Who Is Ashley Judd's Ex-Husband Dario Franchitti Married To Now?
Ashley Judd and Dario Franchitti made headlines with their whirlwind romance. The former pair first met at the wedding of "Beverly Hills, 90210" star Jason Priestly in 1999 and quickly fell in love. After dating for just 10 months, the two got engaged and exchanged vows at Skibbo's Castle in Franchitti's native Scotland in 2001.
Over the course of their marriage, Judd was been open about her decision not to have kids with Franchitti, writing in her 2011 memoir (via PopSugar), "I do not need to go making 'my own' babies when there are so many orphaned or abandoned children who need love, attention, time, and care." Sadly, she and Franchitti announced their plans to divorce in 2013. In a joint statement (via The LA Times), the former couple stressed that the decision to end their marriage was mutual. "We'll always be family and continue to cherish our relationship based on the special love, integrity and respect we have always enjoyed," they added.
Speaking with Ladies Home Journal in 2014, Judd reflected on her split with Franchitti, saying she will always care for him as a friend (per UPI). "Even before our wedding, we agreed not to tell people about our relationship, but to show them instead. What we're showing them now is we're human, we're family, and this is what family looks like," she said. In the years since their divorce, Franchitti has embraced a new chapter in his life and found love again with his current wife, Eleanor Robb.
A second chance at love
After divorcing Ashley Judd, Dario Franchitti took another shot at marriage with Eleanor Robb in 2015. Speaking with the Daily Record in 2016, the four-time IndyCar champion revealed that he had also welcomed a baby girl with Robb named Sofia. "I got remarried and my wife and I spend time here in Scotland and we spend time in London," he told the Scottish tabloid.
According to her LinkedIn, Robb serves as the global head of business development at the trading and investment firm Caxton Associates, based in London. She received her Master's degree in Economics from the prestigious University of Oxford in England back in 2004. A few years after the birth of Sofia, Robb and Franchitti's family grew with the addition of their youngest daughter, Valentina, in 2019. The proud dad shared the news of his daughter's arrival on his Instagram page, alongside a cute snap of Sofia holding her then-newborn sister. "Sofia's wee sister Valentina showed up over the weekend!!! She's a cracker, just like her big sister and her mum," he wrote.
It's clear that Franchitti loves being a family man. In June, the former racing driver also took to social media with a sweet tribute post in honor of his wife's milestone 40th birthday. Alongside candid photos of Robb, Franchitti gushed about his wife, writing, "Not sure what I did to deserve you but I'm so glad we're on this mad journey together!! Here's to you my love Xx."
Ashley Judd is godmother to Dario Franchitti's daughter
Ashley Judd and Dario Franchitti have remained close despite their separation. The former race car driver opened up about their relationship in an interview with WTHR months after announcing their divorce. "We are great friends," he said. "As everyone knows, we got divorced last year. [It was] not an easy decision for [the] both of us." He then proceeded to praise his ex-wife, calling her a wonderful person and thanking her for their friendship. "She is great," Franchitti said. "I am lucky we have managed to keep that great friendship and a very, very important person in my life."
Since announcing their split, the IndyCar legend and the "Double Jeopardy" star have remained involved in each other's lives. In fact, the two are so close that Judd is godmother to Franchitti's daughter, Sofia, with his wife Eleanor Robb. Judd spoke with the Daily Record about the changing nature of their relationship in 2019. "[In my book], I talk about the close of my marriage and my loved one -– as I call my former husband and he calls me ... I talk about how we developed this beautiful family of choice and just reconfigured what the relationship looks like."
She then referred to Franchitti, his wife, and their kids Sofia and Valentina as her chosen family. "We're given our family of chance that we were born into," she said. "But also have this unique opportunity to create a chosen family."