Cara Buono: Stranger Things, Playing Karen Wheeler & Fighting Demogorgons
Elvis Duran and the Morning Show ON DEMAND
Elvis Duran Podcast Network and iHeartPodcasts
4.7 • 1.2K Ratings
🗓️ 23 December 2025
⏱️ 39 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
This week, Tommy is joined by actress Cara Buono, best known for her powerful portrayal of Karen Wheeler on Netflix’s cultural phenomenon Stranger Things. With a career spanning decades across film and television Cara has become known for bringing depth, strength, and emotional nuance to every role she takes on—especially in the world of Hawkins.
She dives deep into her most unforgettable Stranger Things moments, including the iconic wine bottle scene, the physical demands of filming, and what it truly means to be part of such a beloved story. Cara also reflects on career twists that led her to the show, from losing a role to landing one that would change everything. Plus, she shares what she’s most proud of in this role, her thoughts on the show’s future, and a side of her journey she’s never talked about before.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This is an I-Heart podcast. |
| 0:02.6 | Guaranteed Human. |
| 0:04.9 | Hey guys, welcome to I've never said this before with me, Tommy Dodario. |
| 0:11.2 | I can never look at a wine bottle the same way again. |
| 0:14.8 | The brilliant Carabono is my guest today who plays Karen Wheeler in Stranger Things. |
| 0:19.4 | And when I tell you that her face off with |
| 0:21.2 | the Demogorgon is one of the best performances I have ever seen. I'm not kidding. She was every |
| 0:26.9 | single one of us in that moment who would do anything to protect someone we love. She is easily |
| 0:32.2 | one of the most talked about parts of this final season of Stranger Things and for good reasons. |
| 0:36.6 | So as we get ready for part |
| 0:38.3 | two to drop, we are reflecting on her epic journey, this standout season for her and all the |
| 0:44.0 | breadcrumbs that she clocked along the way of filming Stranger Things without knowing exactly how |
| 0:48.8 | everything was going to turn out. It's so cool to see her talk about all these moving pieces. |
| 0:53.6 | And we get to see a side to |
| 0:54.8 | Kara that she doesn't often show, but one that is very much relatable and I am just so grateful |
| 1:00.2 | for her vulnerability. It truly made me feel seen and I hope it does the same for you. So, let's |
| 1:05.6 | see if today we can get Kara to say something that she has never said before. |
| 1:16.8 | Kara, my friend, how are you? |
| 1:18.4 | I'm great. |
| 1:19.8 | I'm so happy to be here. |
| 1:21.5 | I'm so happy to have you. |
| 1:22.7 | You have been on a whirlwind. |
... |
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