Dalton was born in San Diego County, California. Dalton got her big break when she played a small role in Tango & Cash with Kurt Russell. She also played a small role in A Night at the Roxbury, starring Will Ferrell and Chris Kattan. She appeared as Jack Nicholson's character Frank Costello's girlfriend Gwen in The Departed.　　Dalton has guest starred in many television shows, but she is perhaps best known for her role as reporter Dana Bright in USA Network's The Dead Zone, starring Anthony Michael Hall.　　Dalton's other television appearances include roles in Beverly Hills, 90210, Murder, She Wrote, Diagnosis Murder, Sliders, Stargate SG-1, and CSI: NY. She has also appeared in TV movies, such as Danielle Steel's Family Album, They Nest, Surviving Gilligan's Island (2001) (in which she portrayed actress Tina Louise), Babysitter Wanted and Gleason.　　She married fellow actor Darren Jack Dalton on August 8, 1993, they divorced in 2009.