Karen O'Leary

Karen O'Leary is a New Zealand schoolteacher, comedian and actress. She played Officer O'Leary in Wellington Paranormal, which ran for four seasons from 2018–2022.

Early life
O'Leary grew up in Miramar, Wellington and attended Wellington High School and Victoria University. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in education and is an early childhood teacher in Wellington. She got involved in acting when casting director Tina Cleary, the parent of one of the children at the centre, encouraged her to audition for a part in the 2014 film What We Do in the Shadows.

Career
O'Leary played Officer O'Leary in the film and continued the same role in the spin-off television series Wellington Paranormal.

In 2018, O'Leary appeared in the comedy film The Breaker Upperers.

In 2020, O'Leary presented educational activities on Home Learning TV, a dedicated New Zealand television channel for children learning at home due to school closures during the national lockdown to control the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2023, O'Leary appeared on the panel show Guy Montgomery's Guy Mont-Spelling Bee. She appeared in series 4 of Taskmaster NZ.

Personal life
Karen lives in Wellington with her son Melvyn and her partner, Eilish Wilson.