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Danielle von Zerneck

Danielle von Zerneck

Actor and producer · Born December 21, 1966 (59) · North Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Danielle von Zerneck (born December 21, 1965) in North Hollywood, Los Angeles, is an American film and television actress. She is best remembered for her portrayal of Donna, Ritchie Valens blonde girlfriend in La Bamba (1987). She is the daughter of Frank von Zerneck, a well known television film producer.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 21, 1966 (59)
From
North Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
Works as
Actor and producer
Titles
29 on MovieCove · 39 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 3% in 30 days

What are Danielle von Zerneck's films like?

Across their 24 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Drama14 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 45th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 36th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
35%
Self
22%
Survival
13%
Society
13%
Morality
11%
Ideas
4%
Power
2%
Romantic love9 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds9 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival5 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity6 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age3 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose4 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 24 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 12 · Serious 3 · Dark 9

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 17 · Stylized 5 · Heightened 2

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 12 · Charged 4 · Intense 8

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

A split, not a type: Steady 11 · Shifting 8 · Whiplash 5

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 12 · Some laughs 10 · Funny 2

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 11 · Even-paced 12 · Relentless 1

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 17 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 2

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 12 · Affecting 1 · Heavy 11

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 20 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

2 analyzed roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
14
Warm
11
Dread
10
Hopeful
11
Melancholic
7
Other
19

How their films linger

Feel-good10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Happy11
  • Bittersweet7
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous4

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Danielle von Zerneck's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 18 of their 29 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Danielle von Zerneck's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

39 credits, 29 with a MovieCove page.

  • A Husband to Die For: The Lisa Aguilar Story(2025)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Faith in the Flames: The Nichole Jolly Story(2025)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Friday Night Sext Scandal(2024)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Designing Christmas(2022)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films

  • Under the Christmas Tree(2021)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • A Clüsterfünke Christmas(2021)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • An Ice Wine Christmas(2021)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Dying to Belong(2021)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • The Christmas Setup(2020)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Poisoned Love: The Stacey Castor Story(2020)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 45th percentile of all films

  • Christmas 9 to 5(2019)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • Christmas Around the Corner(2018)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Christmas on Honeysuckle Lane(2018)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all films

  • No One Would Tell(2018)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Left to Die(2012)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Acceptable Risk (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Gloria

  • Holiday in Your Heart (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Photographer

  • God's Lonely Man(1996)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Living in Oblivion(1995)

    Associate Producer · as Wanda

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • Deadly Invasion: The Killer Bee Nightmare(1995)

    as Linda

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • Beyond Suspicion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Actor

  • Deuce Coupe (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Virginia

  • Woman with a Past(1992)

    as Tammy

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Survive the Savage Sea (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Susan

  • Opposites Attract (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Sky

  • Dream On (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Kat

  • By Dawn's Early Light(1990)

    as Radnor's Wife

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • Doogie Howser, M.D.(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Shannon Nichols

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all shows

  • Tale of Two Sisters(1989)

    as Adult Bug Girl

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • Under the Boardwalk (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    as Allie

  • Dangerous Curves(1988)

    as Michelle West

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Date Rape (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    as Samm Matian

  • La Bamba(1987)

    as Donna Ludwig

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • A Fighting Choice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Susie Fratelli

  • My Science Project(1985)

    as Ellie Sawyer

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • Summer Fantasy(1984)

    as Denise Biaggi

    Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films

  • Family Ties(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as June

    Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all shows

  • Sharon: Portrait of a Mistress(1977)

    as Heather

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Tunnel Vision(1976)

    as Daughter

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

Career shape

Star power in the 88th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 38 titles from 1976 to 2025; peak year 1986.

Biggest box office

La Bamba (1987)

$54M worldwide

Highest rated

Living in Oblivion (1995)

Midcredits 94th

Most popular right now

La Bamba (1987)

Film career

19762025

Peak 1986 · steadily prominent in film for years. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting23 of 38: 22 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score27thProducing16 of 38: 15 only producing, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score50th

By decade

1970s2 · acting1980s10 · acting1990s11 · 10 acting · 2 crew2000s1 · acting2010s4 · crew2020s10 · crew

Billing

usually 4th · top billed in 0% of 5 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Danielle von Zerneck's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 44th percentile, the median of all 27; across their 24 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 45th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

45thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 24

Approval · how many liked their films

42ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 24

Reach · how many have seen their films

57thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 24

Midcredits score across 29 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up3
  • 50th to 74th10
  • 25th to 49th10
  • Below 25th6

Shape of the crowd

18 of their 29 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved1
  • Universally Panned1
  • Cult Classic3
  • Crowd Pleaser6
  • Mixed18

Most divisive · actor

Sharon: Portrait of a Mistress (1977)

85th percentile spread · 30% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor, producer

Living in Oblivion (1995)

Midcredits 94th · 82% liked

Reviewers score the acting 58/100 in their films, across 23 reviewed titles; fans 75, detractors 30. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Who does Danielle von Zerneck work with?

People who share at least 2 of Danielle von Zerneck's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Frank von Zerneck shares the most, 7.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers and editors

Producers