JUDD FAMILY SECRETS

THREE YEARS AFTER THE DEATH OF NAOMI JUDD, A NEW DOCUSERIES GOES INSIDE THE TRAUMA THAT SHAPED THE LIVES OF THE COUNTRY MUSIC MATRIARCH AND HER DAUGHTERS WYNONNA AND ASHLEY

- By ILANA KAPLAN

As one of entertainment's most beloved families, the Judds may be as known for discord and tragedy as they are for hits like "Mama He's Crazy" and "Why Not Me." But even their most fervent fans might be surprised by the new four-part docuseries that explores their complicated dynamics. Directed by Alexandra Dean, The Judd Family: Truth Be Told, set to premiere May 10 and 11 on Lifetime, takes a deep dive into the intergenerational trauma that framed the lives of singers Naomi and Wynonna, who performed as the mother-daughter country music duo the Judds, and actress Ashley.

The docuseries features candid interviews with family members, including Wynonna, 60, Ashley, 57, and Naomi's widower, Larry Strickland, 79, as well as Naomi's friends and colleagues. Strickland tells People he hoped it would be "a tribute" to Naomi, who died by suicide in 2022, adding, "After the success she relaxed and was able to become what she was intended to become-a beautiful, sweet, caring, generous person with a lot of friends."

Dean also examines the darkness Naomi battled, and Ashley, for the first time, offers a detailed recollection of the "excruciating" hours leading up to her mom's death. "I was in awe of the beauty that she brought to that moment, which could have been all terror and horror," says Dean. "Ashley made it into something beautiful by bringing her grace." Strickland says Naomi's death "forced" Wynonna and Ashley to be closer: "We all had to come together around this trauma." Here are some of the key revelations from the docuseries.

Naomi Judd's mother kicked her out when she got pregnant with Wynonna at 17.