In an opinion piece for USA Today published on Friday, Judd called on Biden to "voluntarily, gracefully step aside" so that his party can support a "talented, robust Democrat" for the presidency. She described Biden during the debate as "incapable of countering Trump, while he, unchecked, gushed a firehose of galling lies."

Judd, who has been an outspoken supporter for Biden and other Democrats across the country, noted the political activism that has accompanied her multi-decade Hollywood career. Her allegations against movie mogul Harvey Weinstein helped spark the #MeToo movement.

Warning that she fears Trump "would wield the power of the presidency with unprecedented, incalculable cruelty and unfairness" if voters return him to the White House, Judd said that time is of the essence for Democrats to replace Biden with a candidate who can defeat him.

"We do not have another day for distraction or division among ourselves," she said.

Judd did not posit a possible replacement for Biden atop the ticket, and a representative did not immediately return a message seeking comment as to whom she might suggest.

Her call comes as Democrats consider whether they want Biden to remain as his party's nominee, following concerns over his age and ability to win the general election against Trump.

Earlier this week, movie star and lifelong Democrat George Clooney said in a New York Times opinion piece that he loves Biden but the party would lose the presidential race as well as any in Congress with him as the nominee. He cited what he characterized as a diminished Biden during interactions around a Los Angeles fundraiser last month.

Judd was at the White House in April to help the Biden administration promote its new national strategy to prevent suicide, to which she lost her mother, singer Naomi Judd, in 2022. The Biden campaign did not immediately return a message seeking comment on Ashley Judd's piece.

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Kinnard reported from Chapin, South Carolina, and can be reached at http://twitter.com/MegKinnardAP.