Diane Franklin Loves Upping The Nostalgia At Fan Conventions With This Beauty Move

Stacey ColesSun, August 23, 2026 at 2:00 AM UTC

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itsdominiqueswain/Instagram

Diane Franklin is dedicated to evoking nostalgia for her "Better Off Dead" fans, going as far as to mimic her character's look for convention meet-and-greets. The actor, known for her role as Monique Junot in the 1985 coming-of-age comedy, was recently pictured in full hair and wardrobe alongside "Lolita" star Dominique Swain at the Chiller Theatre Expo. This beauty move — dying her hair darker and wearing her jacket and hat from the film — was inspired by her own convention encounter with "Green Acres" star Tom Lester, who was dressed as his character Eb Dawson when she met him. "I want them to know [who I am] so that they get that feeling [connected to] that memory," Franklin told The Pitch in 2025. "Everyone has a different deal, but for me, my goal is to make somebody feel better when they leave my table. I want people to have a better day because they met me."

Paramount Pictures

The getup lent to the nostalgia Swain's partner, Jamie, felt when squeezing Franklin's face for the photo, a nod to the iconic scene in "Better Off Dead." These kinds of moments are exactly what make "The Last American Virgin" actor appreciative of opportunities to interact with fans. Being remembered for her work is something that Franklin values.

Read more: Child Stars Who Grew Up To Be Gorgeous

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There are a few slight differences between Diane Franklin's hair now and in the '80s

actressdianefranklin/Instagram and Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images

In "Better Off Dead," Diane Franklin notably wore her dark brown hair in ear-length tight curls, a style people found attractive in the '80s. While the star maintains the color for conventions, there are some differences in her hair's appearance. For starters, she now wears her curls longer, falling down past her shoulders. The pattern of her hair is also much looser than it was in her '80s films. "Welcome to the 80s! A time when curly hair became fashionable for teens," she captioned a 1981 headshot of herself. "'The Last American Virgin' was literally the first American film of the 80s to [portray] a teen 'dream girl' with curly locks. Thereafter perms became popular!" Today, perms are known to be really damaging for your hair, making naturally curly women like Franklin enviable to those who desire the look.

In films like "The Amityville Murders" (2018), fans saw Franklin depart from her signature curls for a straight but still voluminous wig while playing Louise DeFeo. Otherwise, the 64-year-old has been leaning into the nostalgia by remaining the curly brunette beauty her fans remember. But just because a look is retro doesn't make it outdated, and like Franklin's brown curls, there are a few other '80s hairstyles that are making a major comeback.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”