Cara Joan Kavanaugh grew up in Seattle Washington, the daughter of a professional engineer, Billy Michael Kavanaugh and high school teacher, Joan Dolores Kavanaugh née Engdahl. She trained as a classical dancer with PNB, Pennsylvania Ballet and other dance companies.
Professional acting work began in Musical Theatre as a child actress and dancer.
She was recruited by Fashion Models of Milan and moved to Italy. Was known for her work as a Bride model on covers and billboards. Began work with movement and prose in experimental theatre and film with the Comuna Baires Theatre Company in Milan and Argentina.
She moved to Rome and begin film and TV work and continued experimental performance work in theatre and contemporary opera. Her work has toured theaters and festivals in Italy, France and England.
She moved to Los Angeles to extend Film, TV and Theatre work in US. After a serious car accident in Los Angeles, she returned to Rome.
She continues to work in Theatre and Film. Most notable film role was
Oliviero Rising (2007), where she played opposite
Vincent Gallo,
Burt Young,
Ernest Borgnine and
Vincent Schiavelli. Her most important theatre role was Amelia, the lead in M. Crimp's Cruel + Tender in a National premier of the Italian translation. She was the role of Hollywood producer in Festival Quatieri d'art production of Writers Anonymous directed by Vito Mancusi.
