The Judd sisters are on pause. Wynonna Judd has revealed that she and her younger sister Ashley Judd are “taking a break” from each other — a candid admission the country star made in a People cover story published Wednesday, as reported by Page Six. The Wynonna Judd Ashley Judd rift marks a painful turn for a family still reckoning with the 2022 death of their mother, country legend Naomi Judd.
“She’s Doing Her Thing, and I’m Doing Mine”
Wynonna, 62, told People that she and Ashley, 58, aren’t currently “connected.” The singer quipped, “She’s doing her thing, and I’m doing mine,” and revealed that her actress sister has yet to hear her upcoming album, “The Hard Truth.”
The cover story — billed with the headline “This Is the Most Honest I’ve Ever Been” — frames the album as Wynonna’s most personal work yet, which she described as her “most honest and vulnerable” record.
A representative for Ashley Judd did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment on the interview.
Four Years After Naomi’s Death
The estrangement comes four years after the sisters’ mother, Naomi Judd, died by suicide at 76 in April 2022. At the time, reports surfaced that Wynonna and Ashley were butting heads over their mother’s will — claims Wynonna denied in an October 2022 interview with People.
“I have such a great life. Ashley has a great life. Why would we be fighting over the will?” she asked the outlet at the time.
In the aftermath of Naomi’s death, Wynonna spoke of a bond with Ashley that felt “connected” and “powerful,” telling People the sisters were “vulnerable with each other, and we’re tender.” She acknowledged then that the two “disagree[d] on so much … as sisters” — but were learning they “have more in common than [they] don’t.”
A Lifetime of Distance
Wynonna suggested the current distance has deep roots. She told People that she and Ashley — who did not attend Wynonna’s 2012 wedding to husband Cactus Moser — “were separated at age 14 and 18 by success” and “missed out on a lot of time together.”
The Grammy nominee did not specify in the interview whether her ups and downs with Ashley inspired the new record. But she did say Naomi motivated the work, admitting, “I think [hearing] it would be very painful for her. Very painful. But I also know that she knows me, that I’m so honest and so up-front.”
References to Her Estranged Daughter
The album also includes references to Wynonna’s estranged daughter, Grace Kelley, 30, who is currently serving a 15-month sentence in Virginia. Wynonna — who is raising Kelley’s 4-year-old daughter, Kaliyah, on her Tennessee farm with Moser — said, “I miss her desperately.”
She said she wants Kelley to “find healing,” urging her to “take a look at [her]self” after repeated arrests. Wynonna added that she learned via headlines that Kelley was pregnant and expecting a baby in jail — as was reported in August — and that she “know[s] very little” about the situation.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or text the Crisis Text Line at 741741.
What “The Hard Truth” Means for Wynonna
Beyond the family rift, the People cover story positions “The Hard Truth” as a career-defining statement. Wynonna called it her “most honest and vulnerable” record — a deliberate choice of title from an artist who has spent decades in the public eye, first as one half of the Grammy-winning country duo The Judds alongside Naomi, and later as a solo star.
The album’s emotional center, by her own account, is her late mother. “I think [hearing] it would be very painful for her. Very painful,” Wynonna admitted. “But I also know that she knows me, that I’m so honest and so up-front.”
That honesty extends to the album’s references to her estranged daughter, Grace Kelley — material Wynonna chose to include even as she acknowledged she “know[s] very little” about Kelley’s current circumstances, including learning from headlines that her daughter was pregnant in jail.
Whether the Judd sisters’ “break” is temporary or lasting, Wynonna’s message in the interview was one of forward motion: “She’s doing her thing, and I’m doing mine.”
For more of today’s entertainment headlines, see Diddy’s return to solitary confinement and Florence Pugh’s East of Eden on Netflix.
FAQ
What did Wynonna Judd say about Ashley Judd?
In a People cover story published September 30, 2026, Wynonna Judd said she and her sister Ashley Judd are “taking a break” from each other and are not currently “connected.” She quipped, “She’s doing her thing, and I’m doing mine,” and noted Ashley has not yet heard her upcoming album, “The Hard Truth.”
When did the Wynonna Judd Ashley Judd rift become public?
Wynonna revealed the rift in her People cover story published Wednesday, September 30, 2026. A representative for Ashley Judd did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
What is Wynonna Judd’s new album?
Wynonna’s upcoming album is titled “The Hard Truth,” which she described in the People interview as her “most honest and vulnerable” record. The album references both her late mother Naomi Judd and her estranged daughter, Grace Kelley.
How did Naomi Judd’s death affect the sisters?
Naomi Judd died by suicide at 76 in April 2022. Wynonna previously described feeling “connected” and “powerful” in her bond with Ashley in the aftermath, though she acknowledged the sisters disagreed on much. The current rift comes four years after their mother’s death.
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