Born: April 28, 1967
Age: 57
Birthplace: Brookfield, Connecticut, U.S.
Kari Samantha Wuhrer (born April 28, 1967) is an American actress and singer. Wuhrer is best known for her roles as Maggie Beckett in the television series Sliders and as Sheriff Samantha Parker in the comedy film Eight Legged Freaks.
Wuhrer was born in Brookfield, Connecticut, the daughter of Karin (née Noble), a payroll accountant, and German American Andrew Wührer, 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. She studied drama at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, Marymount Manhattan College, Columbia University, and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts with famed teacher Uta Hagen.
Wuhrer's first television break was MTV's Remote Control (1987). 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 prime-time 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).
Wuhrer returned to television in 1997 on the series Sliders as Maggie Beckett, joining the cast as a regular and staying until the series ended in 2000. Wuhrer also guested in the TV series Leverage.
Wuhrer signed a record deal with Rick Rubin and her debut album, Shiny, was released in 1999. In addition to her singing, she also wrote most of the songs on the album and played both the guitar and the flute on several tracks.
Later mainstream film roles include Berserker (2001) and Eight Legged Freaks (2002).
Wuhrer is also known by gamers for her role as Tanya in Westwood Studios' RTS video game Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2 and its subsequent expansion pack, Yuri's Revenge.
Wuhrer was later voted #76 on the FHM 100 Sexiest Women of 2000, #73 in the FHM 100 Sexiest Women in the World of 2001 and #36 in Maxim magazine's 50 Sexiest Women Countdown of 1999. She posed semi-nude in Playboy magazine in August 2000 as their Babe of the Month and earlier considered multiple offers to appear fully nude throughout 1998. She was also #64 on Celebrity Skin's 100 Sexiest Stars of All Time and #4 in the Celebrity Nudity Database's Most Popular Actresses of 1999.
Her breast implants encapsulated during the filming of Spider's Web, so she had them removed in 2002 at the age of 35. She later wrote an article for the September 2002 issue of Glamour magazine about the insecurities that led her to get implants early in her career, and the sense of self-acceptance she acquired. After its publication, she appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and discussed the pressure she received from a prominent record producer to get the implants, during what she called "the era of the Video Vixen".
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. The case was resolved in December 2006.
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1986 | Fire with Fire | Gloria | |
1990 | The Adventures of Ford Fairlane | Melodi | Theatrical Release |
1991 | Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of Time | Jackie Trent | |
1994 | The Postgraduate | Jane Decue | |
1994 | Boulevard | Jennefer | |
1995 | Terminal Justice | Pamela Travis | Credited as Kari Salin |
1995 | Higher Learning | Claudia | Theatrical Release Credited as Kari Salin |
1995 | Sensation | Lila Reed | |
1995 | Sex & the Other Man | Jessica Hill | |
1995 | Beyond Desire | Rita | Straight-to-video |
1995 | The Crossing Guard | Mia | Theatrical Release |
1996 | Thinner | Gina Lempke | Theatrical Release |
1996 | An Occasional Hell | Jeri Gillen | |
1997 | Vivid | Billie Reynolds | Credited as Kari Salin |
1997 | Anaconda | Denise Kalberg | Theatrical Release |
1997 | Hot Blooded | Miya | Credited as Kari Salin |
1997 | The Disappearance of Kevin Johnson | Kristi Wilson | |
1997 | Touch Me | Margot | |
1998 | The Undertaker's Wedding | Maria | |
1998 | Kissing a Fool | Dara | |
1998 | Ivory Tower | Karen Clay | |
1998 | Phoenix | Katie Shuster | |
1999 | Kate's Addiction | Kate McGrath | |
2000 | Fatal Conflict | Sasha Burns | |
2000 | Sand | Sandy | |
2000 | G-Men from Hell | Marete Morrisey | |
2000 | Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye | Darcy Davis | Television film |
2001 | Angels Don't Sleep Here | Dr. April Williams | |
2001 | Poison a/k/a Thy Neighbor's Wife |
Ann Stewart / Anna Johnson | |
2001 | The Medicine Show | Gwendolyn | |
2002 | The Rose Technique | Kristi | |
2002 | Do It for Uncle Manny | Jenny Marsh | |
2002 | Killer Love | Danielle | |
2002 | Eight Legged Freaks | Sheriff Samantha Parker | Theatrical Release |
2002 | Malevolent | Jessica Tarrant | |
2002 | Spider's Web | Lauren Bishop | Television film Executive producer |
2003 | Final Examination | Julie Seska | Direct-to-video |
2003 | Death of a Dynasty | Sexy Woman #2 | |
2003 | King of the Ants | Susan Gatley | |
2003 | The Hitcher II: I've Been Waiting | Maggie | Direct-to-video |
2004 | Berserker | Anya / Brunhilda | |
2005 | Hellraiser: Deader | Amy Klein | Direct-to-video |
2005 | The Prophecy: Uprising | Allison | Direct-to-video |
2005 | The Prophecy: Forsaken | Allison | Direct-to-video |
2007 | The Air I Breathe | Correspondent | |
2009 | A Fork in the Road | Deputy | Direct-to-video |
2010 | Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths | Black Canary Model Citizen |
Uncredited Direct-to-video |
2012 | Alien Tornado | Gail Curtis | Television film |
2014 | Secrets of a Psychopath | Catherine | |
2014 | Sharknado 2: The Second One | Ellen Brody | Television film |
2015 | Batman Unlimited: Monster Mayhem | Silver Banshee | Direct-to-video |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1991 | Married... with Children | Joanie | 2 episodes |
1991-1992 | Swamp Thing: The Series | Abigail | 10 episodes |
1993 | Class of '96 | Robin Farr | 17 episodes |
1994-1995 | Beverly Hills, 90210 | Ariel Hunter | 3 episodes |
1995 | The Marshal | Sherry Prairie | 1 episode |
1997 | Nash Bridges | CJ | Episode: "Blackout" |
1997-2000 | Sliders | Maggie Beckett | 49 episodes |
1998 | To Have & to Hold | Paula | 2 episodes |
2000 | Lip Service | Sunni | |
2002 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Tiffany Langer | Episode: "Cross Jurisdictions" |
2005 | General Hospital | Reese Marshall | |
2006 | CSI: Miami | Janet Sterling | Episode: "If Looks Could Kill" |
2007-2008 | Lincoln Heights | Kimberly Lund | 2 episodes |
2008 | Stargate Atlantis | Nancy Sheppard | Episode: "Outcast" |
2010 | Leverage | Miranda Miles | Episode: "The Reunion Job" |
2010-2012 | Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes | Maria Hill | Voice |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2015 | Vixen | Patty | Guest Appearance (2 episodes) |
Year | Title | Role |
---|---|---|
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 |
Year | Work | Award | Category | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2001 | Do It for Uncle Manny | New York International Independent Film and Video Festival | Best Actress | Won |