A Rare Outing in Los Angeles
A Hollywood actress, known for her role in an 80s cult classic, was spotted on a rare outing in Los Angeles last week. Her career began in the early 80s, and she has since appeared in numerous films and television shows. The 61-year-old star has also collaborated with several notable celebrities throughout her career.
She has taken on roles in films such as Murphy’s Law and Witchboard. Additionally, she has made appearances in TV series including The Jeffersons, Twin Peaks, L.A. Law, ER, and Gilmore Girls. Her list of collaborators includes Charles Bronson, Jane Fonda, Robert De Niro, Brooke Shields, and Timothy Dalton.
Beyond acting, the actress has a passion for music. Some of her songs have been featured in projects she has starred in. Can you guess who it is?
Meet Kathleen Wilhoite
It is Kathleen Wilhoite, who notably played the character of Carrie Ann in the 1989 cult classic Road House alongside Patrick Swayze. She was seen enjoying a lowkey stroll with her adorable pup in L.A. last week on Friday.
Wilhoite kept it casual, wearing dark navy leggings, a short-sleeved black printed shirt, comfortable sneakers, and a simple ponytail. She also wore black shades for a final touch.
The actress was walking through a quiet neighborhood, taking in some fresh air. Born in Santa Barbara, California in 1964, she started her acting career nearly two decades later.
Her first official film credit was in the 1983 movie Private School. Three years later, she took on a leading role in Murphy’s Law with Charles Bronson.
During a past interview with Retro Junk, Wilhoite reflected on working with Bronson, who had starred in projects such as Once Upon A Time In The West.
“He was smart, funny, tight-lipped, and a really good actor. He was kind to me and we joked around a lot.”
She added, “I stayed out of his way though and never got too familiar with him. I had a healthy respect that I felt was well deserved.”
In 1986, she also took on a role in the thriller The Morning After, which had additionally cast Jane Fonda and Jeff Bridges. She made more appearances in films during the late 80s, including Angel Heart—which had starred Robert De Niro—and the adventure film Brenda Starr with Timothy Dalton and Brooke Shields.
In 1989, she was cast as Carrie Ann in Road House with Swayze, Ben Gazzara, Sam Elliott, and Kelly Lynch.
Wilhoite continued to find success in the 90s as she appeared in episodes of Cop Rock, Twin Peaks, Ally McBeal, and L.A. Law. From 1997 through 2000, she voiced the character of Pepper Ann Pearson in the animated series Pepper Ann.
She portrayed the character of Chloe Lewis in the medical show ER in seasons one and two, and returned in season eight. She also played the role of Liz Danes on the hit series Gilmore Girls—who was the sister of the character Luke Danes.
She continued to portray minor characters in projects such as Grey’s Anatomy, Criminal Minds, The Mentalist, and Jane The Virgin. In 2020, the actress appeared in one episode of the series Yellowstone as Carolyn Nelson.
Most recently, Wilhoite starred in the 2025 miniseries titled Murdaugh: Death In The Family—which aired on Hulu last year. The true crime drama show had also starred Patricia Arquette, Jason Clarke, and Brittany Snow.
She has upcoming projects under her belt such as the forthcoming MGM+ series titled Bosch: Start Of Watch.
A Passion for Music
While balancing her acting career, the star has also pursued her passion for music. She has released albums including Pitch Like A Girl (1997) and Shiva (2000).
During her conversation with Retro Junk, Wilhoite explained that music is a “form of personal expression” for her.
“Acting for me is about becoming a human puppet. Other people’s words, other people’s stories and trying to nail down other people’s visions with as much truth as possible,” she explained.
“My songs are mine. My songs are about my life. My songs come from my guts and can fill me with joy sometimes and can hurt me sometimes…”
