Julie Condra: Actress, Wife of Mark Dacascos, and Her Career Today

Who Is Julie Condra?

Julie Condra is an American actress who gained recognition in the late 1980s and early 1990s through roles on popular television shows and in feature films. She’s best remembered for playing Linda on The Wonder Years and for starring alongside her future husband Mark Dacascos in the 1995 action film Crying Freeman. While she’s stepped back from regular on-screen work, Condra remains active behind the scenes through business ventures she shares with Dacascos.

Born Julie Michele Condra on December 1, 1970, in Ballinger, Texas, she grew up with a strong creative drive that led her to pursue acting at a young age. Her mother, Priscilla Condra, supported her early ambitions, and by her late teens Julie had already landed speaking roles on network television.

Early Life and Background

Ballinger is a small city in Runnels County, Texas, with a population of just a few thousand. Growing up in a tight-knit rural community, Condra didn’t have the typical Hollywood upbringing. She’s spoken about how her Texas roots gave her a grounded perspective that served her well once she entered the entertainment industry.

Details about her formal training remain sparse, but Condra made the move to Los Angeles while still in her teens. She started booking guest spots and minor roles almost immediately, which set the stage for bigger opportunities in the years ahead.

Acting Career

The Wonder Years and Early Television

Condra’s breakout came when she was cast as Linda on The Wonder Years, the Emmy-winning ABC series that ran from 1988 to 1993. The show, which starred Fred Savage as Kevin Arnold, followed the everyday trials of growing up in suburban America during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Condra’s recurring appearances brought her national exposure and opened doors across Hollywood.

Around the same period, she appeared in Eerie, Indiana, the cult NBC series about a boy who discovers that his small town is the center of strange and unexplained phenomena. The show only ran for one season (1991–1992), but it developed a loyal fanbase that persists to this day. Condra’s willingness to take on quirky genre material showed range beyond the wholesome teen roles she’d become known for.

Crying Freeman and Film Work

In 1995, Condra starred in Crying Freeman, a live-action adaptation of the popular Japanese manga series. Directed by Christophe Gans, the film cast Mark Dacascos in the title role as a reluctant assassin, with Condra playing a central love interest. The production shot partly in Vancouver and required both actors to commit to intense physical preparation.

Working on Crying Freeman proved significant for more than professional reasons — it’s where Condra and Dacascos first met and began their relationship. The film received mixed reviews from critics but found a strong audience on home video, particularly among fans of martial arts cinema and manga adaptations.

Condra also appeared in a handful of other film and television projects throughout the 1990s, though none matched the visibility of The Wonder Years or Crying Freeman. By the late 1990s, she’d begun transitioning away from full-time acting.

Marriage to Mark Dacascos

Before meeting Dacascos, Condra was married to actor Brandon Douglas. That marriage lasted from 1992 to 1995 and ended in divorce. She’s also been credited under the name Julie Condra Douglas during that period.

Julie and Mark Dacascos married on January 5, 1998, roughly three years after they’d met on the set of Crying Freeman. Dacascos, who is of Filipino, Chinese, Spanish, Irish, and Japanese descent, had already established himself as one of the most skilled martial artists in Hollywood. His credits include Only the Strong (1993), Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001), and the role of The Chairman on Food Network’s Iron Chef America, which he held from 2005 to 2018.

He later gained even wider recognition playing Zero, the lead assassin, in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019) opposite Keanu Reeves. Throughout his career’s ups and downs, Condra has been a constant presence at his side — the two frequently attend events together and have built a life that blends family, fitness, and entrepreneurship.

Personal Life and Family

Julie and Mark have three children together: Makoa, Kapono, and Noelani. The names reflect Dacascos’s deep connection to Hawaiian culture — he was raised in Hawaii and trained in martial arts there under his father, Al Dacascos, a renowned martial arts master.

The couple has co-owned restaurants and participated in martial arts-related ventures over the years. Both maintain active lifestyles, and Dacascos has credited Condra with keeping their household running smoothly while he’s away on film sets. They’ve been married for over 28 years, making them one of the more enduring couples in Hollywood’s action-film community.

Despite her fame, Condra keeps a low public profile. She doesn’t maintain a heavily active social media presence and rarely gives interviews. That deliberate privacy has allowed her to raise their three children away from the tabloid spotlight that often follows celebrity families.

Julie Condra’s Net Worth

Julie Condra’s estimated net worth sits at approximately $1 million. That figure reflects her earnings from acting roles in the 1990s, residuals from The Wonder Years and other syndicated programs, and income from business ventures she’s pursued with Dacascos. Her husband’s net worth is estimated separately at around $2 million, drawn from his extensive film and television career.

Combined, the couple has built a comfortable financial foundation through a mix of entertainment work and their restaurant and martial arts businesses.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Julie Condra most famous for?

She’s best known for playing Linda on The Wonder Years and for her role in the 1995 film Crying Freeman alongside her now-husband Mark Dacascos. She’s also recognized as Dacascos’s wife and long-time partner.

How did Julie Condra and Mark Dacascos meet?

They met on the set of Crying Freeman in 1995, where they played romantic counterparts. Their on-screen chemistry carried over into real life, and they married on January 5, 1998.

Does Julie Condra still act?

Condra has largely stepped away from acting since the late 1990s. She’s focused her energy on raising three children with Mark Dacascos and on their shared business interests, including restaurant ownership and martial arts-related projects.

How many children do Julie Condra and Mark Dacascos have?

They have three children: Makoa, Kapono, and Noelani. The family splits time between projects and keeps a relatively private home life compared to many Hollywood couples.

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