Diane Franklin is a renowned American film actress of the 80s, distinguished by her striking dark curly hair and versatility in dialects. Her acting career began at the tender age of ten, commencing with modeling, theater, commercials, and soap opera work. Franklin's breakthrough role was the captivating dream girl, Karen, in the cult classic THE LAST AMERICAN VIRGIN (1982),swiftly followed by her portrayal of Patricia Montelli, the daughter, in the horror film AMITYVILLE II: THE POSSESSION.
Her iconic performance as the spirited French-exchange student, Monique Junot, in the offbeat comedy BETTER OFF DEAD cemented her status as a rising star. Franklin's most notable commercial success was her portrayal of the medieval Princess-babe, Joanna, in the 1980s comedy classic BILL & TED'S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE.
In addition to her film work, Franklin has also showcased her vocal talents, singing the NATIONAL ANTHEM at Dodger Stadium in 2004. She has written two autobiographies, Diane Franklin: The Excellent Adventures of the Last American, French Exchange Babe of the 80s (Amazon/Kindle) and Diane Franklin: The Excellent CURLS of the Last American, French Exchange Babe of the 80s (Amazon/Barnes&Noble),detailing her remarkable career.
Throughout her illustrious career, Franklin has accumulated an impressive range of acting credits, including episodic television appearances on Charles in Charge, Murder She Wrote, Matlock, and Dallas : The Early Years. She has also recurred in television series and movies made for television, such as SummerGirl and Deadly Lessons.
In recent years, Franklin has collaborated with her daughter, filmmaker Olivia DeLaurentis, on several award-winning comedies, including HUMANIZED (L.A. Film Festival),MY BETTER HALF (Soho Film Festival),and the comedy web-series SUGARBABIES (Barely Legal Comedy) on YouTube.
Following a hiatus from the big screen, Franklin returned to acting in 2018 with the films WALLY GOT WASTED, WAKING NIGHTMARE, THE FINAL INTERVIEW, and THE AMITYVILLE MURDERS: THE HAUNTING ON LONG ISLAND.
