Donna Wilkes is an American actress best known for her performance in Angel (1983), Jaws 2 (1978), and My Step Brother Is a Vampire!?! (2013). She also appeared in several TV shows, including Hello, Larry (1979) and Days of Our Lives (1982 to 1983).
Donna is in her 60s now, and although she doesn’t appear in movies and TV shows as much as she did in her younger years, she still occasionally takes on minor roles.
Her most recent role was in the 2024 Tarantino-style murder mystery Once Upon a Time in Hollyweird, where she played a studio manager.
This article covers all you need to know about Donna Wilkes, including her early life, career, and personal details.
Early Life
Donna Consuelo Wilkes was born on November 11, 1959, to a Dominican mother and an Irish American father. Her father, Wayman Otis Wilkes, was a doctor, and her mother was a nightclub singer.
However, their union was short-lived, as her parents divorced when she was three months old. Her mother predominantly raised her, and as a result, she is fluent in English and Spanish.
Donna’s acting career started when she was six, appearing in a Keds sneaker commercial. She attended the Dominica American Theatre of Performing Arts during her early years to hone her acting skills but later paused her training at 11 to focus on her regular schooling.
When Donna turned 12, she was sent to live with her uncle in the Dominican Republic. It’s unclear whether this decision was due to her mother experiencing financial issues or something else.
Upon graduating from Collegio Santo Domingo at 14, Donna moved to Los Angeles, California, to start a new life.
In a 1984 newspaper interview by The News, the actress revealed that she had to convince employers she was 18 and married because no one wanted to hire a 15-year-old, regardless of her qualifications.
She managed to land a job as an ambulance operator and later as an administrative assistant, working up to 16 hours a day.
Career
Donna appeared in her first significant role when she was 17 in the 1978 movie “Jaws 2”, where she played Jackie Peters, the main character’s love interest.
Donna’s portrayal of the classic damsel in distress, shouting and panicking when a Great White Shark attacked the group, caught the attention of renowned directors.
Her heart-wrenching screams of terror solidified her reputation as the “Original Scream Queen.” That same year, Donna starred in Almost Summer, her second most significant role after Jaws.
Since then, Donna took on several other roles, but her most notable performance was in the 1983 sexploitation film Angel, which became a cult classic. Donna played the role of Molly “Angel” Stewart, a 15-year-old prostitute.
Donna was 22 at the time of filming, and to prepare for the role, she spent time in rehabilitation centers and halfway houses.
The franchise made three other Angel movies following the 1983 version, but many agree that Donna’s portrayal of Molly was the best.
Angel was the push Donna needed to further her acting career. She starred in several horror movies after that, including Schizoid (1980) and Blood Song (1982).
Personal Life
Donna keeps her personal life private, so we don’t know much about how she’s doing today.
We know that she married when she was 18 to Billy Gray, a 39-year-old actor known for his role in the TV series Father Knows Best. They got divorced four years later in 1981.
In 1990, Donna left the entertainment industry to give birth to her daughter. The father of her daughter is unknown, and we don’t know much about her daughter, either.
She started acting again in the mid-2010s, appearing in My Stepbrother Is a Vampire!?! (2014) and 90210 Shark Attack (2014).
Final Thoughts
Donna Wilkes may not be as famous as other New Hollywood actors then, but her roles earned the highest awards and praise in the industry.
Perhaps if she hadn’t taken a break at the height of her career, she would’ve been a more well-known actress today. Still, many fondly look back at her roles, especially in Jaws 2 and Angel, which are dered cult classics today.
