--- name: "Cara Buono" canonical: "https://film.one/person/cara-buono" fi1m_id: "cara-buono" imdb_id: "nm0120648" tmdb_id: 20047 wikidata_id: "Q289540" roles: ["Actor"] born: "1 March 1971" reviewed_on_fi1m: 4 average_fi1m_score: 79 average_as: "actor" average_over: 4 updated: "2026-10-05T03:07:47.100178+00:00" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Cara Buono ## Identity Cara Buono - **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/cara-buono - **Type:** Person - **Fi1m ID:** cara-buono - **IMDb ID:** nm0120648 - **TMDB ID:** 20047 - **Wikidata ID:** Q289540 - **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cara_Buono, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q289540, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0120648/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/20047 Actor. Born 1 March 1971 in The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA. ## Details - **Work:** Actor - **Born:** 1 March 1971, The Bronx, New York City, New York, USA - **Active:** 2003–present - **Average Fi1m score:** 79, as actor, over 4 titles - **Fi1m score by decade:** 2000s 80 (2), 2010s 77 (1), 2020s 78 (1) - **Fi1m against the critics:** 76 to 77 across 3 titles - **Score spread:** 1 at 80+, 3 at 60–79, 0 under 60 - **Lead roles:** 0 of 1 acting credits billed first or second - **Genres:** Drama 3, Action 1, Action & Adventure 1, Adventure 1, Comedy 1, Music 1 - **Screen time:** 4 hours of reviewed films - **Box office:** $245m across 1 films with figures - **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cara_Buono, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q289540, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0120648/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/20047 ## Coming up - *The Debut* (2026-12-10), as Cassie — [page](https://film.one/film/the-debut.md) ## Biography Cara Buono is an American actress. Born on 1 March 1971 in the Bronx, New York City, she attended Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School and graduated from Columbia University in three years with a double major in English and political science. She began acting as a child, making her stage debut at age 12 in Harvey Fierstein's play Spookhouse. Buono received a Daytime Emmy nomination for her role in the 1991 CBS Schoolbreak Special Abby, My Love. Her film credits include Gladiator (1992), Waterland (1992), Kicking and Screaming (1995) and Hulk (2003), in which she played Edith Banner. On television she is known for roles in The Sopranos (as Kelli Moltisanti), Third Watch, Mad Men (for which she received a Primetime Emmy nomination), Stranger Things (as Karen Wheeler) and Supergirl. She has also appeared in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, NCIS, Person of Interest and Castle. *Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.* ## On Fi1m (4) - *The Debut* (2026), Fi1m 78, as Cassie — [page](https://film.one/film/the-debut.md) - *Stranger Things* (2016), Fi1m 77, as Karen Wheeler — [page](https://film.one/tv/stranger-things.md) - *Mad Men* (2007), Fi1m 88, as Faye Miller — [page](https://film.one/tv/mad-men.md) - *Hulk* (2003), Fi1m 72, as Edith Banner — [page](https://film.one/film/hulk.md) ## Complete filmography (72) Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page. - *The Debut* (2026), as Cassie — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/film/the-debut.md) - *Jane* (2026), as Linda Carson - *Things Like This* (2025), as Margie Kitlin - *V13* (2025), as Ida - *Queen of the Ring* (2025), as Bertha Burke - *In Fidelity* (2024), as Holly Ayker - *Always, Already* (2024), as Cara - *The Girl Who Escaped: The Kara Robinson Story* (2023), as Debra - *She Came from the Woods* (2023), as Heather McCalister · Producer - *The Girl from Plainville* (2022), series, as Gail Carter - *The Romanoffs* (2018), series, as Debbie Newman - *God Friended Me* (2018), series, as Karen - *Monsters and Men* (2018), as Stacey - *The Bad Seed* (2018), as Angela - *All Saints* (2017), as Aimee Spurlock - *The Blacklist: Redemption* (2017), series, as Anna Copeland - *Bull* (2016), series, as Amaya Andrews - *Half the Perfect World* (2016), as Sonia - *Stranger Things* (2016), series, as Karen Wheeler — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/tv/stranger-things.md) - *Supergirl* (2015), series, as Gamemnae / Gemma Cooper - *Emily & Tim* (2015), as Emily (Segment 3) - *Paper Towns* (2015), as Mrs. Jacobsen - *A Good Marriage* (2014), as Betty Pike - *The Mysteries of Laura* (2014), series, as Julia Davis - *The Discoverers* (2014), as Nell - *Drew Peterson: Untouchable* (2014), as Kathleen Savio - *Modern Love* (2012), as Nicky - *Elementary* (2012), series, as Sarah Cushing - *Person of Interest* (2011), series, as Martine Rousseau — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/person-of-interest.md) - *Let Me In* (2010), as Owen's Mother - *Hawaii Five-0* (2010), series, as Agent Allison Marsh — Fi1m 65, [page](https://film.one/tv/hawaii-five-0.md) - *Betrayed* (2010), as Amy Waite - *The Good Wife* (2009), series, as Charlene Peterson — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-good-wife.md) - *Castle* (2009), series, as Siobhan O'Doul — Fi1m 73, [page](https://film.one/tv/castle.md) - *Cthulhu* (2008), as Dannie - *The Unquiet* (2008), as Julie Bishop - *Mad Men* (2007), series, as Faye Miller — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/mad-men.md) - *Brothers and Sisters* (2006), series, as Rose - *Beer League* (2006), as Linda - *From Other Worlds* (2004), as Joanne - *Six Months to Live* (2004), series, as Alice - *Miss Match* (2003), series, as Michelle Schiff - *NCIS* (2003), series, as Sarah Resnick — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/tv/ncis.md) - *Hulk* (2003), as Edith Banner — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/hulk.md) - *The Dead Zone* (2002), series, as Sheriff Anna Turner - *Law & Order: Criminal Intent* (2001), series, as Charlotte Caspari - *Chutney Popcorn* (2001), as Janis - *Two Ninas* (2000), as Nina Cohen - *CSI: Crime Scene Investigation* (2000), series, as Tracy Logan - *Attention Shoppers* (2000), as Claire Suavez - *Takedown* (2000), as Christina Painter - *Happy Accidents* (2000), as Bette - *Man of the Century* (1999), as Virginia Clemens - *In a Class of His Own* (1999), as Sherry Donato - *Third Watch* (1999), series, as Grace Foster - *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit* (1999), series, as Rachel Zelinsky - *Family Law* (1999), series, as Carly Hanson - *Deep in My Heart* (1999), as Young Gerry Cummins - *The Sopranos* (1999), series, as Kelli Moltisanti, Kelli Lombardo — Fi1m 94, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-sopranos.md) - *River Red* (1998), as Rachel - *Next Stop Wonderland* (1998), as Julie - *Baggage* (1997), Director, Producer, Writer - *Killer: A Journal of Murder* (1996), as Esther Lesser - *Kicking and Screaming* (1995), as Kate - *The Single Guy* (1995), series, as Christie - *The Cowboy Way* (1994), as Teresa Salazar - *Victim of Love: The Shannon Mohr Story* (1993), as Tracey Lien - *The Perfect Woman* (1993), Actor - *In the Line of Duty: Ambush in Waco* (1993), Actor - *Waterland* (1992), as Judy Dobson - *Gladiator* (1992), as Dawn - *Law & Order* (1990), series, as Shelly Taggert, Alice Simonelli, Ms. Shannon, Lisa Dumont — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/tv/law-and-order.md) ## Gallery - ![Comiccon Holland 2026 - Q & A Stranger Things Cara Buono Aka Karen Wheeler There is no force as strong as a mother protecting her children, and this is clea](https://film.one/media/person/375183/gallery-73c80a244d5f.jpg) Comiccon Holland 2026 - Q & A Stranger Things Cara Buono Aka Karen Wheeler There is no force as strong as a mother protecting her children, and this is clea — Miguel Discart & Kiri Karma, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/be/Cara_Buono_%2855267189957%29.jpg/1280px-Cara_Buono_%2855267189957%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Comiccon Holland 2026 - Q & A Stranger Things Cara Buono Aka Karen Wheeler There is no force as strong as a mother protecting her children, and this is clea](https://film.one/media/person/375183/gallery-b0c5243c84ca.jpg) Comiccon Holland 2026 - Q & A Stranger Things Cara Buono Aka Karen Wheeler There is no force as strong as a mother protecting her children, and this is clea — Miguel Discart & Kiri Karma, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/09/Cara_Buono_%2855267189957%29_%28cropped%29.jpg/1280px-Cara_Buono_%2855267189957%29_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Author : @Kiri Karma Comiccon Holland 2026 - Q & A Stranger Things Cara Buono Aka Karen Wheeler There is no force as strong as a mother protecting her child](https://film.one/media/person/375183/gallery-2f6074ed825b.jpg) Author : @Kiri Karma Comiccon Holland 2026 - Q & A Stranger Things Cara Buono Aka Karen Wheeler There is no force as strong as a mother protecting her child — Miguel Discart & Kiri Karma, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6a/Cara_Buono_%2855268525575%29.jpg/1280px-Cara_Buono_%2855268525575%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Author : @Kiri Karma Comiccon Holland 2026 - Q & A Stranger Things Cara Buono Aka Karen Wheeler There is no force as strong as a mother protecting her child](https://film.one/media/person/375183/gallery-c071af337bd0.jpg) Author : @Kiri Karma Comiccon Holland 2026 - Q & A Stranger Things Cara Buono Aka Karen Wheeler There is no force as strong as a mother protecting her child — Miguel Discart & Kiri Karma, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0e/Cara_Buono_%2855268525575%29_%28cropped%29.jpg/1280px-Cara_Buono_%2855268525575%29_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail) - ![Cara Buono](https://film.one/media/person/375183/gallery-9516f84b15ab.jpg) Cara Buono — Image via TMDB - ![Cara Buono](https://film.one/media/person/375183/gallery-76da5ec57ba3.jpg) Cara Buono — Image via TMDB - ![Cara Buono](https://film.one/media/person/375183/gallery-a66f6720babe.jpg) Cara Buono — Image via TMDB - ![Cara Buono](https://film.one/media/person/375183/gallery-215c60ab3b3b.jpg) Cara Buono — Rob DiCaterino, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/84/Cara_Buono_at_the_Chiller_Theatre_Expo_2017.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/cara-buono