What Happened to Audrey From National Lampoon’s Vacation?

By Anna Duncan

Audrey Griswold, the daughter of Clark and Ellen Griswold in the iconic 1983 movie National Lampoon’s Vacation, was played by Dana Barron. The film follows the Griswold family as they embark on a cross-country road trip from Chicago to Walley World in California.

But what happened to Audrey after the events of the movie? Did she go on any more wild adventures with her family? Let’s take a closer look.

Who is Dana Barron?

Before we dive into Audrey’s fate, let’s first talk about the actress who portrayed her. Dana Barron was born on April 22, 1966, in New York City. She comes from a family of actors and performers – her mother was an actress and her uncle was a writer and director.

Barron began acting at a young age, appearing in commercials and TV shows like The Brady Bunch and Cheers before landing her breakthrough role as Audrey in National Lampoon’s Vacation.

Audrey In National Lampoon’s Vacation

As mentioned, Audrey is Clark and Ellen Griswold’s teenage daughter in National Lampoon’s Vacation. Throughout the film, she displays typical teenage behavior – complaining about being cooped up in the car for too long, rolling her eyes at her parents’ antics, and crushing on a cute boy they meet along the way.

One of Audrey’s most memorable scenes in the movie involves her getting into a car with some questionable characters while trying to find a restroom. This leads to an uncomfortable encounter that ultimately sees Clark coming to his daughter’s rescue.

  • Fun Fact: Did you know that Dana Barron was actually only 16 years old when she filmed National Lampoon’s Vacation?

What Happened To Audrey After The Movie?

After National Lampoon’s Vacation, Dana Barron continued to act in both film and television. She had a recurring role on the hit TV series Beverly Hills 90210 in the early ’90s and co-starred in the 1995 film Cityscapes.

However, despite her acting credits, Barron’s career never quite took off after her breakout role as Audrey. In fact, she struggled with substance abuse issues for a time, which she has spoken candidly about in interviews.

Reprising The Role Of Audrey

In 2003, Barron reprised her role as Audrey in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie’s Island Adventure. The made-for-TV movie follows Clark Griswold’s cousin Eddie as he takes his family on a tropical vacation.

While the movie wasn’t as well-received as the original National Lampoon’s Vacation, it gave Barron another opportunity to play the character that made her famous.

Fun Fact: Audrey has been played by different actresses in subsequent movies in the National Lampoon franchise – Dana Hill played her in European Vacation and Juliette Lewis played her in Christmas Vacation.

In Conclusion

While Dana Barron may not have become a household name like some of her co-stars from National Lampoon’s Vacation, she will always be remembered for playing the sassy and rebellious Audrey Griswold. And even though Audrey may have only had one major adventure on screen, she remains an iconic character from ’80s cinema.