She most recently co-starred in Neil Burger’s sci-fi hit “Divergent,” with Shailene Woodley and Kate Winslet, and Antoine Fuqua’s actioner “Olympus Has Fallen,” with Gerard Butler and Aaron Eckhart. Now, Ashley Judd returns to her role of the big-hearted mother, Lorraine, for Warner Bros. Pictures' eagerly anticipated sequel, “Dolphin Tale 2.”

Ashley Judd says of the premise of the new film, “It’s always wonderful when young people find their voice and their autonomy, and it’s great to watch the kids in this film begin to act on the courage of their convictions. In the first ‘Dolphin Tale,’ Lorraine was mostly concerned about her son, Sawyer, and then was relieved that he was going to be okay. Now, maybe he’s gonna be too okay because he’s getting ready to leave for several months. Of course, as a mom she wants him to go out and do big things.”

The actress, who is an outspoken animal advocate, adds, “I was so pleased to discover that so much of this film focuses on the animals. To be on set with Winter and see the range of her emotions—from the unbelievable gentleness with which she interacts with both children and adults with disabilities to her mischievousness and humor—is one of the most profound experiences of my career. As Dr. McCarthy likes to joke, with intentional inaccuracy, ‘She’s a hell of a fish,’” Judd laughs.

Morgan Freeman returns as Dr. Cameron McCarthy, the ingenious prosthetics doctor who devised the artificial tail that saved Winter’s life in the first film. “Dolphin Tale 2” also marks his fourth collaboration with Judd, whom he says is “one of the women I love most in the world. “She is super smart, she is gorgeous and she has a beautiful soul. What’s not to love?”

He and Judd also share an admiration for their aquatic co-stars. “Dolphins are extremely bright creatures; the fact that they don’t make computers or cars doesn’t diminish that fact,” he observes. “I think their intelligence is part of what draws us to them and them to us. And that’s also part of what makes the ‘Dolphin Tale’ movies such terrific family affairs. We have to remember, as filmmakers and storytellers, that children do not listen to what we say; they’re watching what we do. So if we make movies about caring for the environment and its animals, that’s what they learn. We should be joyous when something good comes along that will resonate with people who are concerned about taking their children to the movies.”

In “Dolphin Tale 2,” it has been several years since young Sawyer Nelson (Nathan Gamble) and the dedicated team at the Clearwater Marine Hospital, headed by Dr. Clay Haskett (Harry Connick, Jr.), rescued Winter. With the help of Dr. Cameron McCarthy (Morgan Freeman), who developed a unique prosthetic tail for the injured dolphin, they were able to save her life. Yet their fight is not over. Winter's surrogate mother, the very elderly dolphin Panama, has passed away, leaving Winter without the only poolmate she has ever known. However, the loss of Panama may have even greater repercussions for Winter, who, according to USDA regulations, cannot be housed alone, as dolphins' social behavior requires them to be paired with other dolphins. Time is running out to find a companion for her before the team at Clearwater loses their beloved Winter to another aquarium.

Opening across the Philippines on Oct. 08, 2014, “Dolphin Tale 2” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment company.

In September 2011, moviegoers were introduced to Winter, the dolphin whose astounding true story was dramatized in the family film “Dolphin Tale.” She had already been something of a local celebrity at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA), the non-profit marine animal rescue facility on the Gulf Coast of Florida. After the release of the movie, however, her fame grew exponentially, as did her impact on CMA, as well as on people the world over who were inspired by her courage and resilience.

Charles Martin Smith, the director of the original film, who returned to write and direct the sequel, Warner Bros.' new family adventure “Dolphin Tale 2,” offers, “I think it was a combination of factors that caused ‘Dolphin Tale’ to resonate with audiences. The idea that a dolphin could have so desperate an injury and lose her tail, and that a team of strangers would rally around her to save her with a first-of-its-kind prosthetic, was so improbable and yet it’s true. And Winter’s own spirit moved people so deeply. So many have come up to me and said how affected they were by the film. I thought we would touch people with ‘Dolphin Tale’; I didn’t realize how much. It has been truly gratifying.”

Despite its success, the filmmakers never envisioned a sequel to “Dolphin Tale,” as it was based on actual events. Producer Richard Ingber, who had been responsible for bringing Winter’s story to the attention of Alcon Entertainment, explains, “In terms of movies, true stories are usually told and then you go home. We didn’t even have any thoughts that there could be a sequel.”

However, on the very night that the cast and crew had gathered to celebrate the completion of the first film “an event happened that changed everything,” Ingber continues. “We were all at the wrap party when the Aquarium got the call that a baby dolphin was in trouble and needed rescue…and was there any possibility that they could bring her to CMA.”

There were fears the infant dolphin was too young even to survive the trip, but she did, resulting in her new name: Hope.

David Yates, the CEO of the Clearwater Marine Aquarium and an executive producer on “Dolphin Tale 2,” recounts, “Everything unfolded that night. The fact that Hope came to us during the wrap party of ‘Dolphin Tale’ was incredible enough, but the similarities between Winter’s rescue and Hope’s rescue are unbelievable. They’re both Atlantic bottlenose dolphins; they are both females; they were both about the same age when they arrived; and they were found in the same part of Florida by the same rescue team. The odds of all that happening are so small.”

When the van carrying CMA’s newest resident pulled in, much of the cast and crew were there to witness her being hand carried directly to the pool, where staff members were ready and waiting to care for her.

Harry Connick, Jr. recalls, “Everybody was oohing and aahing because she was just so adorable, never thinking that what we were watching would, in time, prompt a completely new storyline that would bring us back together.”

It wasn’t until months later, when the filmmakers saw the response to “Dolphin Tale,” that they began considering the idea of continuing Winter’s story with the addition of Hope. The baby had been stranded too young to have learned the life skills necessary to survive in the wild, so she, like Winter, will always reside at CMA, where the two have become poolmates.

As with the arrival of Hope, “Dolphin Tale 2” depicts another true and equally life-changing event—the sad passing of Panama, an elderly dolphin who was one of CMA’s most beloved residents and Winter’s surrogate mother. In the film, her death means that Winter will need a new companion, as dictated by the USDA.

Smith says change became a central theme of his screenplay, for both the animals and the humans. “Time goes on and change is inevitable. Children grow up, there is death and new life… We can’t turn back the clock, so we just have to embrace what comes. That’s what this film is about to me.”

Opening across the Philippines on Oct. 08, 2014, “Dolphin Tale 2” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment company.

Warner Bros. Pictures and Alcon Entertainment’s “Dolphin Tale 2” continues the story of the brave dolphin Winter, whose miraculous rescue and rehabilitation—thanks to the invention of a groundbreaking prosthetic tail—made her a symbol of perseverance to people around the world and inspired the 2011 family hit movie “Dolphin Tale.”

The film reunites the entire main cast, including Harry Connick, Jr., Ashley Judd, Nathan Gamble, Kris Kristofferson, Cozi Zuehlsdorff, Austin Stowell, Austin Highsmith and Oscar winner Morgan Freeman. The remarkable dolphin Winter returns as herself, joined by a new dolphin named Hope. Charles Martin Smith, who directed “Dolphin Tale,” wrote and directed the sequel.

Several years have passed since young Sawyer Nelson and the dedicated team at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA), headed by Dr. Clay Haskett, rescued Winter, a young dolphin who lost her tail after being entangled in a crab trap. With the help of Dr. Cameron McCarthy, who developed a unique prosthetic tail for Winter, they saved her life against all odds. In turn, she helped save the Aquarium—as people came from far and wide to see the courageous dolphin firsthand, enabling CMA to expand their mission to Rescue, Rehabilitate and, when possible, Release injured animals.

Yet their fight is not over. Winter’s surrogate mother, the elderly dolphin Panama, passes away, leaving Winter alone and grieving, unwilling to engage with anyone, even her best friend, Sawyer. However, the loss of Panama may have even greater repercussions for CMA. The USDA warns Clay they will have to move Winter from the Aquarium because regulations require these social creatures to be paired. If they don’t find a female companion for her—one that she accepts—CMA will lose their beloved Winter.

But as time runs out, there may still be Hope…

“Dolphin Tale 2” stars Harry Connick, Jr. as Dr. Clay Haskett; Ashley Judd as Sawyer’s mom, Lorraine; Nathan Gamble as Sawyer Nelson; Kris Kristofferson as Clay’s father, Reed Haskett; Cozi Zuehlsdorff as Clay’s daughter, Hazel; Austin Stowell as Sawyer’s cousin, Kyle; Austin Highsmith as Winter’s lead trainer, Phoebe; and Morgan Freeman as Dr. Cameron McCarthy. Champion surfer Bethany Hamilton, who herself has been an example of courage, joins the ensemble, playing herself in the film.

Oscar nominees Andrew A. Kosove and Broderick Johnson (“The Blind Side”) produced the film, together with Richard Ingber, who brought the original project to the Company, and Steven P. Wegner. David Yates and Robert Engelman served as executive producers.

The behind-the-scenes creative team included director of photography Daryn Okada, production designer David J. Bomba, editor Harvey Rosenstock, and costume designer Hope Hanafin. The score was composed by Oscar winner Rachel Portman (“Emma”).

“Dolphin Tale 2” was filmed at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, the non-profit rescue and rehabilitation facility that Winter and now Hope call home, as well as the surrounding areas of Tampa, Clearwater and St. Petersburg, Florida.

Opening across the Philippines on Oct. 01, 2014, “Dolphin Tale 2” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment company.