Cara Buono

Cara Buono (born March 1, 1971) is an American actress. She made her film debut in Gladiator and received recognition for her roles in various television shows including CBS Schoolbreak Special (1991), Law & Order (1996–2024), Mad Men (2010), and starred as Karen Wheeler in the Netflix series Stranger Things (2016–2025). Her roles earned her nominations for both a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series and a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in Children's Programming.

On film, Buono has appeared in a number of projects since her 1992 debut, with her most notable credits including Hulk (2003), in which she portrayed Edith Banner, Let Me In (2010), A Good Marriage (2014), Paper Towns (2015), All Saints (2017), Monsters and Men (2018), and She Came from the Woods (2022).

Early life and education Buono was born to Rosemary (née Desiderioscioli; 1930–2023) and Anthony Buono (1927–2021) and raised in the Bronx, a borough of New York City, in a blue-collar family of Italian descent. She has two brothers and a sister.

She attended Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School and graduated from Columbia University with a double major in English and political science, which she completed in three years. She made her acting debut in Harvey Fierstein's play Spookhouse at the age of 12. for which she received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series in 2011.

Personal life Buono lives in New York City's Greenwich Village with her husband Peter Thum, founder of Ethos Water,

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes Ref. 1992 Gladiator Dawn Waterland Judy Dobson 1994 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 Short film Stuff Madeline Short film Let Me In Owen's mother 2012 The Discoverers Nell 2014 A Good Marriage Betty Pike 2015 Paper Towns Connie Jacobsen Emily & Tim Emily Hanratty Segment: "Betrayal" 2016 Half the Perfect World Sonia 2017 All Saints Aimee Spurlock 2018 Monsters and Men Stacey 2022 She Came from the Woods Heather McCalister 2024 Queen of the Ring Bertha In Fidelity Holly Ayker 2025 V13 Ida Things Like This Margie Kitlin 2026 The Debut Completed

Television Year Title Role Notes Ref. 1989 Dream Street Joann 2 episodes 1991 CBS Schoolbreak Special Abby Morris Episode: "Abby, My Love"Nominated -- Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in a Children's Special 1992 I'll Fly Away Diane 3 episodes 1993 Tribeca Rose Polito Episode: "The Hopeless Romantic" Victim of Love: The Shannon Mohr Story Tracey Lien Television film 1995 Christie Episode: "Tennis" 1996 New York Undercover Connie Episode: "A Time to Kill" Law & Order Shelly Taggert Episode: "Girlfriends" 1998 Law & Order Alice Simonelli Episode: "Punk" 1999 Deep in My Heart Young Gerry Cummins Television film 2001 Family Law Carly Hanson Episode: "Intentions" 2002 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Charlotte Fielding Episode: "Phantom" CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Tracy Logan Episode: "Chasing the Bus" 2003 Miss Match Michelle Schiff Episode: "The Love Bandit" 2004 Six Months to Live Alice Episode: "1.1" 2004–2005 Third Watch Grace Foster 22 episodes 2006–2007 Kelli Moltisanti 7 episodes 2007 Law & Order Attorney Shannon Episode: "Melting Pot" Queens Supreme Bettina Martinelli Episode: "That Voodoo That You Do" Sheriff Anna Turner 6 episodes 2008 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Rachel Zelinsky Episode: "Unorthodox" Julie Bishop Television film 2009 ER Lisa Salamunovich Episode: "And in the End..." NCIS Navy Cdr. Sarah Resnik Episode: "Power Down" 2010 Mad Men Faye Miller 10 episodesNominated -- Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama SeriesNominated -- Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series 2011 Brothers & Sisters Rose 3 episodes Hawaii Five-0 Agent Allison Marsh Episode: "Ho'opa'i" Carol Gordan Episode: "In Case of Discomfort" 2012 Drew Peterson: Untouchable Kathleen Savio Television film 2013 Castle Siobhan O'Doul Episode: "The Wild Rover" Charlene Peterson Episode: "A More Perfect Union" 2014 Penny Episode: "Hungry Like the Wolf" Elementary Sarah Cushing Episode: "Ears to You" 2014–2015 Person of Interest Martine Rousseau 8 episodes 2015 The Mysteries of Laura Julia Davis Episode: "The Mystery of the Taken Boy" 2016–2025 Stranger Things Karen Wheeler Main roleScreen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series (2016)Nominated -- Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series (2017, 2019) 2017 The Blacklist: Redemption Anna Copeland Episode: "Leland Bray" Bull Amaya Andrews Episode: "The Illusion of Control" 2018 The Bad Seed Angela Grossman Television film The Romanoffs Debbie Newman Episode: "Bright and High Circle" 2019–2021 Supergirl Gamemnae Recurring role; 9 episodes 2019 God Friended Me Karen Episode: "Return to Sender" 2022 The Girl from Plainville Gail Carter 8 episodes 2023 The Girl Who Escaped: The Kara Robinson Story Debra Robinson Television film 2024 Law & Order Lisa Dumont Episode: "Time Will Tell"

Video games Year Title Voice role Notes Ref. 2002 Mafia Sarah Angelo