Roxana Zal

Last updated
Roxana Zal
Born (1969-11-08) November 8, 1969 (age 54)
Occupation(s)Actress, Fashion designer
Years active1981–2006

Roxana Zal (born November 8, 1969) is an American former actress and fashion designer. In 1984, at the age of 14, she became the youngest Primetime Emmy Award winner for her title role in the television film Something About Amelia . [1]

Contents

Early life

Zal was born and raised in Malibu, California, the daughter of Maureen and Hossein Zal, an Iranian-born Los Angeles investor. [2] Zal was keen to take up acting when aged 8, however her parents resisted, until her aunt persuaded them to allow her several years later. [3]

Career

She began acting aged 11 [3] and secured her first acting role as a guest spot on Hart to Hart towards the end of 1981.

In 1983, Zal appeared in the films Table for Five starring Jon Voight and Testament opposite Jane Alexander. In 1984 she won a Primetime Emmy Award for her role in the television film Something About Amelia . She also received a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film nomination for her performance. [4] Zal later starred in the 1986 independent crime film River's Edge and in 1989 starred in the teen romantic drama film Under the Boardwalk . [5] In 1989, she appeared as young mother Cissy McClure in Everybody's Baby: The Rescue of Jessica McClure, the real life story about the rescue of Jessica McClure two years prior. At the time, she was a second-year student at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and filmed the role while studying world arts and cultures. [3]

In 1990, Zal appeared in a number of made-for-television and independent films playing supporting roles. She also guest starred in a number of television series, including Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman , The Pretender and NCIS . In 2006, she was a regular cast member on the MyNetworkTV telenovela Watch Over Me .

Zal left acting and became a fashion designer in the 2000s. [6]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1983 Table for Five Tilde Young Artist Award for Best Leading Young Actress in a Feature Film
1983 Testament Mary Liz WetherlyNominated — Young Artist Award for Best Young Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical, Comedy, Adventure or Drama
1986 River's Edge Maggie
1988Goodbye, Miss 4th of July
1989 Under the Boardwalk Gitch
1995 Red Line Gem
1996 Kiss & Tell Sissy
1996 The First Man Nan
1996 Daddy's Girl Karen Conners Direct-to-video
1997 Firestorm Lara
1998 The Waterfront Cristina
1998 Broken Vessels ElizabethAlso producer
Los Angeles Independent Film Festival Award for Best Feature Film
2000Her Married LoverKatie GriffinAlternate Title: A Clean Cut
2000Ground ZeroVictoria Heflin
2001Blind ObsessionBedelia Rose
2004 Three Way Janice Brookbank

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1981 Hart to Hart RileyEpisode: "The Hartbreak Kid"
Young Artist Award for Best Young Actress, Guest on a Series
1982 Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color MarileeEpisode: "The Adventures of Pollyanna"
1984 Something About Amelia Amelia BennetTelevision movie
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie
Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film
1986 Shattered Spirits Lesley MollencampTelevision movie
1986 CBS Schoolbreak Special Allie NewtonEpisode: "God, the Universe & Hot Fudge Sundaes"
Young Artist Award for Exceptional Young Actress Starring in a Television Special or Movie of the Week
1989 Everybody's Baby: The Rescue of Jessica McClure Cissy McClureTelevision movie
1990Daughter of the StreetsCharleyTelevision movie
1992 CBS Schoolbreak Special Michael's sisterEpisode: "Please, God, I'm Only Seventeen"
1992 Something to Live for: The Alison Gertz Story TracyTelevision movie
1993 Deadly Relations MartyTelevision movie
1993 The Hidden Room MarionEpisode: "Marion & Jean"
1995 Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Lucy Lane Episode: "Metallo"
1998 Fame L.A. TinaEpisode: "Haunting Refrains"
1998 The Pretender Carla ParksEpisode: "Silence"
1998 Mixed Blessings Laura
1999 Primal Force Tara MatthewsTelevision movie
2003 Crossing Jordan Mrs. StrahanEpisode: "John Doe"
2004 NCIS Marie FoleyEpisode: "UnSEALED"
2006 Watch Over Me Natalie Weller64 episodes

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References

  1. "In a Controversial TV Movie, Teen Actress Roxana Zal Tackles a Taboo Subject—Incest". PEOPLE.com.
  2. Armstrong, Lois; Eric Estrin (1984-01-16). "In a Controversial TV Movie, Teen Actress Roxana Zal Tackles a Taboo Subject—Incest". People. Retrieved 2010-09-13.
  3. 1 2 3 "Actress Forged Friendship After Playing Woman in Movie". The Daily Progress. May 21, 1989. p. 11.
  4. "Roxana Zal". www.goldenglobes.com.
  5. "Under the Boardwalk (1989)" via www.rottentomatoes.com.
  6. Stories, Local. "Meet Roxana Zal of GoldDust Dresses in Silverlake - Voyage LA Magazine | LA City Guide".