Born in rural Illinois and raised in Washington DC,Karen Allennever intended to be a movie star. Instead, she was interested in clothing design and writing. An independent young woman, Allen traveled extensively for several years before returning to Washington and deciding to study experimental theatre. A chance audition eventually took her to Hollywood and changed her life. But she returned to the East Coast, where she remains to this day, still working on stage and stilldesigning and selling clothing. Karen Allen also continues to star in movies. Here are our choices for her six best performances.
6National Lampoon’s Animal House (1978)
The role of Katy inAnimal Housewas Allen’s feature film debut. Studying at the Lee Strasberg Theater Institute in New York City at the time, she responded to a small ad that had been posted in the lobby, seeking college-aged actors. Despite having no experience and not intending to pursue a film career, after a series of auditions, she was chosen for the role. Allen wasn’t the only actor debuting in the movie, and thatyouthful energyhelped turn a raunchy low-budget comedy into a smash hit. Allen shared scenes with the one veteran in the ensemble, Donald Sutherland. But perhaps because of her theatre background, Allen held her own and turned in a solid inaugural performance.
5Starman (1984)
Director John Carpenter, best known for his horror films, beginsStarmanwith what seems like an obvious science fiction premise: an extraterrestrial visitor to Earth is knocked off course and lands in rural Wisconsin, where it takes the form of recently deceased house painter, played by Jeff Bridges. But instead of a monster movie, audiences are taken on a road trip with the painter’s widow Jenny, played by Allen, which turns into a love story. More than its plot or effects, the movie depends on the performances and chemistry of its players, and they deliver. While Bridges received a surprise Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, Allen’s vulnerable portrayal deserves a second look.
Related:Starman: Why John Carpenter’s Sci-Fi Film is One of the Best of the ’80s
4Scrooged (1988)
Returning to comedy after a decade of more dramatic roles, Allen plays social worker Claire in Richard Donner’sScrooged, a modern version ofA Christmas Carol. Allen is charming as Bill Murray’s true love who got away. Reviews at its release were decidedly mixed, some calling it dark, mean-spirited, and even hypocritical. But over the past 30 years, the movie has become something of aholiday tradition, even a classic. As always with her performances, that’s in no small part due to Allen’s contributions on-screen. She gets an expanded role from Dickens' original, figuring in Murray’s past, present, and future, ultimately giving the movie its heart.
Related:Kevin Hart Is Remaking Bill Murray’s Scrooged
3The Glass Menagerie (1987)
Karen Allen was first and foremost a stage actor, but it took fellow actor Paul Newman, this time as director, to bring Tennessee Williams’The Glass Menageriefrom thetheatre to the big screen. Sadly, it was not a hit. Allen had been playing the role of Laura alongside Newman’s wife Joanne Woodward at the Long Wharf Theatre in Connecticut. Though the screen adaptation, which also featured a young John Malkovich, got mixed reviews, Allen’s performance in particular was praised. More recently, Allen lent her voice to Frances Woodward (Joanne’s stepmother) to help tell the story of her two friends in Ethan Hawke's documentaryThe Last Movie Stars.
2Colewell (2019)
Colewellis a short feature, running only 1 hour and 19 minutes. But for the majority of that time, Karen Allen is on-screen as rural postmaster Nora, often by herself. Not many actresses could pull that off, especially with such a slow-paced film. Nora is shown doing the most mundane tasks: combing her hair, cooking eggs, and washing dishes, with Allen left to hold viewers' attention through her facial expressions alone. But she is up to the task. No less than theLos Angeles Times called it her “greatest performance.“The movie currently has a 100% score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. Audience reactions are mixed, and while younger viewers and those with short attention spans looking for more action may be disappointed with the film, Karen Allen’s performance is clearly among her best.
1Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
For better or worse, the role of Marion Ravenwood inRaiders of the Lost Arkhas defined Karen Allen’s career. Allen’s grounded and heartfelt performance helped the film move beyond its serial roots into something more sophisticated. Allen pushed for an empowered Marion, and together with co-star Paul Freeman, re-worked a key scene where they are both shown drinking, to make it clear that she was in control. Despite never having auditioned with Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones was originally Tom Selleck’s role), the two proved to have great chemistry, and their rekindled romance was believable. Still, the movie as a whole is a fun adventure, and Allen emerges as one of its heroes, a truly strong female character who at the same time remains vulnerable, flawed, and funny.
