Ashley Nicolle Ross (née Simpson; born October 3, 1984), known by the stage name Ashlee Simpson, is an American singer-songwriter, actress, and media personality. The younger sister of pop singer and actress Jessica Simpson, Ashlee began appearing in television commercials at the age of 15. She later pursued a career as an actress, and had a recurring role on the family drama 7th Heaven. Her breakout came following her appearance on the reality show Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica (2003–05), which focused on her sister Jessica and her then-husband Nick Lachey. While working on her debut studio album, Simpson became the star of her own spin-off reality series, The Ashlee Simpson Show (2004–05). The show became a ratings hit, and earned Simpson widespread recognition. Like her sister before her, Simpson became the center of considerable media attention, much of which focused on her relationship with musician Ryan Cabrera.