Personal life

Zima was born in New Haven, Connecticut, the daughter of Marie and Dennis. Her surname means "winter" in Polish and comes from her maternal grandfather, who was of Polish descent. Zima has two younger sisters, Vanessa and Yvonne, both of whom are also actresses.

Career

Zima began her career when she was two years old, after she was chosen as a child to appear in a television commercial for Downy fabric softener.

From 1993 to 1999 she played the role of Grace Sheffield on the television show The Nanny throughout all of its six seasons. In 2007 and 2008 Zima played Mia Lewis, a sexually precocious and conniving 16-year-old, on the first two seasons of the series Californication and overall appeared at the series' episodes from 2007 to 2011. In promotion of Mia's book, Fucking & Punching, Zima starred in several Californication webisodes that are featured on YouTube. From 2009 to 2010, Zima joined the cast of Heroes as Gretchen Berg, Claire Bennet's quirky bisexual roommate and tentative love interest.

Zima has also become known for her work in films such as The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, A Cinderella Story, Dimples, Looking for Sunday, Once in a Very Blue Moon, Legacy and The Collector.

Zima appeared as a guest star on several TV shows, among them co-starring in the ABC drama pilot Gilded Lillys, and in an episode of The Vampire Diaries.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1992	Hand That Rocks the Cradle, TheThe Hand That Rocks the Cradle	Emma Bartel
1993	Mr. Nanny	Kate Mason
1993	Last Supper, TheThe Last Supper	Holly	Short film
1997	'Til There Was You	Gwen Moss (Age 12)
1998	Rose Sisters, TheThe Rose Sisters
1998	Second Chances	Melinda Judd
1999	Chasing Secrets	Jo Ann Foley	Television film
1999	Lethal Vows	Danielle Farris	Television film
2000	Sandy Bottom Orchestra, TheThe Sandy Bottom Orchestra	Rachel Green	Television film
2001	Big Leaf Tobacco Company, TheThe Big Leaf Tobacco Company	Girl #1	Short film
2003	Lucy	Teen Lucille Ball	Television film
2004	Cinderella Story, AA Cinderella Story	Brianna
2006	Looking for Sunday	Trisha
2008	Legacy	Zoey Martin	Video
2008	Dimples	Frances
2008	Streak	Stella	Short film
2008	5 or Die	Amelia	Short film
2009	Collector, TheThe Collector	Jill Chase
2010	Trance	Jessica
2010	First Dates	Kelly	Video
2010	My Own Love Song	Billie	Television film, Lifetime Movies
2011	The Family Tree	Mitzy Steinbacher
2012	Breaking the Girls	Alex Layton
2012	Crazy Kind of Love	Annie
2012	Crazy Eyes	Rebecca
2012	Lake Effects	Lily
2013	Stuck	Holly
2014	From A to B	Samantha

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1993	Law & Order	Samantha Silver	Episode: "Extended Family"
1993-1999	Nanny, TheThe Nanny	Grace Sheffield	144 episodes
1996	JAG	Cathy Gold	Episode: "Sightings"
1997	Touched by an Angel	Alexandra "Ally"	Episode: "Children of the Night"
1999	Chicken Soup for the Soul	Katie	Episode: "Starlight, Star Bright"
2001	Nightmare Room, TheThe Nightmare Room	Alexis Hall	2 episodes
2001	King of the Hill		Voice 2 episodes
2001	Gilmore Girls	Lisa	Episode: "Like Mother, Like Daughter"
2003	7th Heaven	Alice Miller	Episode: "Go Ask Alice"
2004	Strong Medicine	Pam	Episode: "Like Cures Like"
2006	3 lbs	Cassie Mack	Episode: "Lost for Words"
2007	Ghost Whisperer	Maddy Strom	Episode: "Mean Ghost"
2007	Grey's Anatomy	Marissa	Episode: "Forever Young"
2007-2011	Californication	Mia Lewis	28 episodes
2009-2010	Heroes	Gretchen Berg	11 episodes
2010	My Boys	Ashley	Episode: "Be a Man!"
2011	Royal Pains	Toby Thompson	Episode: "Me First"
2012	Vampire Diaries, TheThe Vampire Diaries	Charlotte	Episode: "We'll Always Have Bourbon Street"
2013	Gilded Lillys	Violet's personal maid
2013	Betas	Jordan Alexis	8 Episodes
2015	Grimm	Emily Troyer	Episode: "Maiden Quest"
2015	Agent X	Brenda Pelton / Molly	Episode: "Truth, Lies and Consequences"

Awards and nominations

She was nominated three times for a YoungStar Award at the YoungStar Awards, in 1995, 1997 and 1999 all of them for Best Performance by a Young Actress in a Comedy TV Series for The Nanny (1993).

She was also nominated thirteen times for a Young Artist Award at the Young Artist Awards:

• 1993 - Best Young Actress Under Ten in a Motion Picture for The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992)
• 1994 - Best Youth Actress Leading Role in a Motion Picture Comedy and for Outstanding Youth Ensemble in a Television Series shared with Benjamin Salisbury and Nicholle Tom both for The Nanny (1993)
• 1995 - Best Performance by a Youth Actress as a TV Guest Star for Law & Order (1990), and Best Performance by a Youth Ensemble in a Television Series shared with Nicholle Tom and Benjamin Salisbury, Best Performance by an Actress Under Ten in a Motion Picture and Best Performance by an Actress Under Ten in a TV Series, all of them for The Nanny (1993)
• 1996 - Best Performance by a Young Actress in a TV Comedy Series for The Nanny (1993)
• 1998 - Best Performance in a TV Comedy Series by a Supporting Young Actress for The Nanny (1993)
• 2001 - Best Performance in a TV Movie (Drama) by a Leading Young Actress for The Sandy Bottom Orchestra

[ Source: Wikipedia ]