View source for Kari Wuhrer

{{short description|American actress (born 1967)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| image       = Kari Wuhrer 2014.jpg
| imagesize   =
| caption     = Wuhrer in 2014
| name = Kari Wuhrer
| alma_mater   = [[New York University Tisch School of the Arts]]<br/>[[Marymount Manhattan College]]<br/>[[Columbia University]]<br/>[[RADA]]
| birth_name   = Kari Samantha Wuhrer
| birth_date   = {{birth date and age|1967|4|28}}
| birth_place  = [[Brookfield, Connecticut]], U.S.
| occupation  =  {{hlist|Actress|model|singer|producer}}
| othername   = Kari Wührer<br />Kari Salin<br />Kari Wührer Salin<br />Kari Salin-Wührer
| spouse      = {{plainlist|
* {{marriage|Daniel Salin|1995|1999|end=divorced}}
* {{marriage|James Scura<br/>|2003}}
}}
| children    = 3
| yearsactive = 1986–present
| known_for   = ''[[The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes]]'', ''[[General Hospital]]'', ''[[Eight Legged Freaks]]'', ''[[Sliders (TV series)|Sliders]]'', ''[[Anaconda (1997 film)|Anaconda]]'', ''[[Class of '96]]'', ''[[Swamp Thing (1990 TV series)|Swamp Thing]]'', ''[[Remote Control (game show)|Remote Control]]''
}}
'''Kari Samantha Wuhrer''' (born April 28, 1967)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://kariwuhrer.net/bio.html |title=Kari Samantha Wuhrer - Biography |access-date=December 8, 2016 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100612170607/http://kariwuhrer.net/bio.html |archive-date=June 12, 2010}}</ref> is an former American actress, model, and singer. She is known for her time as hostess of the [[MTV]] game show ''[[Remote Control (game show)|Remote Control]]'' (1988–1989), her portrayals of [[Abby Holland|Abigail]] on [[USA Network]]'s ''[[Swamp Thing (1990 TV series)|Swamp Thing]]'' (1991–1992), and Maggie Beckett on the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]/[[Syfy]] series ''[[Sliders (TV series)|Sliders]]'' (1997–2000). Wuhrer has appeared in horror films such as ''[[Anaconda (1997 film)|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 ''[[The Prophecy (film series)|Prophecy]]'' series (both 2005), and ''[[Sharknado 2: The Second One]]'' (2014). She portrayed [[Agent Tanya]] in [[cutscene]]s of [[Westwood Studios]]' [[real-time strategy]] [[video game]] ''[[Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2]]'' and its subsequent expansion pack, ''[[Command & Conquer: Yuri's Revenge|Yuri's Revenge]]''. She also provided the voice of [[Maria Hill]] for [[Disney XD]]'s ''[[The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes]]'' (2010–2012).
==Early life==
Wuhrer was born in [[Brookfield, Connecticut]], the daughter of Karin (née Noble), a payroll accountant, and [[German Americans|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==
Wuhrer's first television break was [[MTV]]'s ''[[Remote Control (game show)|Remote Control]]'' (1987).<ref name=lat20020718>{{cite news |first=Mark |last=Olsen |date=July 18, 2002 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-jul-18-wk-olsen18-story.html |title=Wuhrer has dreams--but no illusions}}</ref> She was a regular cast member of the television series ''[[Swamp Thing (1990 TV series)|Swamp Thing]]'' from 1991 to 1992. She also worked as a [[VJ (media personality)|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 (film)|Thinner]]'' (1996), ''[[Anaconda (1997 film)|Anaconda]]'' (1997), and ''[[Kissing a Fool]]'' (1998).<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wallace |first=Amy |date=March 23, 2003 |title=And The Oscar Does Not Go to . . . |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/23/style/and-the-oscar-does-not-go-to.html |access-date=July 22, 2021 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Howe |first=Desson |date=April 11, 1997 |title='Anaconda': Snakebit |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/anacondahowe.htm |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]}}</ref>
[[File:Kari Wührer.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Wuhrer in 2002.]]
Wuhrer returned to television in 1997 on the series ''[[Sliders (TV series)|Sliders]]''<ref name=lat20020718/> 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 (American 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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Thomas |first=Matthew |date=2023-12-10 |title=Conan O'Brien Repeatedly Called Out A Guest During His Most Awkward Interview Ever |url=https://www.thethings.com/conan-obrien-repeatedly-called-out-kari-wuhrer-during-most-awkward-interview/ |access-date=2024-08-14 |website=TheThings |language=en}}</ref>
Her later mainstream film roles include ''[[Berserker (2001 film)|Berserker]]'' (2001) and ''[[Eight Legged Freaks]]'' (2002).<ref name=lat20020718/><ref>{{Cite news |last=Hunter |first=Stephen |date=July 17, 2002 |title='Freaks': This Tickling Monster Flick Has Got Legs |language=en-US |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2002/07/17/freaks-this-tickling-monster-flick-has-got-legs/51c9ac85-d8fe-4cd2-9153-6871409a6f76/ |access-date=July 22, 2021 |issn=0190-8286}}</ref> She was an executive producer of the direct-to-video film ''[[Spider's Web (2002 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...".<ref>Paul Kane, ''The Hellraiser Films and Their Legacy'' (2015), p. 196.</ref>
Wuhrer is also known by gamers for her role as [[Agent Tanya]] in [[cutscene]]s of [[Westwood Studios]]' [[real-time strategy]] [[video game]] ''[[Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2]]'' and its subsequent expansion pack, ''[[Command & Conquer: Yuri's Revenge|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)|Maxim]]'' magazine's 50 Sexiest Women Countdown of 1999.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 18, 2002 |title=Wuhrer Has Dreams--But No Illusions |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-jul-18-wk-olsen18-story.html |access-date=July 22, 2021 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite interview |url=https://ink19.com/1999/07/magazine/interviews/kari-wuhrer |work=Ink 19 |title=Kari Wuhrer: Oh, Thank Heaven... |interviewer=Frank Mullen |date=July 30, 1999}}</ref><ref>{{cite interview |url=http://www.earth62.net/transcripts/wuhrer22jul98.htm |title=Kari Wuhrer Chat at Lycos |date=July 22, 1998 |interviewer=various participants |publisher=Earth62.net}}</ref>  She was also No. 64 on ''[[Celebrity Skin (magazine)|Celebrity Skin]]'s'' 100 Sexiest Stars of All Time and No. 4 in the ''Celebrity Nudity Database's'' Most Popular Actresses of 1999.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.superiorpics.com/kari_wuhrer/ |title=The Kari Wuhrer Picture Pages |work=SuperiorPics }}{{Dead link|date=December 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
Her breast implants [[Capsular contracture|encapsulated]] during the filming of ''Spider's Web'', so she had them removed in 2002.<ref name=glamour200209>{{cite web |url=http://www.kariwuhrer.net/glamourmag.html |title=A Hollywood Actress's Intimate Diary: Why I Took Out My Breast Implants |access-date=December 3, 2007 |work=Glamour |date=September 2002 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100612230503/http://www.kariwuhrer.net/glamourmag.html |archive-date=June 12, 2010 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,1148736,00.html |title=Soap Actress Sues Show Over Pregnancy |last=Silverman |first=Stephen M. |date=January 13, 2006 |work=People |access-date=November 18, 2008 |archive-date=February 5, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090205201519/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,1148736,00.html |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Weiner |first=Allison Hope |date=January 13, 2006 |title=In Suit, Actress Says Pregnancy Led to Firing |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/13/arts/television/in-suit-actress-says-pregnancy-led-to-firing.html |access-date=July 22, 2021 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
==Personal life==
Wuhrer 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,<ref name=nai>{{cite web|url=https://www.naijanews.com/buzz/people/kari-wuhrer-biography-husband-children-age-height-family-life/|access-date=March 1, 2024|title=Kari Wuhrer Biography, Husband, Children, Age, Height & Family Life |date=April 17, 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240301014722/https://www.naijanews.com/buzz/people/kari-wuhrer-biography-husband-children-age-height-family-life/| archive-date=March 1, 2024}}</ref> a daughter born in March 2006<ref>{{cite web |url= https://people.com/parents/soap_star_kari_/|access-date=March 1, 2024|title=Soap star Kari Wuhrer welcomes a daughter|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20240301011159/https://people.com/parents/soap-star_kari_/|archive-date=March 1, 2024}}</ref> and another daughter born in September 2008.<ref name=nai />
==Filmography==
===Film===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
| 1986
| ''[[Fire with Fire (1986 film)|Fire with Fire]]''
| Gloria
|
|-
| 1990
| ''[[The Adventures of Ford Fairlane]]''
| Melodi
|
|-
| 1991
| ''[[Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time]]''
| Jackie Trent
|
|-
|rowspan="3"| 1994
| ''The Postgraduate''
| Jane Decue
| Short
|-
| ''[[Boulevard (1994 film)|Boulevard]]''
| Jennefer
|
|-
| ''Sensation''
| Lila Reed
|
|-
|rowspan="4"| 1995
| ''[[Higher Learning]]''
| Claudia
|
|-
| ''[[Sex and the Other Man]]''
| Jessica Hill
|
|-
| ''[[Beyond Desire]]''
| Rita
| Video
|-
| ''[[The Crossing Guard]]''
| Mia
|
|-
|rowspan="4"| 1996
| ''[[The Disappearance of Kevin Johnson]]''
| Kristi Wilson
|
|-
| ''Terminal Justice''
| Pamela Travis
|
|-
| ''[[Thinner (film)|Thinner]]''
| Gina Lempke
|
|-
| ''An Occasional Hell''
| Jeri Gillen
|
|-
|rowspan="4"| 1997
| ''[[Red-Blooded American Girl II]]''
| Miya Falk
|
|-
| ''[[Anaconda (1997 film)|Anaconda]]''
| Denise Kalberg
|
|-
| ''[[The Undertaker's Wedding]]''
| Maria
|
|-
| ''[[Touch Me (film)|Touch Me]]''
| Margot
|
|-
|rowspan="3"| 1998
| ''[[Kissing a Fool]]''
| Dara
|
|-
| ''[[Ivory Tower (1998 film)|Ivory Tower]]''
| Karen Clay
|
|-
| ''[[Phoenix (1998 film)|Phoenix]]''
| Katie Shuster
|
|-
|rowspan="2"| 1999
| ''Kate's Addiction''
| Kate McGrath
|
|-
| ''Vivid''
| Billie Reynolds
|
|-
|rowspan="5"| 2000
| ''Out of Sync''
| Sunni
| TV movie
|-
| ''Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye''
| Darcy Davis
| TV movie
|-
| ''Fatal Conflict''
| Sasha Burns
|
|-
| ''[[Sand (2000 film)|Sand]]''
| Sandy
|
|-
| ''[[G-Men from Hell]]''
| Marete Morrisey
|
|-
|rowspan="2"| 2001
| ''[[Thy Neighbor's Wife (2001 film)|Thy Neighbor's Wife]]''
| Ann Stewart/Anna Johnson
|
|-
| ''The Medicine Show''
| Gwendolyn
|
|-
|rowspan="7"| 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 (2002 film)|Spider's Web]]''
| Lauren Bishop
| Video
|-
|rowspan="4"| 2003
| ''[[Death of a Dynasty]]''
| Sexy Woman #2
|
|-
| ''[[Final Examination (film)|Final Examination]]''
| Julie Seska
| Video
|-
| ''[[King of the Ants]]''
| Susan Gatley
|
|-
| ''[[The Hitcher II: I've Been Waiting]]''
| Maggie
| Video
|-
| 2004
| ''[[Berserker (2004 film)|Berserker]]''
| Anya/Brunhilda
|
|-
|rowspan="4"| 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
|
|-
|rowspan="2"| 2010
| ''[[Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths]]''
| [[Looker (character)|Model Citizen]]/Black Canary (voice)
| Video <ref name="btva">{{cite web |title=Kari Wuhrer (visual voices guide) |url=http://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Kari-Wuhrer/ |access-date=August 22, 2023 |publisher=Behind The Voice Actors}} 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.</ref>
|-
| ''A Fork in the Road''
| Deputy
| Video
|-
| 2012
| ''Tornado Warning''
| Gail Curtis
| TV movie
|-
| 2014
| ''[[Sharknado 2: The Second One]]''
| Ellen Brody
| TV movie
|-
|rowspan="2"| 2015
| ''[[Batman Unlimited: Monster Mayhem]]''
| [[Silver Banshee]] (voice)
| Video <ref>{{cite web |date=June 2, 2015 |title=EXCLUSIVE TRAILER DEBUT: Joker Rules in "Batman Unlimited: Monster Mayhem" |url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/exclusive-trailer-debut-joker-rules-in-batman-unlimited-monster-mayhem |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151225102311/http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/exclusive-trailer-debut-joker-rules-in-batman-unlimited-monster-mayhem |archive-date=December 25, 2015 |access-date=August 22, 2023 |work=Comic Book Resources}}</ref><ref name="btva" />
|-
| ''Secrets of a Psychopath''
| Catherine
|
|-
| 2017
| ''Vixen: The Movie''
| Patty (voice)
| Video
|-
|rowspan="2"| 2018
| ''[[Batman: Gotham by Gaslight]]''
| [[Barbara Kean]] (voice)
| <ref name="btva" />
|-
| ''Fiancé Killer''
| Nicole
| TV movie
|}
===Television===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
| 1988–89
| ''[[Remote Control (game show)|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 (1990 TV series)|Swamp Thing]]''
| [[Abby Holland|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"
|-
|rowspan="2"| 1997
| ''[[The Big Easy (TV series)|The Big Easy]]''
| Gina Forte
| Episode: "Don't Shoot the Piano Player"
|-
| ''[[Nash Bridges]]''
| C.J.
| Episode: "Blackout"
|-
| 1997–00
| ''[[Sliders (TV series)|Sliders]]''
| Maggie Beckett
| Recurring Cast: Season 3, Main Cast: Season 4-5
|-
| 1998
| ''[[To Have & to Hold (American TV series)|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 (TV series)|Lincoln Heights]]''
| Kimberly Lund
| Guest: Season 2, Recurring Cast: Season 3
|-
| 2008
| ''[[Stargate Atlantis]]''
| Nancy Sheppard
| Episode: "Outcast"
|-
| 2010
| ''[[Leverage (American TV series)|Leverage]]''
| Miranda Miles
| Episode: "The Reunion Job"
|-
| 2010–12
| ''[[The Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes]]''
| [[Maria Hill]]
| Recurring Cast <ref name="btva" />
|-
| 2015
| ''[[Vixen (web series)|Vixen]]''
| Patty
| Recurring Cast: Season 1 <ref name="btva" />
|}
===Video Games===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 2000
| ''[[Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2]]''
| Special Agent Tanya Adams
|
|-
| 2001
| ''[[Command & Conquer: Yuri's Revenge]]''
| Special Agent Tanya Adams
|
|-
| 2013
| ''[[Marvel Heroes (video game)|Marvel Heroes]]''
| Maria Hill
|
|-
| 2014
| ''[[Disney Infinity 3.0]]''
| Maria Hill
|
|}
==Awards==
{{BLP unreferenced section|date=April 2023}}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Work
! Award
! Category
! Result
|-
| 2001
|''Do It for Uncle Manny''
|New York International Independent Film and Video Festival
|Best Actress
|{{Won}}
|}
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{IMDb name|1863}}
* {{rotten-tomatoes-person|kari_wuhrer}}
* {{Tcmdb name}}
* {{Amg name|77667}}
* [http://www.soapcentral.com/gh/theactors/wuhrer_kari.php Kari Wuhrer profile on SoapCentral] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171228172241/http://soapcentral.com/gh/theactors/wuhrer_kari.php |date=December 28, 2017 }}
* {{discogs artist|Kari Wuhrer}}
* {{Twitter}}
* {{Facebook|kari.wuhrerscura}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wuhrer, Kari}}
[[Category:1967 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Actresses from Connecticut]]
[[Category:American people of German descent]]
[[Category:American film actresses]]
[[Category:American game show hosts]]
[[Category:Tisch School of the Arts alumni]]
[[Category:American women pop singers]]
[[Category:American soap opera actresses]]
[[Category:American television actresses]]
[[Category:People from Brookfield, Connecticut]]
[[Category:American video jockeys]]
[[Category:Columbia University alumni]]
[[Category:Singers from Connecticut]]
[[Category:Marymount Manhattan College alumni]]
[[Category:Alumni of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art]]
[[Category:American voice actresses]]
[[Category:20th-century American actresses]]
[[Category:21st-century American actresses]]
[[Category:20th-century American women singers]]
[[Category:Del-Fi Records artists]]
[[Category:20th-century American singers]]