Many fans are curious about Cara Buono's financial success in April 2026. Our team analyzed the latest data to provide a clear picture of their income.

What Is Cara Buono's Net Worth?

In 2010, Cara landed a role in the series "Mad Men" as Faye Miller. For her work, she was nominated for both the Primetime Emmy Awards and the Screen Actors Guild Awards. In 2011, she appeared in "Brothers & Sisters," "Hawaii Five-0," and "A Gifted Man." In 2012, she had a role in the film "The Discoverers" and then a role in "A Good Marriage" in 2014. She appeared in the films "Paper Towns" and "Emily & Tim" in 2015.

Cara Buono is an American actress who has a net worth of $10 million. Cara Buono is best known for her role as Karen Wheeler, the well-meaning yet often oblivious suburban mother on Netflix's hit series "Stranger Things." With a career spanning over three decades, Buono has built an impressive and varied résumé across film, television, and theater. She began acting in her teens and studied English and political science at Columbia University while continuing to pursue her passion for performance.

Cara Buono was born on March 1, 1971, in New York City, New York. She is the daughter of Italian parents, Rosemary and Antony Buono. Cara was raised in the Bronx borough of the city with her two brothers and one sister. She experienced a blue-collar upbringing and was encouraged by her family to do well in school. She attended Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School. She was later accepted into the prestigious Columbia University. There, she completed her bachelor's degree in only three years and double majored in English and political science. While she was interested in academics throughout her early life, she was also interested in the dramatic arts and acting. She made her acting debut inHarvey Fierstein'splay "Spookhouse" at the age of 12.

In 1992, she appeared in three episodes of "I'll Fly Away." She also made her film debut in "Gladiator" and "Waterland" the same year. In 1993, she appeared in an episode of "Tribeca" and in the television film "Victim of Love: The Shannon Mohr Story." In 1994, she had a role in the film "The Cowboy Way" and then appeared in the films "Killer: A Journal of Murder" and "Kicking and Screaming" in 1995. Throughout the rest of the 1990s, she appeared in episodes of "Law & Order," "New York Undercover," and "The Single Guy." She also had roles in films like "Made Men," "River Red," "Next Stop Wonderland," "Two Ninas," Chutney Popcorn," and "Man of the Century."

Buono made her feature film debut in the early 1990s and steadily built a reputation as a versatile character actress. Her film credits include roles in "Gladiator" (1992), "Next Stop Wonderland" (1998), "Hulk" (2003), and "Let Me In" (2010). On television, she has delivered acclaimed performances in several high-profile series. She earned an Emmy nomination for her role as Dr. Faye Miller, Don Draper's poised psychologist girlfriend, on AMC's "Mad Men." She has also appeared in "The Sopranos," "Person of Interest," and "The Blacklist," showcasing her ability to move seamlessly between drama, action, and character-driven storytelling.

While attending school, Buono also acted in various theatrical productions. She was cast in the 1989 revival of the Broadway play "The Tenth Man." She was in the ensemble cast and also an understudy for the character of Evelyn Foreman. The same year, she also landed a role in two episodes of "Dream Street." In 1990, she was part of the cast of "Some Americans Abroad." In 1991, appeared in "CBS Schoolbreak Special" and received a nomination at the Daytime Emmy Awards in the Outstanding Performer in a Children's Special category.

(Photo by Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images for Turner)

In 2000, she appeared in three films – "Happy Accidents," "Takedown," and "Attention Shoppers." She also made appearances in shows like "CSI," "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," and "Miss Match" over the next few years. In 2003, she was cast in the film "Hulk." She appeared in "From Other Worlds" in 2004 and also landed one of her first major television roles when she was cast in "Third Watch." She appeared in 22 episodes of the show as Grace Foster from 2004 to 2005. In 2006, she landed a role in "Artie Lange'sBeer League." She also began appearing as Kelli Moltisanti in "The Sopranos." In 2007, she appeared in six episodes of "The Dead Zone."

In summary, the total wealth of Cara Buono reflects strategic moves.

Disclaimer: All net worth figures are estimates based on public data.