| Nicole DeHuff | |
| Birth Name: | Nicole Renee DeHuff |
| Birth Date: | 6 January 1975 |
| Birth Place: | Antlers, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Death Place: | Los Angeles, California |
| Alma Mater: | Carnegie Mellon University |
| Occupation: | Actress |
| Yearsactive: | 2000 - 2005 |
| Spouse: | Ari Palitz (m. 2000) |
Nicole Renee DeHuff (January 6, 1975 - February 16, 2005) was an American actress best known for her role in the comedy movie Meet the Parents (2000). She died of pneumonia in 2005.
DeHuff was born in Antlers, Oklahoma, and raised in Broken Bow, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma City. DeHuff graduated from Putnam City High School in 1993. She began her acting career by earning a bachelor's degree in drama from Carnegie Mellon University in 1998.[1] DeHuff also married executive producer and director Ari Palitz, whom she met at Carnegie Mellon.[2]
DeHuff landed her first big role in the hit movie comedy Meet the Parents, in which she played the character of Teri Polo's sister, Deborah Byrnes.After Meet the Parents, DeHuff had a regular role in the 2002 TV series The Court and appeared in , , Without a Trace, Dragnet, The Practice, and Monk.
In the days preceding her death, DeHuff checked into two hospitals for respiratory problems, and was misdiagnosed both times as having bronchitis. She was sent home and directed to take Tylenol, in addition to being prescribed an antibiotic. However, her health worsened. On February 16, 2005, paramedics rushed to her home after she collapsed, gasping for air. She subsequently lost consciousness en route to the hospital. By the time the doctor discovered her true illness, pneumonia, it was too late. Shortly upon arrival to the facility, she died of the illness at the age of 30.[3]
Between 2004 and 2005, DeHuff worked on three feature films. One of these, Unbeatable Harold, her final film which was released posthumously, was directed by her husband.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Meet the Parents | Deborah "Debbie" Byrnes | ||
| 2000 | Killing Cinderella | |||
| 2001 | Tina Kolas | Episode: "Alter Boys" | ||
| 2001 | The Practice | Michelle Farrell | Episode: "Dangerous Liaisons" | |
| 2002 | The Court | Alexis Cameron | TV series | |
| 2003 | Without A Trace | Cathy Dobson | Episode: "Underground Railroad" | |
| 2003 | Dragnet | Claudia Hellman | Episode: "The Magic Bullet" | |
| 2004 | Monk | Vicki Salinas | Episode: "Mr. Monk and the Paperboy" | |
| 2004 | Carrie Delgado | 2 episodes | ||
| 2004 | Suspect Zero | Katie Potter | ||
| 2005 | See Arnold Run | Barbara | TV movie | |
| 2006 | Unbeatable Harold | Wanda Livingston | (final film role) |