Katherine Elizabeth Vernon is a Canadian-born American actress. She is known for her roles as Lorraine Prescott on the CBS primetime soap opera Falcon Crest (from 1984–1985), the stuck-up and popular Benny Hanson in the comedy film Pretty in Pink (1986), Sophia in the 1992 Spike Lee film, Malcolm X, and Ellen Tigh in the 2004 Syfy series Battlestar Galactica.
Vernon was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to Nancy West and actor John Vernon. At age seven, she moved with her family to Los Angeles, California, where her father was pursuing his career. Her sister is singer Nan Vernon.