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Cara Buono (born March 1, 1971) is an American actress, screenwriter and director best known for her lead role as Dr. Faye Miller in the fourth season of AMC's Mad Men. She is also known for her other roles as Kelli Moltisanti in the sixth season of HBO's The Sopranos, Linda Salvo in the 2006 comedy Artie Lange's Beer League and Karen Wheeler in Netflix original Stranger Things.

She is married to Ethos Water founder, Peter Thum. They reside in Greenwich Village, New York as of August 2010.

Filmography[]

Film[]

Year Title Role
1992 Gladiator Dawn
Waterland Judy Dobson
1994 The Cowboy Way Teresa Salazar
1995 Killer: A Journal of Murder Esther Lesser
Kicking and Screaming Kate
1997 Made Men Toni-Ann Antonelli
1998 Next Stop Wonderland Julie
River Red Rachel
1999 Man of the Century Virginia Clemens
Two Ninas Nina Cohen
Chutney Popcorn Janis
2000 Happy Accidents Bette
Takedown Christina Painter
Attention Shoppers Claire Suarez
2003 Hulk Edith Banner
2004 From Other Worlds Joanne Schwartzbaum
2006 Artie Lange's Beer League Linda Salvo
2007 Cthulhu Dannie Marsh
2010 Betrayed Amy Waite
Stuff Madeline
2012 The Discoverers Nell
2014 A Good Marriage Betty Pike
2015 Paper Towns Connie Jacobsen
Emily & Tim Emily Hanratty
2016 Half the Perfect World Sonia
2017 All Saints Aimee Spurlock
2018 Monsters and Men Stacey
The Bad Seed  Angela
2022 She Came from the Woods Heather McCalister
2023 The Girl Who Escaped: The Kara Robinson Story Debra Robinson
TBA Things Like This Margie Kitlin

Television[]

Year Title Role
1989 Dream Street Joann
1991 CBS Schoolbreak Special Abby Morris
1992 I'll Fly Away Diane
1993 Tribeca Rose Polito
Victim of Love: The Shannon Mohr Story Tracey Lien
1995 The Single Guy Christie
1996 New York Undercover Connie
1996; 1998 Law & Order Shelly Taggert; Alice Simonelli
1999 Deep in My Heart Young Gerry Cummins
2001 Family Law Carly Hanson
2002 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Charlotte Fielding
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Tracy Logan
Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven Sarah (voice)
2003 Miss Match Michelle Schiff
2004 Six Months to Live Alice
2004–2005 Third Watch Grace Foster
2006–2007 The Sopranos Kelli Moltisanti
2007 Law & Order Attorney Shannon
Queens Supreme Bettina Martinelli
The Dead Zone Sheriff Anna Turner
2008 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Rachel Zelinsky
The Unquiet Julie Bishop
2009 ER Lisa Salamunovich
NCIS Navy Cdr. Sarah Resnik
2010 Mad Men Faye Miller
2011 Brothers & Sisters Rose
Hawaii Five-0 Agent Allison Marsh
A Gifted Man Carol Gordan
2012 Drew Peterson: Untouchable Kathleen Savio
2013 Castle Siobhan O'Doul
The Good Wife Charlene Peterson
2014 The Carrie Diaries Penny
Elementary Sarah Cushing
2014–2015 Person of Interest Martine Rousseau
2015 The Mysteries of Laura  Julia Davis
2016- Stranger Things Karen Wheeler
2017 The Blacklist: Redemption Anna Copeland
Bull  Amaya Andrews
2018 The Romanoffs  Debbie Newman
2019 God Friended Me Karen
2019-2021 Supergirl  Gemma Cooper / Gamemnae
2019 God Friended Me Karen
2022 The Girl from Plainville Gail Carter

Official Accounts[]

Trivia[]

  • Besides working as an actress, Cara Buono is also a movie producer and scriptwriter.
  • She is the only main cast member in Season 3 who doesn't appear in every episode, having only appeared in 6.
  • Cara started acting when she was just 12.
  • Buono said she knew she wanted to be a part of Stranger Things when she read the script.
  • It was Cara's idea that Karen would be drinking wine in season 1 of Stranger Things. She thought the wine would make Karen seem more oblivious to what the kids were getting into.
  • She is of Italian descent.
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