NEWSNaomi Judd's Kids Spill on Country Star's Final Days in Upcoming Lifetime Documentary
Naomi Judd's kids opened up about the country star's final moments in 'The Judd Family: Truth Be Told,' a deeply personal new Lifetime documentary.
May 5 2025, Published 3:20 p.m. ET
In a heart-wrenching revelation, Ashley Judd has bravely lifted the veil on her mother, Naomi Judd's tragic death, a mere two weeks after they lost her on April 30, 2022.
The emotional actress sat down with Good Morning America to share a deeply personal truth, with the blessing of her sister, Wynonna Judd and her stepfather, Larry Strickland.
Naomi, who passed at the age of 76, had been battling severe mental illness, ultimately leading her to take her own life just one day before receiving the honor of induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Naomi Judd died by suicide on April 30, 2022, at age 76.
"That is the level of catastrophe of what was going on inside of her," Ashley revealed.
"The lie that the disease told her was so convincing — that you're not enough, that you're not loved, that you're not worthy. Her brain physically hurt," she added.
Ashley's candid remarks came as she sought to ensure Naomi's final moments weren't shaped by sensational headlines and speculation.
"Otherwise, it's obviously way too soon," she emphasized.
Now, three years later, the Judd family is ready to unearth their story like never before. In Lifetime's gripping four-part documentary, The Judd Family: Truth Be Told, Ashley, Wynonna and Larry confront their profound loss.
"It was incredibly challenging to tackle the subject of Naomi's death: It was a family tragedy that was still raw. My approach was to really focus this series on understanding Naomi and her life," director Alexandra Dean shared to Closer. With powerful interviews and personal recordings, the film aims to offer deeper empathy for Naomi's struggle.
Ashley, 57, Wynonna, 60 and Larry, 79 displayed incredible openness throughout filming.
'The Judd Family: Truth Be Told' explores generational trauma and hidden family truths.
"All three spoke freely about Naomi, sometimes with sorrow but also humor and compassion. There are so many hilarious, painful, eye-opening stories that people won't have heard before," Alexandra noted.
The documentary, airing on May 10 and 11, even features long-buried recordings of Wynonna and Naomi before they shot to stardom in the 1980s.
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One gem "sat hidden in one of Naomi's cabinets until after she died," Alexandra shared. "When we play these early songs for Wy and Ashley, we see raw emotion wash over their faces."
But it's not just music that fuels tears — the revelations about generational trauma are gut-wrenching. Naomi opened up in a 2011 documentary, stating, "I grew up in a family of secrets," as she revealed her haunting early memories of an attempted sexual assault at just three years old. "I kept it all to myself."
Ashley Judd revealed the painful rift and later reconciliation with her mom.
Ashley's own struggles spilled onto the screen as she recalled dark memories from her childhood in her memoir, All That Is Bitter and Sweet.
"She had no idea what I went through as a child," the actress and activist shared in the documentary.
Meanwhile, Wynonna, who only discovered their different parentage as adults, referred to her relationship with Naomi as "incredibly complicated." "It was magical onstage, but off-stage … phew," she confessed.
The family's dysfunction resulted in painful disconnections, with the sisters often not speaking despite living just a stone's throw apart in Leiper's Fork, Tenn.
The sisters are closer after their mother's death.
"The most emotional moment for me was when Ashley recalled how she and her mother had repaired their relationship after a years-long rift. Ashley described her mother crawling on the floor asking for her forgiveness. It really hit me how wounded Naomi was," Alexandra revealed.
The sisters' bond tightened after Naomi's passing. "We love each other and we show up for each other. We don't agree on much but we support one another," Wynonna told Today in 2022.
They learned to respect their differences in moving forward and sharing vulnerability, with Ashley stating, "We don't have to be congruent in order to have compassion for each other."
Through the documentary, viewers will grasp the haunting legacy of Naomi's life and legacy. "This documentary will definitely solve that mystery but it will also give viewers much more insight into Naomi along the way," Alexandra concluded.
