On ABC's "The Wonder Years," the character played by Olivia d'Abo has turned 18 and graduated from high school and is uncertain of her future as the hit show enters the 1970s.
In the final episodes of the sitcom's third season, Karen Arnold had several traumatic experiences that set the stage for the fall."I don't know what's going to happen to Karen next season," d'Abo said. "Her parents want her to go to college. She wants to go to Europe. She's confused and doesn't know what she wants. But if she does go to college, she wants to get away from her parents."
Fred Savage stars in "The Wonder Years" as Karen's younger brother, Kevin, who recently entered his teens and faces his own uncertain future. His girlfriend has moved out of the neighborhood.
The older brother, Wayne, played by Jason Hervey, gets his first job.
"It's really about kids slowly moving into the 1970s," d'Abo said. "It gives us room for imagination for next season."
The show also stars Alley Mills and Dan Lauria as the parents, Danica McKellar as Kevin's girlfriend, Winnie, and Josh Saviano as his best friend, Paul.
"The Wonder Years" airs locally on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. on Ch. 4. The show is moving to Wednesdays at 7 p.m. in the fall.
Unlike Karen, d'Abo has a cosmopolitan background. She was born in London 21 years ago to rock singer Michael d'Abo of Manfred Mann and actress-model Maggie London d'Abo. She grew up in London, Taos, N.M., and Los Angeles, where she now shares a house with her cousin, Maryam d'Abo, also an actress.
"I've always known exactly what I wanted," d'Abo said. "All my life I've been around adults, and coming from Europe, I suppose I had a different background and different values. My parents were very supportive."
Away from the show, she slips back into a British accent and dates singer Julian Lennon, son of the late Beatle John Lennon.
D'Abo said she's only started to learn who her character on "The Wonder Years" is as the show enters its fourth season.
"I think she started off being one thing, but when new producers took over the show, they saw her differently," she said. "She began as a 16-year-old who said a lot of rebellious things she didn't really understand. She's matured, and in the final episodes of the season we see that she and her father are very much alike.
"She thinks he's not hip and doesn't understand her. She doesn't want to be like her mother. She has a boyfriend who goes to Canada to escape the draft. She and her father have a big fight, but on her birthday he gives her his old duffel bag from the Korean War and says, `If you're leaving, you'll need something to put your clothes in.' "
D'Abo has appeared in guest roles in such series as "Simon and Simon," "The Bronx Zoo" and "Tour of Duty." Two roles on "Growing Pains" brought her to the attention of Neal Marlens and Carol Black, who created "The Wonder Years."
Her first experience in front of an audience was at London's Albert Hall in "Me and My Teddy Bear" at the age of 5.
"I spoke, wrote and read French in school," she said. "I spoke English, but didn't read it or write it too well. When I was 8, my parents moved to New Mexico, which confused me even more. Taos has a rich ethnic mixture, but I caught on quickly because I have a good ear.
"When I was 12, we moved to L.A. I spent so much time working on movies that I had to go to a private school so they would hold my place in class. I did my first commercial for McDonald's when I was 13. I celebrated my 15th birthday on the set of my first feature, `Conan the Destroyer."'
Asked about rumors of marriage to Lennon, she responded, "Who knows? I'm 21. I think marriage is a wonderful thing, but you have to think about it.
"I do want to have children, but I also want my independence.
"I've had my own home since I was 19 and I've worked hard for everything. I've always put my career first.
"Julian and I both have our careers. He's accepted me as I am and not tried to change me, as I've accepted him."