Daphne Zuniga facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Daphne Zuniga
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![]() Zuniga at GalaxyCon Raleigh in 2019
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Born |
Daphne Eurydice Zuniga
October 28, 1962 San Francisco, California, US
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Alma mater | University of California, Los Angeles |
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1980–present |
Spouse(s) |
David Mleczko
(m. 2019) |
Daphne Eurydice Zuniga (born October 28, 1962) is an American actress known for her roles in movies and television shows. She became famous for playing Princess Vespa in the funny science-fiction movie Spaceballs (1987).
Many people also know her as Jo Reynolds from the popular 1990s TV show Melrose Place. She later played Victoria Davis in the teen drama One Tree Hill. Besides acting, Zuniga is also a dedicated environmentalist who works to protect the planet.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Daphne Zuniga was born in San Francisco, California. Her mother, Agnes, is a minister, and her father, Joaquin, was a philosophy professor from Guatemala. She has a sister named Jennifer.
From a young age, Daphne knew she wanted to be an actress. As a teenager, she joined a special acting program at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco.
When her parents divorced, she moved with her mother and sister to Vermont. After finishing high school in 1980, she moved back to California to study acting at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). During this time, she became good friends and shared an apartment with another future star, actress Meg Ryan.
Acting Career
Early Movies
Zuniga's career began in the early 1980s. One of her first major roles was in the romantic comedy The Sure Thing (1985), where she starred with John Cusack. She also acted alongside the legendary comedian Lucille Ball in the TV movie Stone Pillow (1985).
In 1987, she landed one of her most famous roles as Princess Vespa in the Mel Brooks comedy Spaceballs. The movie, which made fun of science-fiction films like Star Wars, became a huge hit and is still loved by fans today.
She also starred in the science-fiction horror movie The Fly II (1989) and the comedies Modern Girls (1986) and Gross Anatomy (1989).
Television Stardom

In 1992, Zuniga joined the cast of the TV drama Melrose Place. She played the photographer Jo Reynolds for four years. The show was very popular and made her a well-known television star.
From 2008 to 2012, she had a recurring role as the fashionable and often difficult mother, Victoria Davis, on the teen drama One Tree Hill. She also starred in the family TV series Beautiful People from 2005 to 2006.
Zuniga has appeared in many TV movies, especially for the Hallmark Channel, including A Family Thanksgiving (2010) and On Strike for Christmas (2010).
Recent Work and Future Projects
Zuniga continues to act in movies and television. In 2018, she directed her first movie, which was released in 2019 as Deadly Assistant. She has also appeared in TV shows like NCIS and Fantasy Island. In 2022, she had a role in the series Dynasty.
Since 2024, she has co-hosted a podcast called Still The Place with her former Melrose Place co-stars. It was also announced that a new Melrose Place series is being made, and Zuniga will be part of the cast.
Fans of Spaceballs were excited to learn that Zuniga is set to return as Princess Vespa in a sequel. The movie is planned for release in 2027.
Environmental Work
Zuniga cares deeply about the environment. She says her love for nature started during family camping trips to national parks like Yosemite. She believes it is important to protect the planet.
She has worked with many environmental groups, including the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Waterkeeper Alliance. She was also a founding member of the Earth Communications Office. In 2009, the mayor of Los Angeles appointed her to a board dedicated to improving the Los Angeles River.
Personal Life
Zuniga's younger sister, Jennifer, is also an actress. To handle the stress of her career, Zuniga practices Buddhist meditation.
In 2004, she experienced mercury poisoning from eating too much fish, especially sushi. Her symptoms included memory problems and headaches. After this health scare, she stopped eating fish and other meat.
In 2019, Zuniga married businessman David Mleczko. They met on a blind date in 2006.
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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1985 | Vision Quest | Margie Epstein | |
1985 | The Sure Thing | Alison Bradbury | |
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 | |
1993 | Eight Hundred Leagues Down the Amazon | Minha | |
1994 | Charlie's Ghost Story | Ronda | |
Cityscrapes: Los Angeles | Chantal | ||
1997 | Stand-ins | Shirley | |
2000 | Artificial Lies | Karen Wettering | |
Enemies of Laughter | Judy | ||
2005 | Secret Lives | Jill Thompson | |
2006 | A-List | Tina | |
2008 | Mail Order Bride | Diana McQueen | |
2012 | Changing Hearts | Christina Riley | |
2013 | Gone Missing | Rene | |
A Remarkable Life | Tracy | ||
2014 | Monkey in the Middle | Olive | |
2015 | Summer Forever | Sophie | |
Occupy Alice | Cindy Lowe | Short film | |
2016 | Who's Driving Doug | Alison | |
Beyond Paradise | Elana | ||
Search Engines | Kate | ||
Those Left Behind | Shelly | ||
2017 | Heartbeats | Michelle Andrews | |
2018 | Witness Unprotected | Sam | |
Abigail Falls | Anne | ||
2027 | Spaceballs 2 ![]() |
Queen Vespa | In pre-production |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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1983 | Quarterback Princess | Kim Maida | Television film |
1984 | Family Ties | Rachel Miller | 2 episodes |
1985 | Stone Pillow | Carrie Lang | Television film |
1989 | Nightmare Classics | Irene Marlowe | Episode: "The Eyes of the Panther" |
1992 | Prey of the Chameleon | Patricia / Elizabeth Burrows | Television film |
1992–1996 | Melrose Place | Jo Reynolds | 112 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" |
Degree of Guilt | Teresa 'Terri' Peralta | Television film | |
1996 | Pandora's Clock | Dr. Roni Sanders | |
1997 | Johnny Bravo | Gabrielle (voice) | Episode: "My Fair Dork" |
Dead Man's Gun | Lillian / Tanya | Episode: "Black Widow" | |
Loss of Faith | Claire Hainey | Television film | |
1997–1998 | Spin City | Carrie | 2 episodes |
1998 | Stories from My Childhood | Unknown | Episode: "Ivan and His Magic Pony" |
1999 | The Outer Limits | Juliette Kagan | Episode: "Essence of Life" |
1999–2000 | Batman Beyond | April; Lula (voice) | 2 episodes |
2000 | 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" | |
Ghost Dog: A Detective Tail | Amanda Morton | Television film | |
2004–2005 | American Dreams | Shelly Pierce | 14 episodes |
2005–2006 | Beautiful People | Lynn Kerr | 16 episodes |
2006 | Christmas Do-Over | Jill | Television film |
The Obsession | Deborah Matthews | ||
2007 | Nip/Tuck | Carly Summers | Episode: "Carly Summers" |
TED: The Future We Will Create | Herself / Host | Television film; also director and executive producer | |
2008 | Novel Adventures | Laura French | 8 episodes |
2008–2009 | Spaceballs: The Animated Series | Princess Vespa (voice) | 12 episodes |
2008–2012 | One Tree Hill | Victoria Davis | 40 episodes |
2009–2010 | Melrose Place | Jo Reynolds | Episodes: "Windsor" and "Santa Fe" |
2010 | A Family Thanksgiving | Claudia | Television film; also executive producer |
On Strike for Christmas | Joy Robertson | Television film | |
2013 | Signed, Sealed, Delivered | Andrea Shmeckle | |
2015 | Hindsight | Libby | Episode: "The Cranberries" |
2016 | When Duty Calls | Carol Lawton | Television film |
My Husband Is Missing | Ann Bradshaw | ||
2017 | The Wrong Babysitter | Susan | |
2018 | A Christmas Arrangement | Blair Covington | |
2019 | V.C. Andrews' Heaven | Nurse Broadfield | Episode: "Gates of Paradise" |
Christmas in Paris | Kate Fortune | Television film | |
2020 | NCIS | Navy Commander Stacy Gordon | Episode: "Lonely Hearts" |
2021 | Fantasy Island | Margot | Episode: "The Big Five Oh" |
2022 | Dynasty | Sonya Jackson | 2 episodes |
2023 | The Masked Singer | Herself / Clue Giver | Episode: "Masked Singer in Space" |
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
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2008 | LA Femme Film Festival | LA Femme Filmmaker Award: New Establishment Award | Herself | Won |
2011 | Environmental Leadership Awards | CLCV Environmental Leadership Award | Won | |
2016 | Santa Fe Film Festival | Creative Spirit Award | Search Engines | Won |