What Happened to the Original Audrey From National Lampoon’s Vacation?

By Robert Palmer

Audrey Griswold was a character in the iconic 1983 film National Lampoon’s Vacation. She was portrayed by actress Dana Barron. But what happened to the original Audrey from National Lampoon’s Vacation?

Who is Audrey Griswold?

Audrey Griswold is the daughter of Clark and Ellen Griswold, played by Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo, respectively. The role of Audrey was played by Dana Barron in the first film, National Lampoon’s Vacation.

The Original Audrey

Dana Barron was born on April 22, 1966, in New York City. She began her acting career at a young age and landed her breakout role as Audrey Griswold in National Lampoon’s Vacation.

What Happened to Dana Barron?

After playing Audrey in the first film, Barron continued to act in various films and television shows throughout the 80s and 90s. She appeared in notable films such as He Knows You’re Alone (1980), Heartbreak Hotel (1988), and Cityscapes: Los Angeles (1994).

The Return of Audrey

In 2003, Dana Barron returned to the role of Audrey Griswold for the made-for-TV movie titled National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie’s Island Adventure. Although not as well-received as the original film, it was still exciting for fans to see Barron reprise her role as Audrey.

The New Audrey

In subsequent films of the National Lampoon franchise, including European Vacation (1985), Christmas Vacation (1989), Vegas Vacation (1997), and a reboot of Vacation (2015), the role of Audrey was played by different actresses.

European Vacation featured actress Dana Hill as Audrey, while Juliette Lewis played the character in Christmas Vacation. Marisol Nichols took on the role in Vegas Vacation, and Skyler Gisondo portrayed a grown-up version of Audrey in the 2015 reboot.

Conclusion

Dana Barron will always be remembered as the original Audrey Griswold from National Lampoon’s Vacation. Although she didn’t continue playing the character in subsequent films, Barron left a lasting impression on audiences with her portrayal of the Griswold daughter.