My Take
Dominique Dunne was just 22 years old and already breaking through in a major Hollywood blockbuster when her life was cut brutally short, and that injustice never stops stinging. Her role as Dana Freeling in Poltergeist (1982) was genuinely good — she brought a grounded older-sibling energy to a film full of chaos and screaming, the kind of calm presence that made the horror feel real. She had already put in solid TV work on Family and Breaking Away, so this was clearly a career just finding its stride. The fact that she was murdered by an abusive ex-boyfriend weeks before Poltergeist even hit its full theatrical run is one of Hollywood's most heartbreaking footnotes. What she could have become, we'll never know. What she left behind is worth remembering with real respect.
Overview
Dominique Ellen Dunne (November 23, 1959 – November 4, 1982) was an American actress. She made her on-screen debut with the television film Diary of a Teenage Hitchhiker (1979) and played recurring roles in the drama series Family (1980) and the comedy series Breaking Away (1980–1981). Her breakthrough role was Dana Freeling in the blockbuster horror film Poltergeist (1982).
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Dominique Dunne
- Name (Japanese)
- ドミニク・ダン
- Reading
- どみにく・だん
- Born
- November 23, 1959 – November 4, 1982
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Sagittarius / Boar
- Origin
- Santa Monica, California, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- actor
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Poltergeist | — |
6. Links
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.