In 1986, DePatis-Kupka worked as hair stylist on the action drama Thrashin', along with Dayne Johnson. Two years later, she had a cameo role as a customer in the science fiction drama Dead Man Walking (1988, with Leland Crooke, Tasia Valenza, Jeffrey Combs, Biff Yeager, and John Durbin). She received credit as department head hair in the television comedy Dinner at Eight (1989) and on the television series In Living Color (1991-1994).