Carla Gugino

Carla Gugino

Gugino in a 2011 CNN interview
Born August 29, 1971
Sarasota, Florida, U.S.
Occupation Actress
Years active 1988–present
Partner(s) Sebastian Gutierrez (2005-present)

Carla Gugino (/ɡʊˈn/; born August 29, 1971) is an American actress.

She is well known for her roles as Ingrid Cortez in the Spy Kids film trilogy, Dr. Vera Gorski in Sucker Punch, Lucille in Sin City, Amanda Daniels in seasons 3, 5 and 7 of Entourage, Sally Jupiter in Watchmen and as the lead characters of the television series Karen Sisco and Threshold. Her feature film work includes starring roles in Son in Law, Night at the Museum, Race to Witch Mountain, American Gangster, and Mr. Popper's Penguins. Gugino had a lead role in the 2012 mini-series, Political Animals.

Early life

Gugino was born in Sarasota, Florida, to Carl Gugino, an orthodontist of Italian descent,[1] and a mother of English-Irish descent[2] described as "Bohemian".[3] Her parents separated when she was two,[4] after which she traveled between her father and half-brother Carl Jr.'s home in Sarasota, and her Paradise, California home, to which her mother moved her when she was four. She has described her bicoastal childhood, saying, "I lived in a tepee in Northern California and a van in Big Sur. With my dad, I lived in a beautiful house with a swimming pool and a tennis court and went to Europe for the summers. So I feel like I lived two childhoods." She worked as a teenage fashion model, and took acting classes at the suggestion of her aunt, former Let's Make a Deal spokesmodel Carol Merrill.[3] She eventually came to support herself, and with her parents' support, was legally emancipated by the time she was 16.[1]

Career

Gugino at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival

Gugino's television work during the late 1980s and early 1990s included appearances on Saved by the Bell, Who's the Boss?, ALF, Doogie Howser, M.D., The Wonder Years and a recurring role on Falcon Crest.

In film, Gugino appeared in the Shelley Long film, Troop Beverly Hills and co-starred with Pauly Shore in the 1993 romantic comedy Son in Law. She later appeared in the video to Bon Jovi's 1994 song "Always".

In 1995, Gugino appeared as Nan St. George (later the Duchess of Trevenick) in the BBC miniseries The Buccaneers and adaptation of Edith Wharton's last novel.

After playing Michael J. Fox's love interest, Ashley Schaeffer, during the first season of the sitcom Spin City in 1996, Gugino starred with Nicolas Cage in Brian De Palma's Snake Eyes, and in Judas Kiss, which she also co-produced. She appeared as Dr. Gina Simon during the 1999–2000 final season of Chicago Hope.

In 2001, she appeared as family matriarch Ingrid Cortez in the first Spy Kids film (as well as the film's two sequels in 2002 and 2003). That same year she appeared as Jet Li's love interest in the martial arts action thriller The One.

She starred in two short-lived TV series: ABC's Elmore Leonard crime drama Karen Sisco in 2003, and CBS's science fiction series Threshold in 2005. That same year, Gugino appeared as Lucille in the feature film adaptation of Frank Miller's graphic novel, Sin City. The following year, she appeared in the movie Night at the Museum.

Gugino appeared in the Roundabout Theatre Company play After the Fall opposite Six Feet Under's Peter Krause. In late 2006, she appeared in an Off-Broadway production of Tennessee Williams' Suddenly Last Summer opposite Blythe Danner.[5]

Gugino appeared as Amanda, Vincent Chase's agent, in a dozen episodes of the cable television series Entourage.[6] Gugino appeared nude in the May 2007 issue of Allure.[7] That same year she appeared in the action-horror film Rise: Blood Hunter and the feature film American Gangster. The following year, she played the female lead in the thriller Righteous Kill, opposite Robert De Niro and Al Pacino.

Gugino starred in Chicago's Goodman Theater production of Eugene O'Neill's Desire Under the Elms from January 17 to February 17, 2009, in the role of Abby. Charles Isherwood of The New York Times praised Gugino's performance, saying, "Ms. Gugino displays a depth and range of expression that I cannot imagine any other actress achieving with such blazing honesty and wrenching truth. She is simply magnificent."[8] During the first three months of 2009, three feature films premiered featuring Gugino: the thriller The Unborn, the film Watchmen, in which she played Sally Jupiter,[9] and the adventure remake Race to Witch Mountain, in which she starred opposite Dwayne Johnson. That April, she received an Outer Critics Circle Award nomination[10] for Outstanding Actress In a Play for her performance in Desire Under the Elms. Later in November of that year, she appeared as a pornographic actress in the comedy film Women in Trouble, which spawned a sequel in 2010, Elektra Luxx, titled after her character.

In 2011, Gugino appeared as Madame Vera Gorsky in Zack Snyder's action-fantasy film Sucker Punch alongside Abbie Cornish and Emily Browning. Gugino sang a duet with co-star Oscar Isaac, which appeared in the end credits and in the film's soundtrack. She also guest starred on the fourth season of Californication as Abby Rhodes, Hank Moody's attorney and love interest.

In the mid-2012, Gugino had a lead role as Susan Berg, a Washington D.C. investigative reporter, on the USA Network's miniseries Political Animals.

Personal life

As of 2005, Gugino was dating her collaborator, writer/producer/director Sebastian Gutierrez.[11][12][13] She stated in 2009 that they had no plans to marry, commenting, "[Marriage] isn't important for us. We like being boyfriend and girlfriend; there's something sexy and fun about that. We're very much about, 'There’s nothing holding us here other than our desire to be together.'"[11]

Filmography

Film

Year Film Role Note(s)
1989 Troop Beverly Hills Chica Barnfell
1990 Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael Young Roxy
1993 This Boy's Life Norma Hansen
Red Hot Valentina
Son in Law Rebecca ' Becca' Warner
1995 Miami Rhapsody Leslie Marcus
1996 Jaded Megan 'Meg' Harris
Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco Delilah Voice role
The War at Home Melissa
Wedding Bell Blues Violet
Michael Bride
1997 Lovelife Amy
1998 Snake Eyes Julia Costello
Judas Kiss Coco Chavez
1999 A season for Miracles Emilie Thompson
2001 Spy Kids Ingrid Cortez
The Center of the World Jerri
The Jimmy Show Annie
The One T. K. Law/Massie Walsh
2002 Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams Ingrid Cortez
2003 The Singing Detective Betty Dark/Hooker
Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over Ingrid Cortez
2005 The Life Coach Carla
Sin City Lucille
2006 Even Money Veronica
Night at the Museum Rebecca Hutman
2007 The Lookout Janet
Rise: Blood Hunter Eve
American Gangster Laurie Roberts
2008 Righteous Kill Det. Karen Corelli
2009 The Unborn Janet Beldon
Sparks Robin Short film
Watchmen Sally Jupiter/Silk Spectre
Race to Witch Mountain Dr. Alex Friedman
Women in Trouble Elektra Luxx
Under the Hood Sally Jupiter/Silk Spectre Direct-to-video Release
2010 The Mighty Macs Cathy Rush
Elektra Luxx Elektra Luxx
Every Day Robin
Faster Cicero
2011 I Melt With You Laura
Girl Walks Into a Bar Francine Driver
Sucker Punch Dr. Vera Gorski
Mr. Popper's Penguins Amanda
New Year's Eve Dr. Morriset
2012 Hotel Noir Hanna Click
2013 By Virtue Fall Actress
Man of Steel Kelor/Fortress of Solitude (uncredited) (voice)
2014 Match Lisa
Almost Heroes Katherine
2015 San Andreas Emma Post-production

Television

Year Title Role Note(s)
1988 Who's the Boss? Jane Episode: "Prom Night II"
Good Morning, Miss Bliss Karen Episode: "Summer Love"
1989 ALF Laura Episode: "Standing in the Shadows of Love"
Saved by the Bell Karen Episode: 1.1 Pilot
1989–1990 Falcon Crest Sydney St. James 11 episodes
1990 Ferris Bueller Ann Peyson Episode: "Stand-In Deliver"
1991 Doogie Howser, M.D. Sara Newman Episode: "Planet of the Dateless"
The Wonder Years Sandy Tyler Episode: "Triangle"
1992 Murder Without Motive: The Edmund Perry Story Allison Connors TV-Movie
Alternative title: "Best Intentions"
Quantum Leap Michelle Temple Cutter Episode: "Ghost Ship"
Davis Rules Kathi Episode: "A Father Makes All the Difference",
Episode: "Someone to Watch Over Them"
A Private Matter Mary Beth TV-Movie
Alternative title: "Miss Sherri"
1994 Motorcycle Gang Leann TV-Movie
1995 The Buccaneers Nan St. George Miniseries
1996, 1998 Spin City Ashley Schaeffer 12 episodes
1998 Alexandria Hotel
1999 A Season for Miracles Emilie Thompson Hallmark Hall of Fame TV movie
1999–2000 Chicago Hope Dr. Gina Simon 23 episodes
2001 Mermaid Chronicles Part 1: She Creature Lily TV-Movie
Alternative title: "She Creature"
2003–2004 Karen Sisco Karen Sisco 10 episodes
2005–2006 Threshold Dr. Molly Anne Caffrey 13 episodes
2007–2010 Entourage Amanda Daniels 12 episodes
2010 Californication Abby Season 4 Episodes 1–12
2011 Hide Warren TV-Movie
2012 Justified Karen Goodall Season 3 Episode 2
Political Animals Susan Berg 6 episodes
New Girl[14] Emma 3 episodes
2015 Wayward Pines Kate Hewson

Accolades

In 2009, Gugino was honored by the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF). During the Foundation's 34th Anniversary Gala in Washington, D.C., she received NIAF's Special Achievement Award for Entertainment, presented by her close friend, actress Connie Britton.[15]

Year Award Category Work Result
1999 Blockbuster Entertainment Award Favorite Supporting Actress in a Suspense Snake Eyes Nominated[16]
2008 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture American Gangster Nominated[17]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Star of the Day – Carla Gugino" The Internet Movie Database; Accessed October 12, 2010
  2. Webb Mitovich, Matt. "Threshold Plan Is a Success for Gugino" TVGuide.com; October 21, 2005
  3. 3.0 3.1 Deggans, Eric. "Floridian: Take 2, 'Karen Sisco'" Saint Petersburg Times; September 22, 2003
  4. Landua, Peter. "A Woman We Love: Carla Gugino" Esquire; December 31, 2003
  5. Brantley, Ben (November 16, 2006). "Another Magnolia Blossom at Risk". The New York Times (The New York Times Company). ISSN 0362-4331. OCLC 1645522. Retrieved January 20, 2012.
  6. Hochman, David. "Agent Provocative: Carla Gugino Teases HBO's Entourage" TVGuide.com; April 6, 2007
  7. "Stars line up for naked spread" ContactMusic.com; April 24, 2007
  8. Isherwood, Charles. "A New Look at an Old Farm Threatened by Heat" The New York Times; February 4, 2009
  9. Kit, Borys. "'Watchmen' adds Gugino as do-gooder" The Hollywood Reporter; August 9, 2007,
  10. Outer Critics Circle Awards Archive 2008-2009; Accessed January 20, 2012
  11. 11.0 11.1 Bartolomeo, Joey (February 11, 2009). "Carla Gugino: The Most Beautiful People Laugh, Love and Have Great Sex". People.
  12. Salto, Stephen (March 10, 2011). "Carla Gugino and Sebastian Gutierrez’s Life of 'Luxx'-ury". IFC.
  13. Kirby, Brandon (September 28, 2012). "Carla Gugino, Kevin Connolly Attend Private Screening for 'Hotel Noir'". The Hollywood Reporter.
  14. "'New Girl' season 2 : Carla Gugino". TVLine. November 5, 2012. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  15. NIAF 34th Anniversary Gala Review; October 28, 2009; Accessed January 20, 2012.
  16. 1999 Blockbuster Entertainment Awards, The Internet Movie Database; Accessed January 20, 2012.
  17. The 14th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards; Accessed January 20, 2012.

External links

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