 Ava Gardiner was one of the most glamorous actresses of Hollywood. With her allure, talent, and tumultuous personal life, she became an icon. Let's take a peek inside Ava's world from her humble beginnings in rural North Carolina to the lavish homes she inhabited at the height of her fame. Along the way, we're gonna relive her life, so let's dive in. On Christmas Eve in 1922, Ava LaVenya Gardiner was born in the small farming community of Grabtown, North Carolina. She was the youngest of seven children born to Mary Elizabeth Molly and Jonas Gardner. The Gardner family lived modestly. Their farmhouse was surrounded by the tobacco and cotton fields that they cultivated.