The former Melrose Place star attended the ceremony as part of an emotional tribute to filmmaker Rob Reiner, who was killed along with his wife in December.
Zuniga appeared in Reiner’s 1985 romantic comedy The Sure Thing alongside John Cusack. During the tribute, she stood onstage with other actors who had collaborated with the director, including Annette Bening, who starred in The American President, and Meg Ryan of When Harry Met Sally fame. The segment was introduced by Reiner’s longtime friend Billy Crystal.
For the occasion, Zuniga looked elegant in a black dress paired with high heels, wearing her dark hair down and accessorizing with diamond jewelry.
Zuniga developed an interest in acting early in life. She trained at the Young Conservatory program of the American Conservatory Theater before studying acting at University of California, Los Angeles.
She first gained attention in the 1982 horror film The Dorm That Dripped Blood and soon went on to lead roles in films including The Initiation, The Sure Thing, Modern Girls, Last Rites, Gross Anatomy, and The Fly II.
She is also widely remembered for playing Princess Vespa in the sci-fi comedy Spaceballs opposite Bill Pullman.
On television, Zuniga became a household name as Jo Reynolds on Melrose Place, where she starred alongside Heather Locklear, Grant Show, and Courtney Thorne-Smith.
She later appeared as Lynn Kerr on Beautiful People and had a recurring role as Victoria Davis on One Tree Hill.
In recent years, Zuniga has remained active in the industry. Her later projects include the films Heartbeats, Witness Unprotected, and A Christmas Arrangement. In 2018, she stepped behind the camera to direct her first feature film, Deadly Assistant.
She also appeared in the TV movie Gates of Paradise alongside Jason Priestley, and later made guest appearances on series such as NCIS, Fantasy Island, and Dynasty.
Since 2024, she has also been hosting the Still The Place podcast alongside former Melrose Place co-stars Laura Leighton and Courtney Thorne-Smith.
Zuniga is continuing her acting career and is expected to reunite with Bill Pullman for the upcoming sequel Spaceballs 2, which is slated for release in 2027.
In her personal life, Zuniga began dating businessman David Mleczko in 2006. The couple married in a private ceremony in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 2019.
The Oscars tribute that brought Zuniga to the stage honored Reiner following his tragic death at 78. The director and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found murdered at their home on December 14. Authorities have charged their son, Nick Reiner, 32, in connection with the killings; he has pleaded not guilty.
Several actors who had worked with Reiner over the years also joined the emotional tribute, including Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, Jerry O’Connell, Wil Wheaton, Fred Savage, Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Carol Kane, Kiefer Sutherland, Demi Moore, Kevin Pollak, Kathy Bates, and John Cusack, who all gathered onstage to remember the influential filmmaker.
