hurt. If it goes south there is the possibility of betrayal and the tell all book (nobody will care about the dirt you have on him) and the eventual hush money along with the hefty divorce settlement and then the bitterness as you wonder if it was always about the money.
Of course that’s the cynical view but still.
With a fellow A lister they have their own career and income, their own access to the trappings of whatever and they understand the life. You have a partner and an ally. It could be a great thing provided they are mature and supportive and don’t feel threatened if your star outshines them. And of course if you are savy you work the relationship hoopla into your favor. Win win.
to add to your last paragraph: you also have to be cool with your partner outshining you.
you could also be thrown in front of the bus if you say something offensive and your partner agrees in private but doesnt want that to tarnish the image created.
A-Lister are by definition very ambitious and also narcisstic, i doubt man of them could stand being outshone by someone else or are willing to take a step back from the career to support someone.
power couples are great for the career, for the love not so much.
you also take about a betrayal of a non famous person: sure, but its not like A listers are always silent, they dont write tell all books but they go to the gossip mags and leak stuff about their ex partners. they also have the motivation of looking like the victim to cash in on that in their career.
marrying some regular non famous person may be great for the A Lister. they have all the control and a lot more privacy. the non famous person though gets to have scrutiny, even their family included and basically no power. try competing in a press war after a divorce, their publicists will make you look like the nastiest partner ever and the A listers all have fans that will believe anything negative about you.
so all in all A listers should stay with A listers they bring way too much trouble into a non famous persons life.
Those Pretty Little Liars girls are quite powerful in the teen market. That’s all I know about them though. That show is hot for girls 12-18, and older!
I thought she referenced Brangelina because everyone knows who they are. Another example might have had people going “Who?” to one of the celebrities referenced in the coupling. Everyone knows who J-Law is, but not so sure about Nicholas Hoult. And some people might know who Ian Somerhalder is, but not know who Nikki Reed is (unless they watch a lot of Twilight) or vice versa if you don’t watch The Vampire Diaries.
Agree. Brad and Angelina are name checked frequently, even by other A-listers. It gets them mentioned on blogs like this one. If she had used another couple as an example, would she get this bit of publicity? Rebel Wilson had a cute Brad story and it was featured on Good Morning America (and other national outlets, not just gossip sites) for goodness sake. I don’t think she was comparing herself to them, they just happen to be at a level when using their names gets attention and folks know who they are. The came can’t be said for some of the other couples that were suggested she use.
I have to admit I know Ashley, but mainly because she used to be on Days of Our Lives. I think she left the show because she expected bigger and better things from her career, and I think she annoyed a few people with her lack of professionalism while she was there? At least that’s kind of how I remember it. Can anyone help me out here with the old soap gossip?
Yes that’s exactly what I remember. JMO opinion she was perfectly casted as Missy Reeves & Matt Ashfords daughter and she’s suited to soaps she’s no Meryl Streep but she’s pretty and likable on screen too bad she’s got such a huge ego.
Yes, I agree with you on all points! (BTW I always miss Jack when he’s dead)
Lol me too 😊
People knew who Angelina Jolie was before Brad Pitt. That’s why the combined star power makes them a super couple. She has to know name dropping Angelina Jolie will get her attention. Her Jennifer Lawrence comment is even sillier. Lawrence isn’t doing anything groundbreaking.
You have high standards if you think Lawrence isn’t breaking new ground! I’m struggling to think of any actress her age that has made it so big so quickly – and while she mightn’t be the first to go down the ‘keeping it real’ route, her persona has resonated with lots of people. She may not be to everyone’s taste, but I see what Benson is getting at there – even if the rest of the interview is fairly silly.
Are you serious? Lots of young actresses through film history made it bigger than her fast. From Mary Pickford to Julia Roberts. Go back to the studio era. People have a short memory or don’t know film history if they think Jennifer Lawrence is the first actress ever to fast become a big star at a young age.
@Tara: To the degree that Jennifer Lawrence has?.
Who??…I’m not trying to be bitchy, just wondering because I can’t think of ANY actress that has achieved the level of acclaim and success that Lawrence has at such a young age.
Tara..thank you! Not only were early actresses famous, but pickford in particular was a very savvy powerful woman (founder of United Artists). Natalie Wood was a huge star..first Oscar nom at 16, Angela Lansbury was 19 when she won an Oscar, Sandra Dee was in the top ten $ making stars 4 times, Clara Bow made over 50 films before she was 30 and received more fan mail than any other Hollywood actor, Jean Harlow had a dozen small parts before her first starring role at 20. There are lots of examples..and we’re still watching their work today.
Ok, point well made, Lawrence isn’t the first to attract critical and box office acclaim by her early to mid 20s. But she is the first to do so for decades – and has done so in an era where star power is arguably on the wane. So give the girl some credit: only time will tell whether she has a career like some of the names listed above, but her start has been reasonably ground-breaking! Second youngest Oscar winner in history isn’t something to be sneered at…
Yeah, I think Lawrence has become a big star in a more difficult time period. And everyone has been trying to re-create the next Julia Roberts (and possibly Sandra Bullock) for the last two decades, and Lawrence is the only one who seems to have made it in terms of mass fame, box office, and critical acclaim. Other actresses seem to pretend to that kind of success in terms of PR illusion.
Yes she was famous but not for her career. She did become even more famous with Pitt. It still baffles me how someone with her filmography has A list status. I don’t even think she is talented enough to get directing gigs either. Her 2 movies were not that great and I fear for By the Sea. I think it will be ignored again during the 2016 Oscar season. She really wants a Best Director Oscar you can tell.
And Jennifer Lawrence is the leading actress of 2 big franchises and has a Best Actress Oscar before the age of 25. I would say she is highly accomplished and has broken grounds. What other actress her age has her achievements and can act in both big budget and indie films at the same time currently? She has range as an actress. Most of the actresses around Lawrence’s age are all spoiled brats with no talent who made it through nepotism. Emma Roberts, Lily Collins, ,etc. I can respect the fact that Lawrence did not have the kind of connections or help they had in order to make it in Hollywood.
… Her?
Oh gosh, she was just saying that when two celebs on the same level date suddenly interest in them skyrockets. She illustrated that point with the most obvious example. She obviously wasn’t claiming she’s as famous as Jolie or Pitt.
We had Ashley Greene who gave delusional interviews for a while, now we have Ashley Benson. What’s up with the actresses named Ashley? XD Remember when Greene thought her love triangle with Demi Lovato and a Jonas brother was the same thing that Jennifer Aniston, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. And she said she was Angelina in this scenario, hahaha.
There is nothing groundbreaking about Jennifer Lawrence. Not her acting and def not her media personality, which is just as calculated as anyone else’s.
Yup
@Tara @BNS: Nope…disagree, as far as actresses of her generation, she certainly is breaking ground. Lawrence is kicking ass period, inmho.
Sorry, bns, but I disagree. Lawrence’s career trajectory has been ground-breaking by any standard, and her ‘funny girl’/outspoken personality has been a blast of fresh air. You mightn’t think much of it, and it’s definitely played up for effect. However, she certainly stands out from her peers, like it or not. Just look at how Shailene Woodley and others are being marketed, and compare the current emphasis on projecting personality on the red carpet as compared to the ‘safety first’ approach that Natalie Portman and others were adopting five years ago – that’s in part due to PR teams trying to capture some of Lawrence’s persona.
What ground did J lawrence break?? Hunger Games?? Her other movies?? Sigourney Weaver broke ground playing a superhero in “Aliens.” Jodie Foster broke ground playing a young hooker. Lawrence?? Nah. Not groundbreaking at all.
@JIB: Jennifer Lawrence has indeed forged one the most impressive careers of ANY young actress in what has been decades than any of her peers (of her generation). No doubt about that.
Impressive for any actress period.
Did AJ make a practice If dating high profile actors? Her first two husbands weren’t all that high profile. I don’t think of her as “dating” Brad. They fell in love at work. But this is all beside the point cuz who the f+#k is Ashley Benson? Don’t name checked AJ. It just pushes you one notch lowered on the pole of irrelevancy.
I think the “dating” part of just weird. They have been together 10 years, have six children and a marriage license–that is not dating. They are not and have never in the true sense of the word ever “dated”. Maybe she should have used the word “married” an A-lister, at least in Brad’s case.
Well, she’s young and maybe doesn’t yet understand the difference between dating and building a life with someone. Still, she’s old enough to not be so delusional.
She is a pretty little liar.
“I hate the red carpet. It’s nerve-racking. People are yelling at you and pictures are being taken at all angles. It is not a comfortable thing for a human to experience!” Possibly because they are yelling “who are you and what are you doing here?!”
I always find it disingenuous when actors say that they hate the red carpet. They have to know that it’s part of the job.
Me too. Especially someone as low profile as she is. I seriously doubt the photographers go bananas for her when she steps on the red carpet. Bless.
Good thing she is not powerful! Hahahaha
No you’re right to snicker bc i didn’t know who she was until SB and after could care less. She not famous.
This Is Such great Unintentional Comedy!!
I mean The WHOOOOOOOOOOO and Baroo face I let out, even the explanation didn’t bring my head to the upright position!!!
Mama… I don’t think Kellan Lutz could do with you, so I highly doubt you are in any A-lister’s radar
I dunno. I kinda feel her on this one. I’m not into dating A-list actors either.
I have no clue who she is but that was a throwaway comment about Brad and Angelina. She’s comparing herself to Angelina.
*not comparing*
That’s a cringe-inducing interview, but she does look good. I normally don’t like that heavy eye-shadow effect, but it works for her – and she’s rocking that outfit.
Wait, who is this? I mean, I’m pretty up to date with celebrities and all those pseudo celeb kids from the reality set. But WHO IS THIS?
I think she was just using an example everyone would know, not saying she was on Angelina’s level. But this does imply that she thinks people would be so interested in the dual star power of a relationship of hers, when she isn’t well known at all outside I guess PLL fans.
Well she probably just means she waits for men to be single before moving in on them unlike St Ange.
The name is Angie. With an I. And Angelina has always waited for men to be single, sorry to burst your bubble. I think you Anistonloon mean girls confuse Angelina with Aniston. Aniston is the one that has the proven track record of not waiting for men to be single before moving onto them. Ask Heidi Bivens. Ask Chris Gartin’s wife. Just for starters.
I like Ashley Benson. Probably only because I’m a sucker for Pretty Little Liars. The show is getting increasingly annoying but I can’t seem to break the urge to watch 😩
I like her and I watch PLL too! It’s like crack. So nice in the beginning and then you just keep on doing it bc you’re addicted even though you don’t get anything out of it anymore.
She’s cute and harmless.. if only she didn’t do that stupid movie with Franco..
Having NO IDEA who she was (I’ve never even seen PLL) I clicked on this link because I knew there was going to be sahde thrown at some no-name whats-her-face comparing herself to Angelina. Thanks for making that happen just as I predicted.
…”her and Brad”…
…”broke the mould”…
Can’t anyone write a grammatical sentence or spell correctly any more? Maybe I’m the only one left who cares, but it makes me tired. ::::sigh:::::
The grammar is off (which is more forgivable here because it’s transcripted speech), but the spelling is fine. “Mould” is the British variation of mold.
Logically, I think it sounds sensible, since actors are giant egoists, and who needs that much competition in a relationship? But I would assume the reason high level celebs interdate is due to the demand of the job (no privacy, bizarre schedules, constant travel) and frankly the power dynamic. When you’re batting around that kind of economic and media power, dating beneath it is kind of imbalanced. That’s part of why Leo’s dating habits gross so many people out – the age is one thing, but it’s always clear with his women who the movie star and who the plaything.