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| {{Cast Data | | {{Cast Data |
| | image= TRS - Cast - Karen Elizabeth Austin.jpg | | | image= 4x04 Lilly.jpg |
| | character= [[Lilly]] ([[Re-imagined Series]])<br />[[Ruth]] (''[[Caprica (series)|Caprica]]'') | | | character= [[Lilly]] |
| | series= RDM | | | series=RDM |
| | series 2= Caprica
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| | born_month= | | | born_month= |
| | born_day= | | | born_day= |
| | born_year= | | | born_year= |
| | death_month= 4 | | | death_month= |
| | death_day= 2 | | | death_day= |
| | death_year= 2011 | | | death_year= |
| | nationality= CA | | | nationality= |
| | imdb= 0042439 | | | imdb= 0042438 |
| | sortkey= Austin, Karen | | | sortkey=Austin, Karen |
| |image2=4x04 Lilly.jpg|image3=Ruth.jpg}}
| | }} |
| '''Karen Elizabeth Austin''' (died April 2, 2011) was a Canadian actress who portrayed [[Lilly]] in the [[Re-imagined Series]] episode "[[Escape Velocity]]," as well as [[Ruth]] in the series ''[[Caprica (series)|Caprica]]''.<ref group="external" name="imdb_austin_biography">{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0042439/#:~:text=She%20was%20married%20to%20Mel%20Tuck|title=Karen Elizabeth Austin|publisher=IMDb|accessdate=February 15, 2026}}</ref> Austin accumulated approximately 56 acting credits across film, television, and stage during a career spanning roughly three decades, working primarily within the Vancouver production community.<ref group="external" name="imdb_austin_filmography">{{cite web|url=https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0042439/filmotype/actress#:~:text=Actress|title=Karen Elizabeth Austin - Filmography|publisher=IMDb|accessdate=February 15, 2026}}</ref>
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| == Early Life and Career ==
| | '''Karen Austin''' is the actress who portrays [[Lilly]] in "[[Escape Velocity]]", as well as [[Ruth]] in [[Caprica (series)|Caprica]]. |
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| Details about Austin's early life, including her exact birth date and birthplace, have not been documented in publicly available sources. She performed at Canada's [[w:Stratford Festival|Stratford Festival]] in 1978 and 1979, placing her among the ranks of classically trained Canadian stage actors who passed through one of North America's foremost repertory theatres.<ref group="external" name="imdb_austin_main">{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0042439/?nmdp=1#:~:text=Karen%20Elizabeth%20Austin%20was%20born%20as%20Karen%20Austin%20Elizabeth|title=Karen Elizabeth Austin - Biography|publisher=IMDb|accessdate=February 15, 2026}}</ref>
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| Austin built a steady career as a character actress working within the Vancouver production ecosystem. Her filmography reveals a working actor who appeared consistently in the television movies, genre series, and studio films that made Vancouver a prominent production hub.
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| === Film ===
| | [[Category:Caprica (series)]] |
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| Austin's notable film credits include a role as Aba in ''[[w:The Clan of the Cave Bear (film)|The Clan of the Cave Bear]]'' (1986) starring [[w:Daryl Hannah|Daryl Hannah]]; a part in [[w:Bill Forsyth|Bill Forsyth]]'s critically acclaimed ''[[w:Housekeeping (film)|Housekeeping]]'' (1987) as Mrs. Paterson; a small role as a bystander in the [[w:Robert De Niro|Robert De Niro]]–[[w:Sean Penn|Sean Penn]] comedy ''[[w:We're No Angels (1989 film)|We're No Angels]]'' (1989); and a role as the Hospital Receptionist in the [[w:Anne Hathaway|Anne Hathaway]] thriller ''[[w:Passengers (2008 film)|Passengers]]'' (2008).<ref group="external" name="imdb_austin_filmography" /> She also appeared as Mrs. Hillman in the [[w:Jessica Alba|Jessica Alba]] horror film ''[[w:The Eye (2008 film)|The Eye]]'' (2008) and in the direct-to-video sequel ''[[w:30 Days of Night: Dark Days|30 Days of Night: Dark Days]]'' (2010).<ref group="external" name="imdb_austin_filmography" />
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| === Television ===
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| Television work formed the backbone of Austin's career, and her guest appearances read like a map of Vancouver-shot genre television. She appeared in three episodes of ''[[w:21 Jump Street|21 Jump Street]]'' (1987–1990), playing Sylvia, Mrs. Crawford, and Ms. Futterman; two episodes of ''[[w:Wiseguy|Wiseguy]]'' (1989–1990) as Judge Knox; and an episode of ''[[w:MacGyver|MacGyver]]'' (1990).<ref group="external" name="imdb_austin_filmography" /> She also appeared on the Vancouver-produced fourth season of ''[[w:Airwolf|Airwolf]]'' (1987) as Dr. Sylvia Phyllis Robertson.<ref group="external" name="imdb_austin_filmography" />
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| Further genre television credits include ''[[w:Millennium (TV series)|Millennium]]'' (1997) as Mrs. Anderson; ''[[w:The Outer Limits (1995 TV series)|The Outer Limits]]'' (1997); ''[[w:Poltergeist: The Legacy|Poltergeist: The Legacy]]'' (1997) as Abby Cranford; ''[[w:Night Visions (TV series)|Night Visions]]'' (2001) as Prairie Grandma; ''[[w:The 4400|The 4400]]'' (2005) as Sara James; two episodes of ''[[w:Earthsea (miniseries)|Earthsea]]'' (2005) as Farmer's Wife; two episodes of ''[[w:Masters of Horror|Masters of Horror]]'' (2005–2007) as Mom and Quinn; and ''[[w:Flash Gordon (TV series)|Flash Gordon: A Modern Space Opera]]'' (2007–2008) as Lutie.<ref group="external" name="imdb_austin_filmography" />
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| Austin also appeared in numerous television movies throughout the 1990s and 2000s, including ''Dead Ahead: The Exxon Valdez Disaster'' (1992), ''[[w:When a Stranger Calls Back|When a Stranger Calls Back]]'' (1993), ''[[w:Wyvern (film)|Wyvern]]'' (2009), and ''Held Hostage'' (2009). Her final credited role was Older Nora in the 2011 television movie ''The Edge of the Garden''.<ref group="external" name="imdb_austin_filmography" /> A posthumous "Special Thanks" credit appeared in the 2015 short film ''With Dad''.<ref group="external" name="imdb_austin_main" />
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| In the year 2000, she was credited as '''Karen Austin-Tuck''' for her role as Michael's Aunt in ''We All Fall Down'', confirming her married name.<ref group="external" name="imdb_austin_main" />
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| == ''Battlestar Galactica'' Universe Roles ==
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| === [[Lilly]] in "[[Escape Velocity]]" ===
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| Austin's connection to the ''Battlestar Galactica'' franchise began with the [[Re-imagined Series]] episode "[[Escape Velocity]]," which first aired on April 25, 2008.<ref group="external" name="imdb_escape_velocity">{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0993926/#:~:text=Episode%20aired%20Apr%2025%2C%202008|title=Battlestar Galactica - Escape Velocity|publisher=IMDb|accessdate=February 15, 2026}}</ref> The episode was written by [[Jane Espenson]] and directed by [[Edward James Olmos]].<ref group="external" name="imdb_escape_velocity" />
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| === [[Ruth]] in ''[[Caprica (series)|Caprica]]'' ===
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| Austin's most substantial role in the franchise was [[Ruth]], a recurring character across eight episodes of ''[[Caprica (series)|Caprica]]'' (2009–2010), the prequel series set 58 years before the events of ''[[Battlestar Galactica (TRS)|Battlestar Galactica]]''.<ref group="external" name="imdb_austin_filmography" />
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| Austin appeared in the following ''Caprica'' episodes: "[[Rebirth]]," "[[Reins of a Waterfall]]," "[[There is Another Sky|There Is Another Sky]]," "[[End of Line]]," "[[False Labor]]," "[[The Heavens Will Rise]]," "[[Here Be Dragons]]," and "[[Apotheosis (episode)|Apotheosis]]."<ref group="external" name="imdb_austin_filmography" /> She was usually credited as a co-star except for "There Is Another Sky," in which she was billed as a guest star.<ref group="external" name="imdb_austin_main" />
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| == Personal Life ==
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| Austin was married to Mel Tuck, a highly regarded pioneer of Canadian theatre.<ref group="external" name="meltuck_website">{{cite web|url=https://meltuck.com/#:~:text=He%20has%20taught%20advanced%20scene%20study%20at%20his%20Austin-Tuck%20Studios|title=Mel Tuck - Actor & Coach in Vancouver BC|publisher=MelTuck.com|accessdate=February 15, 2026}}</ref> Tuck is a director of international reputation and an innovator in acting training who has founded nine theatre companies and directed over 300 productions across Canada. He headed the drama department at [[w:Toronto Metropolitan University|Ryerson University]] for 13 years and ran the Gastown Actors Studio conservatory in Vancouver for 12 years.<ref group="external" name="meltuck_website" /> In 2019, Tuck received the [[w:UBCP/ACTRA|UBCP/ACTRA]] John Juliani Award of Excellence for lifetime achievement.<ref group="external" name="playback_tuck_lifetime">{{cite web|url=https://playbackonline.ca/2019/10/24/in-brief-film-theatre-producer-mel-tuck-wins-lifetime-achievement/#:~:text=Mel%20Tuck%20(pictured%2C%20right)%20has%20been%20honoured|title=In brief: Film, theatre producer Mel Tuck wins lifetime achievement|publisher=Playback|date=October 24, 2019|accessdate=February 15, 2026}}</ref> John Juliani was the father of [[Alessandro Juliani]] ([[Felix Gaeta]]).
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| Austin's name is memorialized in '''Austin-Tuck Studios''', Tuck's Vancouver acting school located at 158 Powell Street in the Gastown neighborhood, where he taught advanced scene study for over 18 years.<ref group="external" name="meltuck_website" /> The studio has since been renamed the Deb Podowski Acting Studio, though its website notes it was formerly called Austin-Tuck Studios.<ref group="external" name="dpas_website">{{cite web|url=https://www.debpodowskiactingstudio.com/#:~:text=Formerly%20called%20Austin-Tuck%20Studios|title=Home of Deb Podowski Acting Studio (DPAS), Vancouver|publisher=Deb Podowski Acting Studio|accessdate=February 15, 2026}}</ref>
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| Several of Austin's ''Caprica'' castmates — including [[John Pyper-Ferguson]], [[Hiro Kanagawa]], [[Teryl Rothery]], [[Jill Teed]], and [[Roger Cross]] — were also students of Tuck, reflecting the tight-knit nature of Vancouver's acting community.<ref group="external" name="meltuck_website" />
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| Austin died on April 2, 2011.<ref group="external" name="imdb_austin_biography" /> Her final role in ''The Edge of the Garden'' was released that same year.<ref group="external" name="imdb_austin_filmography" />
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| == References ==
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| === External Sources ===
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| {{reflist|group=external}}
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| [[de:Karen Elizabeth Austin]]
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