Kari Samantha Wuhrer (born April 28, 1967)[1] is an American former actress, model, and singer. She is known for her time as hostess of the MTV game show Remote Control (1988–1989), her portrayals of Abigail on USA Network's Swamp Thing (1991–1992), and Maggie Beckett on the Fox/Syfy series Sliders (1997–2000). Wuhrer has appeared in horror films such as Anaconda (1997), Eight Legged Freaks (2002), King of the Ants (2003), The Hitcher II: I've Been Waiting (2003), Hellraiser: Deader (2005), two entries in the Prophecy series (both 2005), and Sharknado 2: The Second One (2014). She portrayed Agent Tanya in cutscenes of Westwood Studios' real-time strategy video game Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 and its subsequent expansion pack, Yuri's Revenge. She also provided the voice of Maria Hill for Disney XD's The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes (2010–2012).
Kari Wuhrer | |
|---|---|
 Wuhrer in 2014 | |
| Born | Kari Samantha Wuhrer April 28, 1967 Brookfield, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Other names | Kari Wührer Kari Salin Kari Wührer Salin Kari Salin-Wührer |
| Alma mater | New York University Tisch School of the Arts Marymount Manhattan College Columbia University RADA |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1986–present |
| Known for | The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes, General Hospital, Eight Legged Freaks, Sliders, Anaconda, Class of '96, Swamp Thing, Remote Control |
| Spouses | Daniel Salin
(m. 1995; div. 1999)James Scura
(m. 2003) |
| Children | 3 |
Early life
editWuhrer was born in Brookfield, Connecticut, the daughter of Karin (née Noble), a payroll accountant, and German-American Andrew Wuhrer, a police officer and car salesman. She has three siblings. As a teenager, she sang in nightclubs, sneaking out of the family home to perform. She studied acting from the age of 13 at the Wooster School, then studied drama at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, Marymount Manhattan College, Columbia University, and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art with famed teacher Uta Hagen.
Career
editWuhrer's first television break was MTV's Remote Control (1987).[2] She was a regular cast member of the television series Swamp Thing from 1991 to 1992. She also worked as a VJ on MTV during the same period. In 1993, she was a regular in the TV series Class of '96, where she played college student Robin Farr. From 1994 to 1995, she starred as Ariel Hunter in the long-running primetime soap opera Beverly Hills, 90210.
During this period, she appeared in The Adventures of Ford Fairlane (1990) and starred in Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time (1991). In 1995, she also had a supporting role in the John Singleton film Higher Learning, followed by Thinner (1996), Anaconda (1997), and Kissing a Fool (1998).[3][4]
Wuhrer returned to television in 1997 on the series Sliders[2] as Maggie Beckett, joining the cast as a regular and staying until the series ended in 2000. Wuhrer also guest-starred in the TV series Leverage.
Wuhrer signed a record deal with Rick Rubin, and her only album, Shiny, was released in 1999 by Del-Fi Records. In addition to her singing, she wrote most of the songs on the album and played both the guitar and the flute on several tracks. Wuhrer made a disastrous appearance on Late Night with Conan O'Brien to promote the album.[5]
Her later mainstream film roles include Berserker (2001) and Eight Legged Freaks (2002).[2][6] She was an executive producer of the direct-to-video film Spider's Web, with Stephen Baldwin, of which Wuhrer said: "The pace of making this movie, it was extreme. It was the longest day imaginable...".[7]
Wuhrer is also known by gamers for her role as Agent Tanya in cutscenes of Westwood Studios' real-time strategy video game Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 and its subsequent expansion pack, Yuri's Revenge.
Wuhrer was later voted number 76 on the FHM 100 Sexiest Women of 2000, number 73 in the FHM 100 Sexiest Women in the World of 2001, and number 36 in Maxim magazine's 50 Sexiest Women Countdown of 1999.[8] She posed seminude in Playboy in August 2000 as their Babe of the Month and earlier considered multiple offers to appear fully nude throughout 1998.[9][10] She was also No. 64 on Celebrity Skin's 100 Sexiest Stars of All Time and No. 4 in the Celebrity Nudity Database's Most Popular Actresses of 1999.[11]
Her breast implants encapsulated during the filming of Spider's Web, so she had them removed in 2002.[12]
From February 3, 2005, through November 2005, Wuhrer joined the cast of the daytime soap opera General Hospital as FBI Agent Reese Marshall, the former love interest of mobster Sonny Corinthos and former best friend/rival of Carly Corinthos. Wuhrer's character died after suffering injuries in a train wreck. In January 2006, Wuhrer announced that she was suing General Hospital, claiming that she was fired because of her pregnancy.[13][14]
Personal life
editWuhrer married to Daniel Salin in 1995. This union ended in divorce in 1999.
Wuhrer married James Scura in 2003. The couple have three children: a son born in January 2004,[15] a daughter born in March 2006[16] and another daughter born in September 2008.[15]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Fire with Fire | Gloria | |
| 1990 | The Adventures of Ford Fairlane | Melodi | |
| 1991 | Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time | Jackie Trent | |
| 1994 | The Postgraduate | Jane Decue | Short |
| Boulevard | Jennefer | ||
| Sensation | Lila Reed | ||
| 1995 | Higher Learning | Claudia | |
| Sex and the Other Man | Jessica Hill | ||
| Beyond Desire | Rita | Video | |
| The Crossing Guard | Mia | ||
| 1996 | The Disappearance of Kevin Johnson | Kristi Wilson | |
| Terminal Justice | Pamela Travis | ||
| Thinner | Gina Lempke | ||
| An Occasional Hell | Jeri Gillen | ||
| 1997 | Red-Blooded American Girl II | Miya Falk | |
| Anaconda | Denise Kalberg | ||
| The Undertaker's Wedding | Maria | ||
| Touch Me | Margot | ||
| 1998 | Kissing a Fool | Dara | |
| Ivory Tower | Karen Clay | ||
| Phoenix | Katie Shuster | ||
| 1999 | Kate's Addiction | Kate McGrath | |
| Vivid | Billie Reynolds | ||
| 2000 | Out of Sync | Sunni | TV movie |
| Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye | Darcy Davis | TV movie | |
| Fatal Conflict | Sasha Burns | ||
| Sand | Sandy | ||
| G-Men from Hell | Marete Morrisey | ||
| 2001 | Thy Neighbor's Wife | Ann Stewart/Anna Johnson | |
| The Medicine Show | Gwendolyn | ||
| 2002 | The Rose Technique | Kristi | |
| Do It for Uncle Manny | Jenny Marsh | ||
| Angels Don't Sleep Here | Dr. April Williams | ||
| Malevolent | Jessica Tarrant | ||
| Killer Love | Danielle | ||
| Eight Legged Freaks | Sheriff Samantha Parker | ||
| Spider's Web | Lauren Bishop | Video | |
| 2003 | Death of a Dynasty | Sexy Woman #2 | |
| Final Examination | Julie Seska | Video | |
| King of the Ants | Susan Gatley | ||
| The Hitcher II: I've Been Waiting | Maggie | Video | |
| 2004 | Berserker | Anya/Brunhilda | |
| 2005 | Mystery Woman: Snapshot | Fawn | TV movie |
| Hellraiser: Deader | Amy Klein | Video | |
| The Prophecy: Uprising | Allison | Video | |
| The Prophecy: Forsaken | Allison | Video | |
| 2007 | The Air I Breathe | Correspondent | |
| 2010 | Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths | Model Citizen/Black Canary (voice) | Video [17] |
| A Fork in the Road | Deputy | Video | |
| 2012 | Tornado Warning | Gail Curtis | TV movie |
| 2014 | Sharknado 2: The Second One | Ellen Brody | TV movie |
| 2015 | Batman Unlimited: Monster Mayhem | Silver Banshee (voice) | Video [18][17] |
| Secrets of a Psychopath | Catherine | ||
| 2017 | Vixen: The Movie | Patty (voice) | Video |
| 2018 | Batman: Gotham by Gaslight | Barbara Kean (voice) | [17] |
| Fiancé Killer | Nicole | TV movie |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988–89 | Remote Control | Herself/Host | Main Host: Season 2–3 |
| 1991 | Married... with Children | Joanie | Episode: "Kelly Does Hollywood: Part 1 & 2" |
| 1991–92 | Swamp Thing | Abigail | Recurring Cast: Season 1, Guest: Season 2 |
| 1992 | P.S. I Luv U | Jennifer | Episode: "The Chameleon" |
| 1993 | Class of '96 | Robin Farr | Main Cast |
| 1994–95 | Beverly Hills, 90210 | Ariel Hunter | Recurring Cast: Season 4, Guest: Season 5 |
| 1995 | The Marshal | Sherry Prairie | Episode: "The Great Train Robbery" |
| 1997 | The Big Easy | Gina Forte | Episode: "Don't Shoot the Piano Player" |
| Nash Bridges | C.J. | Episode: "Blackout" | |
| 1997–00 | Sliders | Maggie Beckett | Recurring Cast: Season 3, Main Cast: Season 4-5 |
| 1998 | To Have & to Hold | Paula | Recurring Cast |
| 1999 | Jeopardy! | Herself/Celebrity Contestant | Episode: "1999-A Celebrity Jeopardy! Game 1" |
| 2002 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Tiffany Langer | Episode: "Cross Jurisdictions" |
| 2005–06 | General Hospital | Reese Marshall | Regular Cast |
| 2006 | CSI: Miami | Janet Sterling | Episode: "If Looks Could Kill" |
| 2007–08 | Lincoln Heights | Kimberly Lund | Guest: Season 2, Recurring Cast: Season 3 |
| 2008 | Stargate Atlantis | Nancy Sheppard | Episode: "Outcast" |
| 2010 | Leverage | Miranda Miles | Episode: "The Reunion Job" |
| 2010–12 | The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes | Maria Hill | Recurring Cast [17] |
| 2015 | Vixen | Patty | Recurring Cast: Season 1 [17] |
Video games
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 | Special Agent Tanya Adams | |
| 2001 | Command & Conquer: Yuri's Revenge | Special Agent Tanya Adams | |
| 2013 | Marvel Heroes | Maria Hill | |
| 2014 | Disney Infinity 3.0 | Maria Hill |
Awards
editThis section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources. (April 2023) |
| Year | Work | Award | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Do It for Uncle Manny | New York International Independent Film and Video Festival | Best Actress | Won |
References
edit- ^ "Kari Samantha Wuhrer - Biography". Archived from the original on June 12, 2010. Retrieved December 8, 2016.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ a b c Olsen, Mark (July 18, 2002). "Wuhrer has dreams--but no illusions". Los Angeles Times.
- ^ Wallace, Amy (March 23, 2003). "And The Oscar Does Not Go to . . ". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
- ^ Howe, Desson (April 11, 1997). "'Anaconda': Snakebit". The Washington Post.
- ^ Thomas, Matthew (December 10, 2023). "Conan O'Brien Repeatedly Called Out A Guest During His Most Awkward Interview Ever". TheThings. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
- ^ Hunter, Stephen (July 17, 2002). "'Freaks': This Tickling Monster Flick Has Got Legs". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
- ^ Paul Kane, The Hellraiser Films and Their Legacy (2015), p. 196.
- ^ "Wuhrer Has Dreams--But No Illusions". Los Angeles Times. July 18, 2002. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
- ^ "Kari Wuhrer: Oh, Thank Heaven..." Ink 19 (Interview). Interviewed by Frank Mullen. July 30, 1999.
- ^ "Kari Wuhrer Chat at Lycos" (Interview). Interviewed by various participants. Earth62.net. July 22, 1998.
- ^ "The Kari Wuhrer Picture Pages". SuperiorPics. Archived from the original on April 11, 2013.
- ^ "A Hollywood Actress's Intimate Diary: Why I Took Out My Breast Implants". Glamour. September 2002. Archived from the original on June 12, 2010. Retrieved December 3, 2007.
- ^ Silverman, Stephen M. (January 13, 2006). "Soap Actress Sues Show Over Pregnancy". People. Archived from the original on February 5, 2009. Retrieved November 18, 2008.
- ^ Weiner, Allison Hope (January 13, 2006). "In Suit, Actress Says Pregnancy Led to Firing". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
- ^ a b "Kari Wuhrer Biography, Husband, Children, Age, Height & Family Life". April 17, 2022. Archived from the original on March 1, 2024. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
- ^ "Soap star Kari Wuhrer welcomes a daughter". Archived from the original on March 1, 2024. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e "Kari Wuhrer (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved August 22, 2023. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
- ^ "EXCLUSIVE TRAILER DEBUT: Joker Rules in "Batman Unlimited: Monster Mayhem"". Comic Book Resources. June 2, 2015. Archived from the original on December 25, 2015. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
External links
edit
- Kari Wuhrer at IMDb
- Kari Wuhrer at Rotten Tomatoes
- Kari Wuhrer at the TCM Movie Database
- Kari Wuhrer at AllMovie
- Kari Wuhrer profile on SoapCentral Archived December 28, 2017, at the Wayback Machine
- Kari Wuhrer discography at Discogs
- Kari Wuhrer on Twitter
- Kari Wuhrer on Facebook
