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Background:
"The scariest but most rewarding thing for me is to play a character that's out
of control, and do it convincingly. " Carla Gugino
American film and TV actress, model Carla Gugino is popular among sci-fi fans
after portraying secret agent mom, Ingrid Cortez, opposite Antonio Banderas, in
the entertaining hits Spy Kids (2001) and its sequels, Spy Kids 2: Island of
Lost Dreams (2002) and Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003). Smart and sexy Gugino
also showcased her versatilities by playing a supporting role along side Robert
De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio in the drama This Boy's Life (1993), Leslie
Marcus, the wretchedly married younger sister of Jessica Parker in the comedy
Miami Rhapsody (1995) and Julia Costello, opposite Nicolas Cage, in Brian De
Palma's thriller Snake Eyes (1998). Gugino's film credits include Son in Law
(1993), Michael (1996, with John Travolta), Judas Kiss (1998, also served as a
producer), The One (2001, with Jet Li), The Singing Detective (2003, along with
Robert Downey Jr.), Josh Stolberg's comedy The Life Coach (2005), the Robert
Tannen-scripted Even Money (2005), Frank Miller's noir thriller Sin City (2005)
and Sebastian Gutierrez's Rise (2005).
On the small screen, after making a big impression with critics while playing
19th century debutante Nan St. George in the PBS miniseries The Buccaneers
(1995), Gugino continued the success with her later roles such as City Hall
reporter and Michael J. Fox's girl friend Ashley Schaeffer in the ABC sitcom
"Spin City" (1996), Dr. Gina Simon in the critically-acclaimed hospital drama
"Chicago Hope" (1999-2000) and the beautiful federal marshal in the ABC
primetime drama serial "Karen Sisco" (2003). In the more resent show, Gugino was
cast as regular Dr. Molly Anne Caffrey in Shaun Cassidy's supernatural drama
"Threshold" (2005- ).
As for her romantic life, the chestnut-haired, brown-eyed beauty is currently
dating writer/director Sebastian Gutierrez, with whom she has worked on several
productions.
Valedictorian
Childhood and Family:
Daughter of a British mother and a father of Italian-Irish descent, Carla Gugino
was born on August 29, 1971, in Sarasota, Florida. Her parents filed for divorce
when she was only a little girl, leaving Carla under the guidance of her single
mother. At age 4, she relocated to Paradise, California with her mom. Though she
moved quite often as a child, Carla could maintain her grade and graduated as
valedictorian of her class.
While in San Diego, Carla was discovered by a modeling agency that soon sent
this 15-year-old girl to New York for a summer to live with other budding teen
models. With only 5 feet 4 inches tall, Carla was considered too short for
runaways. Dissatisfied by the experience, she then moved back to California, but
rather than returning home to San Diego, she went to live with her aunt, a
former TV game show spokesmodel Carol Merrill, in Los Angeles. At the suggestion
of her aunt, Carla took a drama class with ex-soap star Gene Bua and
subsequently became obsessed.
Threshold
Career:
15-year-old Carla Gugino was sent to New York to start a modeling career after
being spotted by a representative of the Elite modeling agency while in San
Diego. Disenchanted by her experience in the Big Apple, Gugino returned to
California and subsequently switched to acting. At age 17, she embarked on the
small screen with guest spots in "Who's the Boss?" and "Good Morning, Miss
Bliss," and then was recruited as a series' regular during the final season of
the CBS long-running serial "Falcon Crest" (1989-1990). In 1989, Gugino kicked
off her film career with the Shelley Long vehicle Troop Beverly Hills, in which
she was featured as Chica Barnfell. A year later, she was discovered playing the
youthful embodiment of the title character (played by Winona Ryder) in Welcome
Home, Roxy Carmichael.
After TV movie debut Murder Without Motive: The Edmund Perry Story (1992,
opposite Cuba Gooding Jr.), a supporting turn in HBO movie A Private Affair
(1992) and the big screen movies Red Hot (1993) and This Boy's Life (1993,
co-starring Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio), Gugino landed her first film
lead as Rebecca, the bride of Pauley Shore in the comedy Son in Law (1993). In
1994, she appeared in the made-for-TV movie Motorcycle Gang, in addition to the
Bon Jovi's video music "Always," with Felicity star Keri Russell.
1995 was an excellent year for Gugino since she nabbed high-profile roles on the
big and small screen. In Miami Rhapsody, Gugino impressed many critics with her
portrayal of Jessica Parker's miserably married younger sister Leslie Marcus
that she was garnered good feedback. She also received rave reviews for playing
Nan St. George, a 19th century debutante, in television miniseries "The
Buccaneers," which based on Edith Wharton's novel.
More film roles followed in the subsequent year. Gugino appeared as Megan 'Meg
Harris in Jaded (1996), Melissa in the independent movie The War at Home (1996),
Violet in Wedding Bell Blues (1996) and Bride in the fantasy Michael (1996, with
John Travolta). But in spite of her rising movie career, Gugino chose to co-star
with Michael J. Fox in ABC sitcom "Spin City" (1996), playing Ashley Schaeffer,
a City Hall reporter and Fox's love interest. Unfortunately, her character was
written out after only a dozen episodes. Rumors suggested Gugino was removed
from the series because Tracy Pollan, wife of star Michael J Fox, felt her
chemistry with Fox was too good. That same year, Gugino and Fox lent the voices
for two romantically involved canines in Homeward Bound II: Lost in San
Francisco.
Back to the big screen, Gugino appeared as Amy in the indie flick Lovelife
(1997), but it was her portrayal of Julia Costello, a woman with a secret, in
Brian De Palma's thriller Snake Eyes (1998, opposite Nicholas Cage) that won
Gugino notice. Also in 1998, Gugino earned her first production credit as a
producer of the caper drama Judas Kiss, where she also starred as the head of a
kidnapping plot. Also starred Emma Thompson, the film debuted at Toronto, and
then was aired on Cinemax in USA before its video release. Gugino resurfaced on
TV in the following year when she was cast in the starring role of Emilie
Thompson in the made-for-TV film Hallmark Hall of Fame: A Season for Miracles
(1999). She also joined the cast of CBS's hospital drama "Chicago Hope" for its
final season (1999-2000). In the critically-acclaimed series, Gugino portrayed a
neurosurgeon named Gina Simon. Still in 1999, Gugino's modeling career got
somewhat a provisionally renewal when she was hired by L'Oreal cosmetics as
their spokes model for their hair products ad campaign.
A Broadway production knocked on her door in the new millennium when Gugino was
cast as a naive, doomed sexpot in Arthur Miller's "After the Fall" (2000). When
she returned to the silver screen in 2001, Gugino made a name for herself as a
movie star with the Robert Rodriguez-directed Spy Kids, in which she was paired
with Antonio Banderas as married couple who happen to be retired spies who are
called back. As Ingrid Cortez, Gugino gained her worldwide fame as soon as the
delightful family film became a surprise hit on the box office.
She followed the success with an over-sensitive performance as the friend of
stripper in Wayne Wang's The Center of the World (2001), martial arts epic The
One, wherein Gugino was seen as Jet Li's wife, and the Sundance-screened film
The Jimmy Show (2001), starring with Frank Whaley. Gugino also made the
made-for-TV film Mermaid Chronicles Part 1: She Creature that same year. In
2002, the actress reprised her role as secret agent Ingrid Cortez for Spy Kids
2: The Island of Lost Dream (2002).
2003 saw the actress rejoin Spy Kids crew for the trilogy Spy Kids 3D: Game Over
and play Betty Dark/Hooker, opposite Robert Downey Jr., in The Singing
Detective. Gugino revisited the primetime television when she was cast in the
titled character in the ABC drama " Karen Sisco" (2003), portraying the gorgeous
federal marshal created by novelist Elmore Leonard and first played by Jennifer
Lopez in the film Out of Sight (1998). Despite critical praise, the series was
cancelled after a few weeks due to low-ratings.
After a two-year hiatus, Gugino made his way back to the film making in 2005 by
having three movies under her belt. She first played the small role of Carla in
Josh Stolberg's comedy The Life Coach (2005), and then appeared as Veronica in
the Robert Tannen-scripted Even Money (2005). She was also seen as Lucille, the
protective lesbian parole officer of the gracious but violent antihero Marv
(Mickey Rourke) in Frank Miller's noir thriller Sin City (2005), co-helmed by
Miller and Robert Rodriguez. Besides, Gugino came back to TV series when she
landed a regular role in Shaun Cassidy's supernatural drama "Threshold" (CBS,
2005- ). On the Friday nights-aired show, Gugino portrayed Dr. Molly Anne
Caffrey, a crisis team scientist who, together with her eccentric, but radiant
colleagues, attempts to figure out why a bizarre alien object that may be
altering human DNA entered the Earth's orbit after the storm.
"I play a contingency analyst. And, basically, one of the plans I've drawn up
is, if alien life were to come to the planet Earth, what do we do? I wrote it as
a theoretical exercise, not expecting it to happen, and my character gets swept
up in the middle of the night with running this group of people, this team to
save the world. And it's much more complicated than we think." Carly Gugino on
her role in Threshold
The 35-year-old actress will soon play Eve in the horror-thriller Rise (2005).
The Sebastian Gutierrez-helmed film also stars Lucy Liu, Michael Chiklis and
James D'Arcy.
Awards:
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