From the first moment Daphne Zuniga stepped onto the stage in junior high as The Admiral in the musical, HMS Pinafore, at age twelve, she knew she’d found her calling. Zuniga began her film career with Rob Reiner’s “The Sure Thing” opposite John Cusack and Tim Robbins. Then, a childhood dream came true when she was cast opposite Lucille Ball in Ball’s final performance, “Stone Pillow.” Zuniga went on to star in several feature films, including Mel Brooks’ “Spaceballs,” “Vision Quest,” “Gross Anatomy” with Christine Lahti and Matthew Modine and “Staying Together” with Stockard Channing, directed by Lee Grant. Other films include “Last Rights,” “Stand-ins” and the Hallmark Channel Original Movie, “Mail Order Bride.”
Zuniga became familiar to millions of viewers when she appeared for four years as Jo Reynolds on the hit series “Melrose Place,” and then reprised her role in 2009 for the CW’s re-make series. Other early television credits include two highly rated NBC miniseries, “Pandora’s Clock” and “Degree of Guilt,” both based on best-selling novels, and guest spots on “Spin City,” “Stark Raving Mad,” “Eve” and “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit.” After playing the sexy centerfold Shelly Pierce on the acclaimed NBC series “American Dreams,” Zuniga went on to star on the ABC Family series “Beautiful People,” and then alongside Jay Mohr in the ABC Family film, “Christmas Do-Over.”
After a notable guest starring role in the 7th season premiere of “Nip/Tuck” as Carly, Zuniga landed her recurring role as Victoria Davis on the CW’s “One Tree Hill,” for which she is now in her fourth season.
Zuniga's long time efforts on behalf of the environment led to her recent appointment as founding board member of the LA River Revitalization Corporation. She produced a short film showing the negative health impacts on the mostly Hispanic communities in Southern Los Angeles, and has written articles for O, The Oprah Magazine and The Huffington Post. Zuniga is also a supporter of the Natural Resources Defense Council, Communities for a Better Environment, Waterkeeper Alliance, and was recently honored with the Golden Sun Award at the Barcelona Environmental Film Festival.
