Susan Vanita Diol (born May 25, 1962) is an American actress who has played supporting roles in over forty television series, including Quantum Leap (1989–1993; 2022–2024), One Life to Live, Wings, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager, NCIS, and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.
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Career
1986–1999
Diol acted in children's theatre productions in Illinois before beginning her on-screen career. She appeared in episodes of sitcoms, including: two 1990 episodes of Night Court, playing Dan Fielding's (John Larroquette) sister Donna; the Seinfeld 1991 episode "The Nose Job", as Audrey (the one who had the nose job); and a 1995 episode of Wings, playing a call girl whom Joe and Brian inadvertently choose as a rebound date for lovelorn Antonio. Diol has appeared in episodes of science fiction television series, including: portraying Carmen Davila in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Silicon Avatar"; the role of Doctor Danara Pel in the Star Trek: Voyager episodes "Lifesigns" and "Resolutions"; the role of Beth Calavicci, first wife of Al Calavicci, in two episodes of Quantum Leap (including the finale to the original run of the series). Diol was in the made-for-TV movies Popeye Doyle (1986) as The Blonde, A Perry Mason Mystery: The Case of the Jealous Jokester (1995) as Ivy West, and Alien Nation: Millennium (1996) as Marina Del Ray. She was the replacement for Amanda Plummer in the Broadway play You Never Can Tell from October 9, 1986, to January 25, 1987, as Dolly Clandon.
2000–present
Diol took over the role of Alexis Davis on General Hospital temporarily from November 2001 to March 2002 for Nancy Lee Grahn. She played Gabby in the French film Reality (2014) and Cindy in Loqueesha (2019). Diol reprised the role of Beth in five episodes (over both seasons) of the Quantum Leap revival. She returned to General Hospital in June 2023 as Nurse Clara.
Personal life
Diol was born in Marquette, Michigan, and raised in Palatine, Illinois, and Worthington, Ohio. She graduated from Otterbein College in Westerville, Ohio, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. Diol has married four times: to Jerry Rapp (1991–1993), Shaun Cassidy (1995–2003), Andy Cadiff (2003–2010), and William Newkirk (2014–2016).