# Carla Gugino

Carla Gugino (/ɡʊˈdʒiːnoʊ/ guu-JEE-noh; born August 29, 1971) is an American actress. After early roles in the films Troop Beverly Hills (1989), This Boy's Life (1993), Son in Law (1993), and Snake Eyes (1998), Gugino received wider recognition for her starring roles in the Spy Kids trilogy (2001–2003), Sin City (2005), Night at the Museum (2006), American Gangster (2007), Righteous Kill (2008), Race to Witch Mountain (2009), Sally Jupiter in Watchmen (2009), Sucker Punch (2011), Mr. Popper's Penguins (2011), San Andreas (2015), Gerald's Game (2017), Gunpowder Milkshake (2021), and Lisa Frankenstein (2024).
Gugino also starred in the crime drama series Karen Sisco (2003), the science fiction series Threshold (2005–2006), the crime drama series Jett (2019), and the supernatural horror miniseries The Haunting of Hill House (2018), The Haunting of Bly Manor (2020), and The Fall of the House of Usher (2023).

## Early life

Gugino was born on August 29, 1971 in Sarasota, Florida, to Carl Gugino, an orthodontist of Italian descent, and Susan Gugino, of English and Irish descent described as "Bohemian". After her parents separated when she was two, she travelled between the Sarasota home of her father and half-brother Carl Jr.'s, and the Paradise, California home of her mother.
She has said of her upbringing, "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. She eventually came to support herself, and with her parents' approval, was legally emancipated by the time she was 16.

## Career

Gugino's television work during the late 1980s and early 1990s included appearances on Good Morning, Miss Bliss, Saved by the Bell, Who's the Boss?, ALF, Doogie Howser, M.D., The Wonder Years, Webster and a recurring role on Falcon Crest. In film, Gugino appeared in the Shelley Long film Troop Beverly Hills (1989), and she co-starred with Pauly Shore in the romantic comedy Son in Law (1993). She appeared in the video to Bon Jovi's 1994 song "Always".
In 1995, Gugino appeared as Nan St. George (later the Duchess of Trevenick) with Greg Wise and James Frain in the BBC miniseries The Buccaneers, an adaptation of Edith Wharton's last novel. She played Ashley Schaeffer, Michael J. Fox's character's love interest, during the first season of the sitcom Spin City in 1996. She played opposite 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 final season of the television medical drama Chicago Hope (1999–2000).
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' 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 film Night at the Museum as Ben Stiller's love interest.
Gugino made her Broadway debut in the Roundabout Theatre Company production of Arthur Miller's play, After the Fall opposite Peter Krause. In late 2006, she appeared in an Off-Broadway production of Tennessee Williams' Suddenly Last Summer opposite Blythe Danner.
Gugino appeared as Amanda, Vincent Chase's agent, in a dozen episodes of the cable television series Entourage. Gugino appeared in the May 2007 issue of Allure. 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.
In 2009, Gugino starred as Abby in Eugene O'Neill's Desire Under the Elms at the Goodman Theater in Chicago, Illinois. 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." 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, 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 for Outstanding Actress in a Play for her performance in Desire Under the Elms. Later, in November of that year, she played 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 2012, Gugino had a lead role as Susan Berg, a Washington, D.C., investigative reporter, on the USA Network's miniseries Political Animals. In 2015, she had a lead role in the disaster film San Andreas, in which she once again starred opposite Dwayne Johnson.
In 2020, Gugino played Carol in Alice Birch's Anatomy of a Suicide at the Atlantic Theater Company.

## Personal life

In 1996, Gugino began a relationship with her collaborator, Sebastián Gutiérrez. Gugino stated in 2009 that they had no plans to marry: "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.'"

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1989 | Troop Beverly Hills | Chica Barnfell | |
| 1990 | Welcome Home, Roxy Carmichael | Young Roxy | |
| 1992 | Murder Without Motive: The Edmund Perry Story | Allison Connors | Television film |
| 1992 | A Private Matter | Mary Beth | Television film |
| 1993 | This Boy's Life | Norma | |
| 1993 | Red Hot | Valentina | |
| 1993 | Son in Law | Rebecca Warner | |
| 1994 | Motorcycle Gang | Leann Morris | Television film |
| 1995 | Miami Rhapsody | Leslie | |
| 1996 | Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco | Delilah | Voice |
| 1996 | The War at Home | Melissa | |
| 1996 | Wedding Bell Blues | Violet | |
| 1996 | Michael | Bride | |
| 1997 | Lovelife | Amy | |
| 1998 | Jaded | Megan 'Meg' Harris | |
| 1998 | Snake Eyes | Julia Costello | |
| 1998 | Judas Kiss | Coco Chavez | |
| 1999 | Bonne Nuit | Carol Reeves | Television film |
| 1999 | A Season for Miracles | Emilie Thompson | Television film |
| 2001 | Spy Kids | Ingrid Cortez | |
| 2001 | The Center of the World | Jerri | |
| 2001 | The Jimmy Show | Annie O'Brien | |
| 2001 | The One | T.K. / Massie Walsh | |
| 2001 | She Creature | Lily | Television film |
| 2002 | Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams | Ingrid Cortez | |
| 2003 | The Singing Detective | Betty Dark / Hooker | |
| 2003 | Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over | Ingrid Cortez | |
| 2005 | The Life Coach | Carla | |
| 2005 | Sin City | Lucille | |
| 2006 | Even Money | Veronica | |
| 2006 | Night at the Museum | Rebecca | |
| 2007 | The Lookout | Janet | |
| 2007 | Rise: Blood Hunter | Eve | |
| 2007 | American Gangster | Laurie Roberts | |
| 2008 | Righteous Kill | Karen Corelli | |
| 2009 | The Unborn | Janet Beldon | |
| 2009 | Sparks | Robin | Short film |
| 2009 | Watchmen | Sally Jupiter / Silk Spectre | |
| 2009 | Race to Witch Mountain | Dr. Alex Friedman | |
| 2009 | The Mighty Macs | Cathy Rush | |
| 2009 | Women in Trouble | Elektra Luxx | |
| 2009 | Under the Hood | Sally Jupiter / Silk Spectre | Short film |
| 2009 | Apocrypha | Woman | Short film |
| 2010 | Elektra Luxx | Elektra Luxx / Celia | Credited as "Taryn Gugino" |
| 2010 | Tell-Tale | Femme Fatale | Short film |
| 2010 | Every Day | Robin | |
| 2010 | Faster | Cicero | |
| 2011 | I Melt with You | Officer Boyde | |
| 2011 | Girl Walks into a Bar | Francine Driver | |
| 2011 | Hide | D.D. Warren | Television film |
| 2011 | Sucker Punch | Dr. Vera Gorski | |
| 2011 | Mr. Popper's Penguins | Amanda | |
| 2011 | New Year's Eve | Spiritual Dr. Morriset | Segment: "Maternity Ward" |
| 2012 | Hotel Noir | Hanna Click | |
| 2013 | By Virtue Fall | Actress | |
| 2013 | Man of Steel | Kelor | Voice |
| 2014 | Match | Lisa Davis | |
| 2015 | San Andreas | Emma Gaines | |
| 2016 | Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice | Ship | Voice |
| 2016 | Wolves | Jenny Keller | |
| 2016 | Bling | Catherine | Voice |
| 2017 | The Space Between Us | Kendra Wyndham | |
| 2017 | Gerald's Game | Jessie | |
| 2018 | Elizabeth Harvest | Claire | |
| 2021 | Zack Snyder's Justice League | Ship | Voice |
| 2021 | With/In: Volume 2 | Writer | Segment: "20 Questions" |
| 2021 | Gunpowder Milkshake | Madeleine | |
| 2024 | Orion and the Dark | Orion's Mom | Voice |
| 2024 | Lisa Frankenstein | Janet Swallows | |
| 2024 | The Friend | Elaine | |
| TBA | Veo Veo A Family † | Sandra | Short film; post-production |
| TBA | Heads of State † | TBA | Post-production |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1988 | Webster | Heather | Episode: "Homecoming" |
| 1988 | Good Morning, Miss Bliss | Karen | 1 episode |
| 1988 | Who's the Boss? | Jane | Episode: "Prom Night II" |
| 1988 | Saved by the Bell | Karen | Episode: "Summer Love" |
| 1989 | ALF | Laura | Episode: "Standing in the Shadows of Love" |
| 1989–1990 | Falcon Crest | Sydney St. James | 11 episodes |
| 1990 | American Dreamer | Young Jessica | Miniseries |
| 1990 | Ferris Bueller | Ann Peyson | Episode: "Stand-In Deliver" |
| 1991 | Doogie Howser, M.D. | Sara Newman | Episode: "Planet of the Dateless" |
| 1991 | The Wonder Years | Sandy | Episode: "Triangle" |
| 1992 | Quantum Leap | Michelle Temple Cutter | Episode: "Ghost Ship – August 13, 1956" |
| 1992 | Davis Rules | Kathi | 2 episodes |
| 1994 | Rebel Highway | Leann Morris | 1 episode |
| 1995 | The Buccaneers | Nan St. George | Miniseries |
| 1996, 1998 | Spin City | Ashley Schaeffer | 13 episodes |
| 1999 | Hotel Alexandria | Un­known | Miniseries |
| 1999–2000 | Chicago Hope | Dr. Gina Simon | 23 episodes |
| 2003 | Karen Sisco | Karen Sisco | Miniseries |
| 2005–2006 | Threshold | Dr. Molly Anne Caffrey | 13 episodes |
| 2007–2010 | Entourage | Amanda Daniels | 12 episodes |
| 2011 | Californication | Abby Rhodes | 10 episodes |
| 2012 | Justified | A.D. Karen Goodall | Episode: "Cut Ties" |
| 2012 | Political Animals | Susan Berg | Miniseries |
| 2012 | New Girl | Emma | 3 episodes |
| 2015–2016 | Wayward Pines | Kate Hewson | 11 episodes |
| 2015 | The Brink | Joanne "Jo" Larson | Miniseries |
| 2016 | Roadies | Shelli Anderson | Miniseries |
| 2017 | Nashville | Virginia | Episode: "If Tomorrow Never Comes" |
| 2018 | Robot Chicken | Joyce Byers / Meg Altman | Voice, episode: "Mr. Mozzarella's Hamburger Skateboard Depot" |
| 2018 | The Haunting of Hill House | Olivia Crain | Miniseries |
| 2019 | Jett | Daisy "Jett" Kowalski | Miniseries |
| 2020 | Manhunt: Deadly Games | Kathy Scruggs | 6 episodes |
| 2020 | The Haunting of Bly Manor | The Storyteller / Older Jamie | Miniseries |
| 2021 | Midnight Mass | Judge | Miniseries |
| 2021 | Leopard Skin | Alba Fontana | Miniseries |
| 2023 | The Fall of the House of Usher | Verna | Miniseries |
| 2024 | The Girls on the Bus | Grace Gordon Greene | Main role |
Key :
| † | Denotes works that have not yet been released |

### Music videos

| Year | Title | Artist(s) | Role |
| 1994 | "Always" | Bon Jovi | Herself |
| 2016 | "Where's the Love?" | The Black Eyed Peas (featuring The World) | Herself |

## 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.
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
| 1999 | Blockbuster Entertainment Awards | Favorite Supporting Actress – Suspense | Snake Eyes | Nominated |
| 2005 | Golden Schmoes Awards | Best T&A of the Year | Sin City | Nominated |
| 2006 | GoldDerby Awards | Best Ensemble Cast (with cast) | Sin City | Nominated |
| 2007 | Capri Hollywood International Film Festival Awards | Capri Italian American Award | — | Won |
| 2007 | Online Film & Television Association Awards | Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series | Entourage | Nominated |
| 2008 | Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture | American Gangster | Nominated |
| 2009 | Scream Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Watchmen | Nominated |
| 2011 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice Movie Actress – Action | Faster | Nominated |
| 2015 | Los Angeles Independent Film Festival Awards | Best Actress | Tell-Tale | Nominated |
| 2017 | Fright Meter Awards | Best Actress | Gerald's Game | Won |
| 2019 | Saturn Awards | Best Actress in a Streaming Presentation | The Haunting of Hill House | Nominated |
| 2024 | Astra TV Awards | Best Actress in a Limited Series or Television Movie | The Fall of the House of Usher | Pending |
| 2024 | Critics' Choice Television Awards | Best Actress in a Movie/Miniseries | The Fall of the House of Usher | Nominated |
| 2024 | Critics' Choice Super Awards | Best Actress in a Horror Series, Limited Series or Made-for-TV Movie | The Fall of the House of Usher | Nominated |
| 2024 | Critics' Choice Super Awards | Best Villain in a Series | The Fall of the House of Usher | Nominated |