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Daphne Zuniga

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Daphne Zuniga
Zuniga at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival
Born
Daphne Eurydice Zuniga

(1962-10-28) October 28, 1962 (age 62)
San Francisco, California, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of California, Los Angeles
OccupationActress
Years active1982–present
Height5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[1]

Daphne Eurydice Zuniga (/ˈdæfni zuˈniɡə/; born October 28, 1962) is an American film and television actress, and environmentalist. After studying at the American Conservatory Theater in her youth, she made her film debut in 1982 in the slasher film The Dorm That Dripped Blood at the age of 19, followed by a lead role in the horror film The Initiation (1984) two years later.

She went on to star in several comedies, including Rob Reiner's The Sure Thing (1985), opposite John Cusack, as well as the cult comedies Spaceballs, and Modern Girls (1986). She also starred opposite Lucille Ball in the television drama film Stone Pillow (1986), and in the sci-fi horror sequel The Fly II (1989). Zuniga would later gain major exposure as a television actress for her role as Jo Reynolds on the Fox prime time soap opera Melrose Place from 1992–1996. Other television credits include as Victoria Davis on One Tree Hill (2008–2012), and as Lynn Kerr on the drama series Beautiful People.

Also an environmental activist, Zuniga was a founding member of the Earth Communications Office (ECO), and has worked with the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Waterkeeper Alliance, and Environment California.[2]

Early life

Zuniga was born in San Francisco, California[3] to Agnes A. Zuniga (née Janawicz) and Joaquin Alberto Zuniga Mazariegos. Her mother is a Unitarian minister, of Polish and Finnish descent,[4] and her father, originally from Guatemala,[5] was an emeritus professor of philosophy at California State University, East Bay.[6][7] Zuniga has two sisters: Jennifer Zuniga, and Rosario Zuñiga.

In her early teens, Zuniga expressed interest in acting, and attended the Young Conservatory program of the American Conservatory Theater of San Francisco. After her parents divorced, Zuniga moved with her mother and sister from Berkeley, California to Reading, Vermont, where she spent the remainder of her teenage years.[8] Zuniga graduated from Woodstock Union High School in Woodstock, Vermont, in 1980, after which she returned to California and enrolled at the University of California, Los Angeles to study theater arts. After leaving college, Zuniga was close friends and roommates with fellow actress Meg Ryan.[9]

Career

Early work

Zuniga made her film debut in Stephen Carpenter's slasher film The Dorm That Dripped Blood (1982), playing a supporting role as a college coed. Two years later, she made her lead debut in The Initiation, another college-themed slasher co-starring Vera Miles and Clu Gulager.[10] "It was a great part," Zuniga recalled. "I got to play twins: a good sister and an evil sister. I got shot in the back on-screen. It was pretty heavy for a first role."[10]

She then appeared in the drama Vision Quest (1985), followed by a lead role in Rob Reiner's The Sure Thing (1985), opposite John Cusack.[11] The film was critically praised; critic Roger Ebert said of the film: "The movie industry seems better at teenage movies like Porky's, with its sleazy shower scenes, than with screenplays that involve any sort of thought about the love lives of its characters. That's why The Sure Thing is a small miracle."[12] Shortly after, Zuniga was cast in the television drama film Stone Pillow (1985), playing a social worker in New York City who forms a bond with an elderly homeless woman, played by Lucille Ball.[13] She also appeared in the comedy Modern Girls (1986), opposite Cynthia Gibb and Virginia Madsen.

In 1987, Zuniga was cast as Princess Vespa in Mel Brooks's cult comedy Spaceballs, opposite Rick Moranis, Bill Pullman, and John Candy. Though the film received mixed critical reception,[14] it later garnered a cult following. The next year, Zuniga appeared in a lead role in the blockbuster horror film The Fly II (1988), followed by the comedy Staying Together (1989), and as a med student opposite Matthew Modine in the drama Gross Anatomy (1989).

Melrose Place; television career

In 1992, she was cast as Jo Reynolds in the Fox soap opera Melrose Place, and appeared on the show as a recurring character until 1996. The role garnered Zuniga major exposure to television audiences, though her television career had begun in the early eighties with a minor role on Family Ties (1984) as a girlfriend of Alex P. Keaton.[15] She also appeared in the 1995 miniseries Degree of Guilt.[16]

In 1994, Zuniga appeared in the release of a video for Bob Seger's previously released 1976 hit "Night Moves".[17] In the video version of the song, she and a pre-Friends Matt LeBlanc are shown in a 1960s drive-in theater, where Zuniga as a dark, edgy young woman becomes a visual fascination for LeBlanc as a clean-cut young man. Later, Zuniga would work as a voice actors on the animated television series Stories from My Childhood (1998), and also had a lead role in the miniseries Pandora's Clock (1996), an action thriller filmed in Seattle, Washington.[18]

In 2005, she was cast as Lynn Kerr on the ABC family series Beautiful People, and also had a recurring role in the series American Dreams.[19] She also appeared in a recurring role as Victoria Davis on The CW series One Tree Hill between 2008 and 2012, appearing in over forty episodes. During this time, she appears in several made-for-television movies including Secret Lives (2005), The Obsession (2006), Christmas Do-Over (2006), Mail Order Bride (2008), and On Strike for Christmas (2010).[20]

In 2007, Zuniga co-produced and co-directed (with Steven Latham) the documentary "The Future We Will Create: Inside the World of TED" — a look at the annual Technology, Entertainment and Design conference held in Monterey, California. She also starred in the scripted web series Novel Adventures, which premiered November 3, 2008 from CBS Interactive.[21][22] In February and March 2008, Zuniga appeared onstage in a production of The Scene by Theresa Rebeck, at the San Francisco Playhouse.[23]

Zuniga reprised her role as Princess Vespa from the 1987 film Spaceballs, by voice-over in the television spin-off Spaceballs: The Animated Series. She also reprised her role from Melrose Place in an updated version, but it was short-lived, as the series was cancelled after just one season in 2009-10. In 2013, Zuniga appeared as a postal worker in the Hallmark Channel series Signed, Sealed, Delivered, as well as the television film based on the series.

In 2015, Zuniga appeared in a guest starring role in the VH1 scripted series Hindsight as Libby.[24] In 2016, she was cast in a new TV movie for PixL and Hallmark Channel, When Duty Calls, with Judd Nelson and Daniella Monet.

Personal life

Her younger sister Jennifer Zuniga, also an actress, debuted in the film A Woman, Her Men, and Her Futon (1992). Zuniga is a Buddhist.[15]

In 2004, Zuniga suffered from mercury poisoning, which she attributed to overconsumption of fish. She said she had eaten sushi four times in the week prior to being taken to the emergency room and that her symptoms included weak memory, headaches, crying spells, skin rashes, and mild depression.[25] After her diagnosis, Zuniga stopped consuming fish in addition to other meat.[15]

Environmental activism

Zuniga has supported several environmental campaigns. In 2009, she was appointed by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles River Revitalization Corporation, a not-for-profit development corporation charged with catalyzing sustainable development along the Los Angeles River.[26][27]

Zuniga was a founding member of the Earth Communications Office (ECO), and has worked with the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Waterkeeper Alliance, and Environment California.[2] Zuniga has cited her family's camping trips to Yosemite National Park and Yellowstone as sparking her lifelong interest in the environment.[28] "The planet does nothing but support us," she said in a 2007 interview, "and we are constantly committing crimes against nature."[15]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1982 The Dorm That Dripped Blood Debbie
1983 Quarterback Princess Kim Maida Television film
1984 The Initiation Kelly Fairchild/Terry Fairchild
1985 Vision Quest Margie Epstein
The Sure Thing Alison Bradbury
Stone Pillow Carrie Lang Television film
1986 Modern Girls Margo
1987 Spaceballs Princess Vespa
1988 Last Rites Angela
1989 The Fly II Beth Logan
Staying Together Beverly Young
Gross Anatomy Laurie Rorbach
1992 Mad at the Moon Young Mrs. Miller
Prey of the Chameleon Patricia / Elizabeth Burrows
1993 Eight Hundred Leagues Down the Amazon Minha
1994 Charlie's Ghost Story Ronda
Cityscrapes: Los Angeles Chantal
1995 Degree of Guilt Teresa 'Terri' Peralta Television film
1996 Pandora's Clock Dr. Roni Sanders Television film
1997 Loss of Faith Claire Hainey Television film
Naked in the Cold Sun Rini
Stand-ins Shirley
2000 Artificial Lies Karen Wettering
Enemies of Laughter Judy
2003 Ghost Dog: A Detective Tail Amanda Morton Television film
2005 Secret Lives Jill Thompson
2006 A-List Tina
The Obsession Deborah Matthews Television film
Christmas Do-Over Jill Television film
2008 Mail Order Bride Diana McQueen
2010 Seducing Charlie Barker Stella
A Family Thanksgiving Claudia Television film
On Strike for Christmas Joy Robertson Television film
2012 Changing Hearts Christina Riley
2013 Gone Missing Rene
A Remarkable Life Tracy
Signed, Sealed, Delivered Andrea Shmeckle Television film
2014 Monkey in the Middle Olive
2015 Summer Forever Sophie
Occupy Alice Cindy Lowe Short
2016 Who's Driving Doug Alison
Beyond Paradise Elana
Search Engines Kate
Those Left Behind Shelly
When Duty Calls Carol Lawton
Heartbeats Michelle Andrews
2016 My Husband is Missing Ann Bradshaw Television film

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1984 Family Ties Rachel Miller Episode: "Double Date"
Episode: "The Graduate"
1989 Nightmare Classics Irene Marlowe Episode: "The Eyes of the Panther"
1992–1996 Melrose Place Jo Reynolds 110 episodes
1993 The Hidden Room Elizabeth Mahern Episode: "The Faithful Follower"
1994 Models Inc. Jo Reynolds Episode: "Pilot"
1995 Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child Cinderella (voice) Episode: "Cinderella"
1997 Johnny Bravo Gabrielle (voice) Episode: "I Used to Be Funny/My Fair Dork/'Twas the Night"
Dead Man's Gun Lillian / Tanya Episode: "Black Widow"
Spin City Carrie Episode: "Hot in the City"
1998 Spin City Carrie Episode: "It Happened One Night"
Stories from My Childhood Episode: "Ivan and His Magic Pony"
1999 The Outer Limits Juliette Kagan Episode: "Essence of Life"
Batman Beyond Lula (voice) Episode: "Once Burned"
2000 Batman Beyond April (voice) Episode: "April Moon"
Stark Raving Mad Dr. Anne Russo Episode: "Therapy"
2003 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Emma Dishell Episode: "Abomination"
Eve Mrs. King Episode: "Twas the Fight Before Christmas"
2004–2005 American Dreams Shelly Pierce 14 episodes
2005–2006 Beautiful People Lynn Kerr 16 episodes
2007 Nip/Tuck Carly Summers Episode: "Carly Summers"
2007–2009 Spaceballs: The Animated Series Princess Vespa (voice) 12 episodes
2008 Novel Adventures Laura French 8 episodes
2008–2012 One Tree Hill Victoria Davis 42 episodes
2009 Melrose Place Jo Reynolds Episode: "Windsor"
2010 Melrose Place Jo Reynolds Episode: "Santa Fe"
2015 Hindsight Libby Episode: "The Cranberries"

References

  1. ^ Aily, Kornblut; and Anne E. (October 29, 1995). "MAN TROUBLE? NOT ME, SAYS DAPHNE 'MELROSE PLACE' STAR'S LIFE IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM TROUBLED ROLES". New York Daily News. Retrieved August 21, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ a b "Daphne Zuniga". The Huffington Post. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  3. ^ Daphne E Zuniga was born on October 28, 1962 in San Francisco County, California to Ms. Janawicz.
  4. ^ "Daphne Zuniga Biography (1962?-)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved July 13, 2012.
  5. ^ "Daphne Zuniga displays snob appeal in `Spaceballs'". Chicago Sun-Times. June 28, 1987. Retrieved October 15, 2012.
  6. ^ "Emeritus Professors", Department of Philosophy, California State University, East Bay, website
  7. ^ "Who's who Among Hispanic Americans - Google Books". Retrieved March 3, 2014 – via Google Books.
  8. ^ "Vermont History: Daphne Zuniga". Virtual Vermont. Retrieved September 4, 2016.
  9. ^ "Daphne Zuniga Biography". TV Guide. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
  10. ^ a b Burke-Block, Candace (June 22, 1987). "Actress Daphne Zuniga: 'I Want To Be A Chameleon'". Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  11. ^ Pecchia, David (February 4, 1989). "No Sure Things". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 5, 2016.
  12. ^ Ebert, Roger (May 1, 1985). "The Sure Thing Movie Review". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved September 3, 2016.
  13. ^ O'Connor, John J. "TV Reviews; Lucille Ball Plays A Bag Lady On CBS", The New York Times, November 5, 1985
  14. ^ "Spaceballs (1987)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved September 5, 2016.
  15. ^ a b c d Myers, Jack (September 21, 2007). "Beautiful People's Daphne Zuniga: Facing Her Fears and Ready to Fall in Love". Media Village. Retrieved September 4, 2016.
  16. ^ HER STRENGTH HITS NEW 'DEGREE, October 29, 1995, Daily News of Los Angeles
  17. ^ Childers, Chad. "Matt LeBlanc in 'Night Moves' by Bob Seger". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved September 4, 2016.
  18. ^ Gerard, Jeremy (November 7, 1996). "Review: 'Pandora's Clock'". Variety. Retrieved September 4, 2016.
  19. ^ Bobbin, Jay, "Daphne Zuniga Has 'American Dreams'", October 3, 2004, Zap2It.com News
  20. ^ "Mail Order Bride". Metacafe.com. Retrieved July 13, 2012.
  21. ^ "Novel Adventures". Noveladventures.cbs.com. Archived from the original on February 18, 2012. Retrieved July 13, 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  22. ^ Insider: biography of her character, Laura
  23. ^ Tristan Fuge, "Daphne Zuniga to Star in San Francisco Playhouse's The Scene", Theatre Mania, January 4, 2008
  24. ^ Black, Elizabeth (November 20, 2014). "VH1's 'Hindsight' Takes You Back To The '90s". VH1. Retrieved September 5, 2016.
  25. ^ Liz Borod Wright, "Actress Describes Mercury Poisoning Ordeal: Daphne Zuniga Was Eating a High Seafood Diet, ABC News, October 21, 2005
  26. ^ "LA River Revitalization Corporation, The Board". Retrieved October 15, 2012.
  27. ^ "Daphne Zuniga Opens Up About Mindfulness And Finding Love In ORIGIN Magazine". The Huffington Post. October 13, 2013. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
  28. ^ Miller, Jenesse (November 28, 2011). "Her Most Important Role: Daphne Zuniga, Environmentalist". EcoVote. Retrieved September 2, 2016.
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