80s TV Icon, Youngest Emmy Winner Linked to Matthew Perry, Unrecognizable on Rare Outing

One of the brightest stars of 80s television made a rare outing in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

The stunning actress, now 56, became the youngest Emmy winner ever for the 1984 TV movie Something About Amelia and looked incredible in a casual ensemble while walking her dog and running errands.

Dressed in a Dodgers baseball cap, black hoodie, and sneakers, the star — who played a sexual abuse victim opposite her TV dad Ted Danson in Something About Amelia — appeared far removed from the red-carpet glamour of her heyday.

Ageless and effortlessly striking, she reminded longtime fans why rumors of a romance with her late Deadly Relations co-star Matthew Perry once flew. 

A Malibu native, she also shared the screen with Keanu Reeves in 1986’s River’s Edge.

Can you guess the former starlet?

If you said Roxana Zal, you’re right!

Born and raised in Malibu, California, Roxana was the daughter of Maureen and Hossein Zal, an Iranian-born Los Angeles investor. 

She was eager to act from a young age, but her parents resisted until her aunt persuaded them to let her pursue it a few years later.

Zal got her start at age 11, landing a guest role on Hart to Hart in 1981. 

She soon moved to the big screen, appearing in Table for Five with Jon Voight and Testament opposite Jane Alexander. 

Her breakout came in 1984 when she won a Primetime Emmy for her role in the TV movie Something About Amelia at age 14, also earning a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

She went on to star in the 1986 indie crime film River’s Edge and the teen romantic drama Under the Boardwalk in 1989. 

That same year, she portrayed young mother Cissy McClure in Everybody’s Baby: The Rescue of Jessica McClure, balancing the role with her studies in world arts and cultures at UCLA. 

Throughout the 1990s, Zal remained active in Hollywood, taking on roles in TV movies, independent films, and guest spots on popular series such as Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, The Pretender, and NCIS. 

She showcased her versatility across genres, moving seamlessly from drama to suspense, and maintained her reputation as one of the most talented young actresses of her generation.

In 1996, she starred opposite Perry in the TV movie thriller Deadly Relations, which also featured Robert Urich, Shelley Fabares, and a young Gwyneth Paltrow. 

The film, based on the true crime book Deadly Relations: A True Story of Murder in a Suburban Family, chronicled the chilling story of Leonard Fagot, a New Orleans attorney whose obsession with controlling his daughters allegedly drove him to murder their husbands for hefty insurance payouts. 

Zal delivered a compelling performance as one of Fagot’s daughters, navigating the dark, suspenseful material with skill and maturity beyond her years. 

Despite rumors linking her to Perry during their Deadly Relations days, neither Zal nor the Friends star ever confirmed a romance. 

Perry was found unresponsive in his hot tub on October 28, 2023, and his death was ruled accidental, linked to ketamine, with drowning and heart disease listed as contributing factors. 

Zal was romantically connected to actor Brent Fraser during the 1990s, and fans may remember her relationship with Rodney Harvey, which lasted from 1992 to 1994. 

She later returned to television as a regular on the 2006 MyNetworkTV telenovela Watch Over Me, proving her continued range and appeal to audiences. 

By the 2000s, however, Zal chose to step away from acting, turning her creative energy toward fashion design.