Born in Los Angeles, Cynthia O’Neal has modeled and appeared in several major motion pictures, including Carnal Knowledge and Primary Colors. In 1991 she founded Friends in Deed: The Crisis Center for Life-Threatening Illness, which has helped transform many thousands of lives by providing emotional and spiritual support for anyone diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, cancer, and other life-threatening physical illnesses—all free of charge. O'Neal currently lives in New York City.