Biography

She and her husband, Wayne Northrop, live in the secluded Topanga Canyon area of L.A. with their young sons, Hank and Grady. The family shares their home with a virtual zoo that includes horses, dogs, cats and the "Cluck Family", a collection of chickens. They also have a working cattle ranch in Northern California which they run in accordance with their environmental beliefs.

As Miss Virginia, she was runner up in the Miss USA contest in 1977.

A natural and avid athlete, she also enjoys daily workouts, horseback riding, hiking and skiing. She put her skills to the test when she trained and performed a high wire act for a special episode of Circus of the Stars #11 (1986).

In 1980, she went to L.A. with divided ambitions. She pursued her acting career, but studied for a time at Loyola-Marymount, getting what she calls "half a Master's". Acting had a stronger attraction, and she made her dramatic debut in the theatrical film Roller Boogie (1979).

Of Albanian and British heritage.