The film ‘Hillbilly Elegy,’ directed by Ron Howard, is a moving account of an Ohio family’s struggle to achieve the American Dream.
Based on J.D. Vance’s autobiography of the same name, the story follows Vance as he pursues his goals and aspirations while juggling his personal relationships.
This, of course, gives rise to complications, especially as his mother has a rapidly deteriorating substance abuse problem.
But helping J.D. at every step of the way, as seen in the movie, is his loving grandmother, sister, and (then-girlfriend) wife, Usha.
If, like us, you’re interested in learning more about the latter and her family with J.D., read on.
Who Are J.D. Vance’s Wife and Kids?
Usha Chilukuri, an Indian-American whose father came to the nation in search of a better life, is from San Diego, California.
She first met J.D. Vance while the two were in law school, and after getting to know each other for a while, they developed a strong foundation of trust and understanding that allowed them to triumph over any challenge that stood in their way.
Without ever trying to change J.D.’s values, Usha helped him adopt a more positive outlook on life and abandon his Hillbilly roots through her patience, encouragement, and insightfulness.
It was back in 2014, a year after J.D. graduated from Yale Law School, that the couple tied the knot in a ceremony that highlighted both their upbringings, religion, and cultures. Subsequently, so as to be closer to their families, they moved to Ohio to start their married life together.
At that time, Usha was a Law Clerk for then-Circuit Judge Brett Kavanaugh. As the years passed by, J.D. and Usha pushed each other to reach new heights in both their personal and professional lives.
In June of 2017, they welcomed their first child into this world, a son, who they named Ewan Blaine Vance.
Usha gave birth to their second child – another son – some time ago, but the couple hasn’t made his name or any information about him available to the public.
In fact, they prefer to keep both their kids away from the spotlight and the media.
Where Are J.D. Vance’s Wife and Kids Now?
J.D. Vance, his wife, Usha Chilukuri Vance, and their two kids are now living in the East Walnut Hills neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio.
They moved there in the summer of 2018 after Usha’s Supreme Court clerkship for Chief Justice John Roberts ended, and J.D. decided to have a full-time home instead of distributing his time between his family and his work in Columbus, where he had started a nonprofit organization to battle the drug epidemic.
Then, Usha took six months off of work to raise Ewan and get settled in Cincinnati, following which, she began working as an Associate at the San Francisco and Washington-based law firm Munger, Tolles & Olson, a position which she holds to this day.
According to her LinkedIn profile, she worked here from 2015-2017 as well, before she landed a job as a Law Clerk for the United States Supreme Court.
Her kids, husband, and career are Usha’s entire life.
In his autobiography, J.D. explains how Usha made him see that he still carried the scars of his difficult childhood, despite having accomplished so much.
She said he had no idea how to settle an argument. Although J.D. didn’t follow in his mother’s footsteps of yelling and cursing, he did have a tendency toward complete isolation.
He was afraid of turning out like his mother, but after talking to Usha, he realized he could persuade her of his point of view.
After all, they are relatives, and one does not simply abandon one’s relatives.
