Born in 1961, the Canadian native was the daughter of actor John Vernon, best known for his portrayal of Dean Wormer in “Animal House” (1978), and Nancy West, a former actress/model. Her sister, Nan Vernon, was a singer. Her family later moved to California when Vernon was a little girl. The future actress originally planned to become an architect, but shortly after high school, her creative aspirations got the better of her, and despite her father’s warnings, she elected to try her hand at acting.
In the early to mid 1980s, she began to land smart parts in both films and television, including her big screen debut in her father’s forgettable film, “Chained Heat” (1983), followed by the Vincent Spano flick, “Alphabet City” and “Roadhouse 66,” starring Judge Reinhold, both released in 1984. After a 1984 guest spot on an episode of NBC’s “Family Ties” (1982-89) entitled, “Birthday Boy,” she guested on the nighttime drama, “Dallas” (CBS, 1978-1991) that same year. Following a small part in the made-for-TV disaster movie, “Flight 90: Disaster on the Potomac,” she appeared on an episode of “Remington Steel” before winning her first regular role, as Lorraine Prescott on “Falcon Crest,” in the 1984-85 season.
Soon after that first big brush with notoriety, many other TV and film roles followed, including “Pretty in Pink” (1986), where she played Benny, the snobby blonde nemesis of Molly Ringwold. After putting in quality John Hughes time, Vernon continued to work steadily, making guest appearances on ABC’s “Hotel” in 1983; the made-for-TV miniseries “I’ll Tale Manhattan,” in 1987; an episode of NBC’s “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” in 1988; as well as “Murder, She Wrote”(CBS); “Father Dowling’s Mysteries” (NBC); and “Who’s the Boss?” (ABC). She had parts in TV movies such as “Daughters in Privilege,” and “Perry Mason: The Case of the Glass Coffin.” On the big screen, she landed a small part in the 1992 Spike Lee classic, “Malcolm X,” where she locked lips with Denzel Washington, before returning to television in 1993 with small roles in “House of Secrets” and HBO’s “Tales from the Crypt.”
After appearing in small films such as “Dangerous Touch” and “Soft Deceit,” she won a recurring role of Assistant District Attorney Belinda Fox on the NBC night-time drama, “L.A. Law,” lasting throughout the show’s final 1994 season. Her next recurring role was on the Don Johnson vehicle, “Nash Bridges” (CBS), where she played the role of Whitney Thomas, in 1996 and 1997. She appeared in two episodes of Showtime’s “The Outer Limits,” and then caught the attention of sci-fi fans again with a notable guest spot on UPN’s “Star Trek Voyager,” playing the part of Commander Valerie Archer in the 1998 episode, “In the Flesh.”
Following bit parts on the syndicated series, “Black Slash” and “Hunter,” as well as an episode of “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” (CBS) in 2004, and a recurring role on the short-lived 2005 series, “Reunion,” Vernon won the “Galactica” role of Ellen Tigh, the alcoholic wife of second-in-command Col. Tigh, played by fellow Canadian actor, Michael Hogan.