If you grew up in the eighties, or even if you just catch the marathons on AMC every December, you know the deal with the Griswold kids. It’s the ultimate cinematic "gaslighting" experiment. Every single movie, Rusty and Audrey have entirely new faces. Honestly, it’s basically a running gag at this point, but back in 1985, when National Lampoon’s European Vacation hit theaters, it was just... confusing.
Specifically, everyone wanted to know what happened to the girl from the first movie. You remember Dana Barron—the original Audrey with the 80s feathered hair who spent the trip to Walley World looking mildly traumatized. Suddenly, we're in London, and Audrey is played by Dana Hill.
She was different. Really different.
The Recasting Nobody Expected
Most people think the producers just felt like changing things up for the sake of a joke. That’s not actually true. The real reason Audrey in European Vacation looks different is because of Anthony Michael Hall. He was the original Rusty, and he was becoming a massive star. When the sequel was greenlit, Hall bailed to do Weird Science with John Hughes.
Director Amy Heckerling had a choice. Keep the original Audrey (Dana Barron) and get a new Rusty, or just refresh the whole "sib" dynamic. She chose the latter. Enter Dana Hill.
Hill wasn’t just a random replacement. She was a powerhouse child actress with a resume that would make most veterans jealous. She had this raspy voice and a sort of "done with your crap" energy that defined her version of Audrey Griswold. While Barron’s Audrey felt like a kid being dragged along, Hill’s Audrey felt like a teenager who was actively plotting her escape to stay with her boyfriend, Jack.
Why Dana Hill’s Audrey Still Matters
People give this movie a hard time. Critics usually rank it as the weakest of the original trilogy. But if you look closely at Hill’s performance, she’s doing some heavy lifting. She captures that specific brand of mid-80s teenage angst that feels incredibly authentic.
Think about the scenes in the London hotel. Or the "Pig in a Poke" game show sequence. Hill plays Audrey with this constant, simmering resentment toward her father, Clark. She isn't just a prop; she's a person who desperately wants to be anywhere else.
The Physicality of the Role
One thing most fans don't realize is that Dana Hill was actually 21 years old when the movie came out. She looked much younger due to a lifelong battle with Type 1 diabetes, which stunted her physical growth. This gave her a unique advantage in Hollywood—she could play a 14-year-old with the emotional intelligence and timing of an adult.
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She brought a grit to the character. Remember when she finds out Jack is seeing someone else and she just starts eating everything in sight in that French cafe? It’s funny, sure, but there’s a realness to that heartbreak that usually gets lost in slapstick comedies.
The "Griswald" Mystery
Check the credits. Go ahead, I'll wait.
In this specific movie, the family’s name is spelled Griswald on the passports and in the credits. In every other movie in the franchise, it’s Griswold. Why? No one knows. It’s one of those weird production quirks that fans have debated for decades. Some say it was a legal thing, others say it was just a typo that nobody bothered to fix.
Whatever the reason, it adds to the "fever dream" quality of the film. It's the only movie without Cousin Eddie. It's the only movie where the kids feel like they might actually belong to a different family.
The Tragedy of Dana Hill
It’s hard to talk about Audrey in European Vacation without mentioning the sad reality of what happened later. Dana Hill was a massive talent. Beyond the Griswolds, she was the voice of Max Goof in Goof Troop. If you grew up in the 90s, she was your childhood.
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She died in 1996 at only 32 years old.
Knowing that she was struggling with severe health issues while filming those iconic scenes in Europe puts a different spin on things. She was a pro. She stayed in the industry and transitioned into voice acting when her health made it difficult to be on camera. She never stopped working.
The Audrey Evolution: Where Does She Rank?
If you line up all the Audreys, Hill is the outlier.
- Dana Barron (1983): The innocent, slightly bored original.
- Dana Hill (1985): The cynical, raspy-voiced teen.
- Juliette Lewis (1989): The "I’m too cool for this" grunge sister.
- Marisol Nichols (1997): The "I’m suddenly a Vegas dancer" version.
Hill's version is the one that feels the most like a real person you'd meet in 1985. She wore the oversized sweaters. She had the Walkman glued to her ears. She was the anchor of reality in a movie where Chevy Chase was accidentally knocking over Stonehenge.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you’re planning a rewatch or just want to appreciate this era of comedy more, here’s how to spot the nuances:
- Watch the "Pig in a Poke" sequence again. Look at Hill’s face. She is playing the "embarrassed teen" better than almost anyone in the genre.
- Look for the Walley World references. Clark wears the shirt from the first movie throughout the film. It’s a rare bit of continuity in a series that usually ignores its own past.
- Pay attention to the voice. Hill’s rasp wasn't an affectation; it was her natural voice, which is why she became such a legend in the voice-over world.
The next time you see the Griswolds wandering through a German village, don't just write off the kids as "the new ones." Dana Hill’s Audrey was the heart of that specific, chaotic journey. She brought a level of professional craft to a role that could have been a one-dimensional caricature.
Go back and watch the scene where she’s on the phone with her boyfriend back home. It’s a tiny masterclass in comedic timing. Even in a movie about a family winning a trip on a rigged game show, she made you believe she was just a girl who wanted to go home.
Next Step: Compare the 1985 performance of Dana Hill with Juliette Lewis in Christmas Vacation. You’ll notice that Lewis actually kept some of the "edge" that Hill introduced to the character, moving Audrey away from the "sweet kid" trope of the original film.