Karen O'Leary

{{short description|New Zealand early childhood educator, comedian and television and film actress}}

{{Infobox comedian|website=https://olearious.co.nz/|notable_works=Wellington Paranormal}}

Karen O'Leary is a New Zealand early childhood educator, comedian and actor. She played Officer O'Leary in Wellington Paranormal, which ran for four seasons from 2018–2022.{{Cite web |last=Casey |first=Alex |date=2019-10-16 |title=The most interesting woman on NZ TV: Wellington Paranormal's Karen O'Leary |url=https://thespinoff.co.nz/tv/16-10-2019/the-most-interesting-woman-on-nz-tv-wellington-paranormals-karen-oleary/ |access-date=2020-04-17 |website=The Spinoff}}{{Cite web |last=Jacobson |first=Julie |date=December 23, 2019 |title=At Home With Wellington Paranormal's Karen O'Leary and Her Wild Wellington Family |url=https://www.nowtolove.co.nz/parenting/family/wellington-paranormal-karen-oleary-wellington-family-44120 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200419210815/https://www.nowtolove.co.nz/parenting/family/wellington-paranormal-karen-oleary-wellington-family-44120 |archive-date=19 April 2020 |access-date= |website=Now To Love |language=en}}

Early life and education

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 was an early childhood teacher in Wellington for 21 years.{{Cite web |date=2020-04-17 |title=Karen O'Leary, BEd(Tchg)EC |url=https://www.wgtn.ac.nz/engage/alumni/our-alumni/profiles/karen-oleary |accessdate=2020-04-17 |website=Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2025-02-10 |title=‘A red flag’: Karen O’Leary on the realities of early childcare in NZ |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/odytm-a-red-flag-karen-oleary-on-the-state-of-ece-in-nz-and-the-hallmarks-of-a-great-teacher/77TOZ4W4QNGYVNIOVTHNRU2LQU/ |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=NZ Herald |language=en-NZ}} She got involved in acting when casting director Tina Cleary, the parent of one of the children at her workplace, encouraged her to audition for a part in the 2014 film What We Do in the Shadows.{{Cite web|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/106108944/national-portrait-karen-oleary--paranormal-but-very-normal|title=National portrait: Karen O'Leary – Paranormal but very normal|website=Stuff|date=17 August 2018 |language=en|access-date=2020-04-17}}

Career

O'Leary played Officer O'Leary in the film What We Do in the Shadows and reprised the role in the spin-off television series Wellington Paranormal.

In 2018, O'Leary appeared in the comedy film The Breaker Upperers.{{Cite web |last=Nealon |first=Sarah |date=25 July 2018 |title=Wellington Paranormal's reluctant star |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/tv-radio/tv-guide/105744477/wellington-paranormals-reluctant-star |access-date=2020-04-17 |website=Stuff |language=en}}

In 2020, O'Leary presented educational activities on Home Learning TV, a New Zealand television channel dedicated to children learning at home due to school closures during the national lockdown to control the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date= |title=Home Learning TV |url=https://www.tvnz.co.nz/shows/home-learning-tv/about |archive-url= |archive-date= |access-date=2020-04-17 |website=TVNZ+}}

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

Personal life

O'Leary lives in Wellington with her son Melvyn and her partner, Eilish Wilson.{{Cite web |title=Karen O'Leary |url=https://everyonerelax.co/wilosophy/karen-oleary/ |access-date=2025-02-10 |website=EVERYONE RELAX |language=en}}