Ashley Williams’ Husband Is a Hollywood Producer Father of Their Kids

Ashley Williams and her husband, Neal Dodson, have maintained a healthy balance between their professional careers and family life. Their unconventional wedding at a sand pit and forgoing a wedding cake is just one exciting part of their remarkable love story.

Ashley Williams is well-known for her roles on such TV shows as “Good Morning Miami” and “The Jeff Gaffigan Show,” but she is perhaps most famous for her portrayal of Victoria in the “How I Met Your Mother” series.

In addition to her acting career, Williams is happily married to Dodson, who also has a successful Hollywood career. Fans of Williams have been curious about Dodson’s work and what he is like as a husband.

Ashley Williams and her husband Neal Dodson from poses for portrait at the Pizza Hut Lounge on January 24, 2020, in Park City, Utah. | Source: Getty Images

Neal Dodson Worked with Famous Hollywood Stars

Writer and producer Neal Dodson was born on May 17, 1978, in York, Pennsylvania, to two high school teachers. In 2000, he received a bachelor of fine arts from Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Drama.

A brilliant creative, Dodson has gained recognition for his work on the films “Margin Call,” “All Is Lost,” and “A Most Violent Year,” which were writer-filmmaker J.C. Chandor’s first three award-winning films.

The drama-thriller film “Margin Call,” which was Dodson’s first producing effort, earned a nomination for an Academy Award. He eventually won an Independent Spirit Award for his work on it.

In recent years, Dodson has produced several great films, including the Netflix movie “Triple Frontier,” which stars actors Ben Affleck, Garrett Hedlund, Oscar Isaac, and Charlie Hunnam, among others.

In addition, Dodson also worked with Susan Sarandon and Matt Bomer on the film “Viper Club.” Other recent films he produced include “Never Here,” “Jonathan,” “Run This Town,” and “Aardvark.”

He has been married to Ashley Williams for eleven years. Their marriage makes him a brother-in-law to actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley, whose husband is country singer Brad Paisley.

They Had No Fancy Heels, No Bridesmaids, No Wedding Cake

Ashley Williams and Neal Dodson became engaged on Thanksgiving in 2009. They tied the knot on May 29, 2011, in an intimate, farm-inspired wedding ceremony held at the Nashville home of Williams’ sister Kimberly and her husband.

They decided to forgo traditional elements such as fancy heels, bridesmaids, and a wedding cake for their special day. Instead, they held a reception in the sand pit where Paisley trains his horses.

Around 50 guests and the couple’s families showed up, and all were given flip-flops as party favors to encourage them to relax, have fun, and be in the moment. The reception featured a local country band and a variety of drinks.

Guests enjoyed Anheuser-Busch beer, wine, and a signature wedding drink called “The Smashed,” a whiskey-based cocktail named after Williams’ nickname, “Smash.”

For dinner, guests were served biscuits, pulled pork, macaroni and cheese, and they capped off the family-style meal with banana pudding instead of a wedding cake. Williams described the wedding as an “upscale keg party.”

It has been over a decade since Williams and Dodson exchanged vows on their memorable wedding day, but it is crystal clear that their love and commitment to each other remain strong.

It seems that the element of having fun they continue to bring into their relationship is one of the essential keys to their happy relationship. Williams said of Dodson:

“He allows me to laugh at myself and calms me down. He puts things in perspective.”

She described her ever-humble husband as being her “best friend.” Dodson has also provided her with a sense of calm and stability, acting as a grounding force in her life.

Dodson and his fantastic wife have taken on parenting together and become champions in raising their two adorable children.

Even though Williams and Dodson work in the entertainment industry, which often attracts significant media attention, they have successfully kept their children out of the public eye.

Ashley and Neal Have 2 Babies

Williams and Dodson are parents to two sons: Gus Williams Dodson and Odie Sal Dodson. Williams found out she was pregnant with Gus after her first Broadway show while Dodson was shooting the film “A Most Violent Year.”

She noted that starting a family was a “crazy ride.” The mother of two remembered that their living situation was quite challenging, as they were residing in a small apartment above a pizza shop.

Gus was born on October 5, 2014, weighing in at a hefty 8 pounds, 8 ounces. Williams gave birth to him at home, surrounded by a team of midwives, a doula, and a chiropractor.

Many fans congratulated the couple’s addition to the family, including Williams’ former co-star Jim Gaffigan, who jokingly tweeted that the pair had four more kids to go via home birth.

Willams welcomed their second son, Odie Sal, on May 17, 2017, in Los Angeles, California. The day their child was born was the same as Dodson’s birthday. The boy’s first name is derived from Dodson’s great-grandfather.

As for the boy’s middle name, Sal, the parents drew inspiration from the protagonist of the children’s books “Blueberries For Sal” and “One Morning in Maine” by Robert McCloskey. They were Williams’ mother and Dodson’s mom’s favorite books.

Even though Williams and Dodson work in the entertainment industry, which often attracts significant media attention, they have successfully kept their children out of the public eye.

Ashley Williams and her husband Neal Dodson attend the premiere of “All Is Lost” during The 66th Annual Cannes Film Festival at the Palais des Festivals on May 22, 2013, in Cannes, France. | Source: Getty Images

Aside from Williams and Dodson, several other celebrity couples prefer to keep their family life, marriage, and children, away from the limelight. Hollywood A-list couples like Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling are no strangers to this strategy.

Additionally, Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher, Cameron Diaz, and musician Benji Madden did the same technique. The safety and happiness of their families are a top concern for all of them.