Deborah Kara Unger

Deborah Unger (sometimes billed as Deborah Kara Unger) came to international prominence with her portrayal of Catherine Ballard, a troubled wife willing to explore the erotic undercurrents of automobile accidents in David Cronenberg's controversial "Crash" (1996). The Vancouver-born blonde began her career as part of a children's entertainment group that performed on Canadian television. After completing high school, Unger decided to audition for various acting schools. She became the first Canadian accepted at Australia's National Institute of Dramatic Arts. After graduating, Unger, virtually unrecognizable with her hair dyed black and carrying extra pounds, landed her first professional role in the 1989 Australian miniseries "Bangkok Hilton" alongside Nicole Kidman. On American TV screens, she co-starred as Griffin Dunne's unhappy girlfriend in "Hotel Room" (HBO, 1993) and appeared in the medical drama "State of Emergency" (HBO, 1994).