Trivia

She appeared in the penultimate episodes of both Battlestar Galactica (1978) and Galactica 1980 (1980).

Best known by the public for her role as Melissa Agretti on Falcon Crest (1981).

Won a full scholarship to attend Wellesley College in Massachusetts and later earned a B.A. in drama from the University of Texas.

Is a national spokeswoman for The Humane Society.

Grew up between Acapulco, Mexico City, and El Paso, Texas.

After her father died, her mother took her and her siblings to live in El Paso, Texas, where she won a beauty contest at age 16.

Has two children with her husband Gary R. Benz: daughter Cathryn Dylan Ortiz and son Michael Everett (DOB: January 31, 1995).

When she was 6, her father died of an aneurysm during an afternoon drive through the snow-capped mountains of Mexico City. She later said that she felt guilty about his death, because earlier that Sunday morning she didn't want to go to Catholic church.

Was the last of the Universal contract players to guest-star in their shows.

She acted in her native Mexico in "Romero" (1989), a Mexican-American co-production film.

Contracted a lung infection and suffered two broken ribs during the filming for "Miracle Landing" in 1989.