Karen Russell, a statuesque brunette actress and dancer, emerged as a recurring presence in a string of low-budget, straight-to-video exploitation films throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Her film debut was a memorable one, as she portrayed the notorious street gang moll Chula in the gritty urban action film "Tenement".
Russell's subsequent roles showcased her versatility as an actress, with standout performances as the charming but scatterbrained Shawnee in the humorously crude "Vice Academy", and as the sweet yet troubled Mafia princess Amy in the over-the-top "Murder Weapon". Her other notable roles include the motorcycle mama Candy in "Easy Wheels", the naive hooker Fran in the wildly enjoyable "The Banker", Isabella, the bitter estranged ex-wife of cop Francesco Quinn, in "Murder Blues", and the lusty groupie Michelle in "Shock 'Em Dead".
In addition to her work in exploitation films, Russell also appeared in small roles as a dancer in several mainstream features, including "Dick Tracy", "Havana", "Mobsters", and "Bugsy". After retiring from acting in the mid-1990s, Russell went on to pursue a career in yoga, founding her own business, Yoga Groove, in North Hollywood, California.
