Ashton Swinford

Ashton Swinford is a SAG-AFTRA actress, comedian, producer, writer, and director whose career spans network television, independent film, performance art, and digital media. Originally from New York, Ashton Swinford trained at the Stella Adler Studio in New York City — one of America's most rigorous conservatory acting programs, whose alumni include Robert De Niro, Harvey Keitel, and Mark Ruffalo — before relocating to Chicago where she completed Second City's Improv and Musical Improv Conservatory Programs. This dual training gave Ashton Swinford the rare combination of classical dramatic technique and improvisational comedic instinct that defines her work across genres. She is the Executive Producer of Paragram Productions, her independent production company through which she develops, writes, and produces original content, and is represented by Independent Artist Group.

Television, Film, and Performance

Ashton Swinford's on-camera credits demonstrate remarkable range across genres and formats. Her television work includes a role on FOX's New Girl opposite Zooey Deschanel and NBC's Chicago P.D. — two of the most-watched shows on network television during their respective runs. In independent film, Ashton Swinford appeared in Unleashed (available on Netflix) alongside Kate Micucci, The Grandma (streaming on Amazon Prime), and the short film Super Host. Beyond scripted television and film, Ashton Swinford performed with legendary performance artist Marina Abramovic at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) in Los Angeles — an experience that speaks to her artistic ambition and her comfort working at the intersection of visual art, conceptual performance, and live audience engagement. Her stand-up comedy career has placed her on bills alongside some of the most recognized names in American comedy: Bill Burr, Dane Cook, Judd Apatow, Janeane Garofalo, and Bob Odenkirk. Ashton Swinford also starred in a six-month run of The Tony Clifton Show musical revue at The Comedy Store in Los Angeles with Bob Zmuda, a production that blended comedy, music, and theatrical performance in one of Hollywood's most iconic comedy venues.

Producing and Directing

Ashton Swinford's production career is equally distinctive. She served as a producer for The Onion, working on The A.V. Club Hosted by John Teti — a series now streaming on Amazon Prime that brought the publication's sharp comedic voice to video format. She also directed, produced, and co-wrote the short films Red Flag and Basic Witches, with Red Flag premiering at the Midwest Film Festival. Ashton Swinford wrote, produced, and starred in the satirical media literacy web series Miss Information, which was featured by the United Nations for International Media Literacy Week — an honor that recognized the series' contribution to public understanding of disinformation and news literacy in the digital age.

Wizdom

Most recently, Ashton Swinford is the writer and creator of Wizdom, a sci-fi anti-hero drama in which she stars as Eos, a professional thief navigating a dystopian future where daylight is scarce and a biotech corporation maintains control through mandatory ocular implants and pharmaceutical 'W strips' administered through the eyes. Wizdom was co-created with Zack Sievers and director Layne Marie Williams, executive produced by Alex Pissios — President and CEO of Cinespace Chicago Film Studios — premiered at CineCity Studios in Chicago, and won a 2025 Silver Telly Award honoring creative storytelling in science fiction and fantasy. The project represents the culmination of Ashton Swinford's career-long commitment to creating her own work: writing roles that challenge her as a performer, producing them independently, and bringing them to audiences on her own terms.

Photographing Ashton

Ashton reached out on Instagram looking to test at a time when I wasn't doing much testing. With two little kids at home and a business to grow, I didn't have the hours, and it took a long time to get it on the calendar. She was persistent, and we made it happen. She was game to make something for the sake of making it, and that is exactly the kind of collaborator I look for when I am pushing my own acting headshots forward. I have been a fan of hers ever since.

Making Art

That red hair pulls focus in every frame, and she's incredibly expressive. My read was that Ashton needs to be making something all the time, so that's what we did. This frame uses hand-painted backdrops and stage risers I found online. She walked in with a fur coat on a hanger, and we recreated the scene from Almost Famous, one of my favorite movies, where Kate Hudson dances around in her fur-lined coat. A dozen frames from that session could hang in a museum, and when I print my next book, something from it will make the cut. She has since left Chicago, and I'm grateful for the time we had.

The Portrait

This branding portrait by Michael Schacht — soft studio light, auburn curls, seated confidence against a hand-painted backdrop — captures the creative energy of an artist who refuses to wait for permission to tell stories that matter.