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Donna PinciottiA character guide · fact-checked August 2026
Before Alex Vause, before the director's chair, there was Donna — the smart, sardonic girl next door who anchored eight seasons of That '70s Show. Here is the complete guide to Laura Prepon's breakout character.
Who is Donna Pinciotti?
Donna Pinciotti is the girl-next-door on That '70s Show — literally, the Pinciottis live directly across the street from the Formans in Point Place, Wisconsin. Written as an intelligent, good-looking feminist tomboy, Donna is the most level-headed member of the basement gang and the long-running love interest of Eric Forman. Prepon played her across the show's entire 1998–2006 run.
Donna and Eric
The Donna-and-Eric romance is the show's emotional spine. Neighbors turned sweethearts, they move through the full teenage arc — first love, a season-four breakup, an on-again/off-again engagement — before the series brings them back together in its finale. Their relationship gave the ensemble comedy its heart.
The feminist streak
Set against 1970s suburban Wisconsin, Donna's feminism is a deliberate contrast the writers mine for both comedy and growth. She pushes back on the era's expectations, clashes with the more traditional characters, and is consistently written as smarter and more grounded than most of the boys around her.
The famous red hair
Donna is one of TV's iconic redheads — but Laura Prepon is naturally blonde and dyed her hair for the role. In season five the show even wrote in a stretch where Donna went blonde, after Prepon had lightened her own hair, before returning to the signature red. It is a favorite piece of fan trivia.
The Pinciotti family
Donna's parents, Bob and Midge Pinciotti, are recurring figures: Bob the goofy, loving dad and Midge a ditzy, feminist-curious homemaker. The family dynamic shifts over the run as the Pinciottis separate, giving Donna some of the show's more grounded storylines.
Donna returns: That '90s Show
Prepon reprised Donna in Netflix's That '90s Show (2023–24), now married to Eric, living in Chicago, and a published author. Their daughter, Leia Forman — named, fittingly, by Star Wars-loving Eric — is the sequel's lead, spending her summer at Red and Kitty's house in Point Place. Prepon also directed episodes of the revival before Netflix ended it.
Read the full biography Alex Vause, explained
Read next
- Alex Vause — her Orange Is the New Black character, explained.
- The Cast Now — where the That '70s Show cast is today.
- All the guides — every deep-dive in one place.