Vávrová was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia and played her first main film role in Ať žijí duchové!

In 1982, she played the main role as Janina David in the German television mini-series Ein Stück Himmel, and was awarded the Goldene Kamera, the Goldener Gong, and an Adolf Grimme Award.

[4] After some further roles including the films Amadeus and Pan Tau, she played the main role of Anna Wimschneider in Herbstmilch (English: Autumn Milk) under the directorship of Joseph Vilsmaier, whom she had married in 1986.

Vávrová's older sister, Hana Heřmánková [cs], is a television presenter in the Czech Republic.

Dana Vávrová died of cervical cancer in Munich, Germany on 5 February 2009.