What is Daphne Zuniga's Net Worth?
Daphne Zuniga is an American actress who has a net worth of $3 million. Daphne Zuniga is most widely recognized for her co-starring roles in "Melrose Place," "American Dreams," and "One Tree Hill," and for her work in such films as "Vision Quest," "Spaceballs," and "Staying Together."
She began acting while in high school and went on to attend the Young Conservatory at American Conservatory Theatre and the University of California – Los Angeles, where she majored in Theatre Arts. She began her professional on-camera career in the early 80s, appearing in the horror film, "The Dorm That Dripped Blood." Since then, she has worked steadily in both film and television projects. Some of her television projects include "Family Ties," "Models Inc." and "The Outer Limits," and the television movies, "Stone Pillow," "Christmas Do-Over," and "Mail Order Bride."
Daphne appeared in 110 of Melrose Place's 226 episodes, playing the character of Jo Reynolds.
Early Life
Daphne Eurydice Zuniga was born on October 28, 1962, in San Francisco, California. Her mother, Agnes, is a Unitarian minister, and her father, Joaquin, worked as a professor of philosophy at California State University, East Bay. She grew up with her sister, Jennifer.
While a young teenager, Zuniga discovered that she had an interest in acting. She attended the Young Conservatory program at the American Conservatory Theater of San Francisco. When her parents divorced, Zuniga moved with her mother and sister from California to Reading, Vermont. There, she attended Woodstock Union High School and graduated in 1980. Following her graduation, she returned to California and enrolled at the University of California, Los Angeles, where she studied theater arts.
Career
Daphne Zuniga made her film debut in the slasher film, "The Dorm That Dripped Blood" in 1982. She played the role of a college student. In 1984, she had a more prominent role in "The Initiation," another slasher film in which she played good and evil twins. In 1985, she appeared in the drama film, "Vision Quest." The same year, she had the lead role in "The Sure Thing" opposite John Cusack. The film received critical praise from such critics as Robert Ebert.
Following her success, she was cast in the television drama film "Stone Pillow," in which she played a social worker in New York City who formed a bond with a homeless woman played by actress Lucille Ball. Shortly afterward, she appeared in the comedy "Modern Girls" along with Cynthia Gibb and Virginia Madsen.
In 1987, Zuniga experienced her next success when she was cast as Princess Vespa in Mel Brooks' cult comedy hit "Spaceballs." Though the film was not a huge commercial or critical success, it gained a cult following over the next years. The next year, she appeared in the horror film "The Fly II" and then in "Staying Together" and "Gross Anatomy."
In 1992, Zuniga was cast as a main character in the FOX soap opera "Melrose Place." She remained on the show until 1996. During this time, she gained major exposure to television audiences, as her career had mainly been in film prior to that point. In 1996, she landed a role in the miniseries "Pandora's Clock" and also lent her voice to a role in the animated television series "Stories from My Childhood." Throughout the late 1990s, she mainly appeared in various episodes of television programs but did not book any major recurring roles.
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However, in 2005, she was cast as Lynn Kerr on the ABC Family series "Beautiful People." She appeared in 16 episodes of the show from 2005 until 2006. She also booked a recurring role on "American Dreams," appearing in 14 episodes. A few years later, she appeared in a recurring role on The CW series "One Tree Hill." She remained on the show from 2008 until 2012, appearing in over forty episodes. She also booked a number of made-for-television movies like "Secret Lives," "The Obsession," "Mail Order Bride," and "On Strike for Christmas."
In 2007, Zuniga co-produced and co-directed the documentary "The Future We Will Create: Inside the World of TED." The film provided audiences with a look inside the annual Technology, Entertainment, and Design conference held in California. A year later, she starred in the web series "Novel Adventures." In 2008, Zuniga appeared onstage in a production of "The Scene" by Theresa Rebeck at the San Francisco Playhouse.
The next year, Zuniga reprised her role as Princess Vespa from "Spaceballs" in the television spin-off "Spaceballs: The Animated Series." She also reprised her role from "Melrose Place" in a short-lived updated version of the series, as it was canceled after only one season. In 2010, she starred in the hit Hallmark Channel film "A Family Thanksgiving." She went on to appear in a number of other Hallmark films and series, including "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" and "Gone Missing."
In 2018, Zuniga directed her first feature film called "The Protégé." The film was ultimately released a year later under the title of "Deadly Assistant." In 2019, she co-starred in "Gates of Paradise" and also appeared in "Christmas in Paris." In 2021, she was a guest star on "Fantasy Island" and then appeared on "Dynasty" in 2022.
Personal Life
In 2006, Zuniga met businessman David Mleczko on a blind date. The two began dating and eventually married in a private ceremony in Massachusetts in June of 2019.
Zuniga is interested in Buddhism and meditation. She attends various Buddhist meditation retreats to help manage stress in her life. She is also interested in environmentalism, which she sparked by going on camping trips as a child with her family to Yosemite National Park. In 2009, she was appointed by the Los Angeles mayor to be on the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles River Revitalization Corporation. She is also a founding member of the Earth Communications Office and has also worked with the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Waterkeeper Alliance, and Environmental California.
Real Estate
In 2001, Daphne sold a home in Los Angeles for $490,000. Two years later, she sold another house for $1.63 million.
