- Name: Renée O'Connor
- Date of Birth: February 15, 1971
- Place of Birth: Katy, Texas, USA
Mini-bio:
A former Mickey Mouse Club starlet who has since gone on to craft an impressive career in film and television, Renee O'Connor gained widespread exposure thanks to her small-screen role as Xena's (Lucy... read more
Renée O'Connor Wiki Profile
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Actress, producer, director and mother, Renee O'Connor was the second child born to Walter (a finance manager) and Sandra O'Connor (now Sandra Wilson, a restaurant owner). Since her first role as a caterpillar during a Theatre on Wheels production at age 8, Renee has had a passion for acting. At age 12 she began to study acting at Houtson's Alley Theatre, later attending Houston High School of Visual and Performing Arts but transferred back to her original Taylor High School in order to graduate with her friends.  Renee's real career began at age 16 in a commercial for McDonalds, later for Exxon, followed by a string of other commercials and odd jobs such as Porky Pig at Astroworld and an aerobics instructor in LA, but then in 1989 she landed a recurring role in the serial 'Teen Angel' featured on the 'New Mickey Mouse Club'. This show led to another Disney serial 'Match Point', her first film role in 'Black Snow' and an episode of tales from the crpyt (directed by Arnold Schwarzenegger), which was later cut. After these roles Renee went on to portray an imperiled student on the NBC special 'The Flood', Cheryl Ladd's daughter in Danielle Steel's 'Changes', a woman captured by Shawnee Indians in ABC's 'Follow the River', an actress who hires Rockford as her bodyguard in 'The Rockford Files: A Blessing in Disguise', Julie Wilkes in Disney's 'Adventures on Huck Finn', and the daughter of a murdered couple on an episode of NYPD Blue (among others).Renee's performances caught the attention of (Xena: Warrior Princess) producers Robert Tapert and Sam Raimi who were in New Zealand filming a series of movies based on the mythological hero Hercules. After an 'over the top' performance, Renee was cast as Deianeira in 'Hercules and the Lost Kingdom'. They were so impressed with her performance opposite 'Hercules' star Kevin Sorbo that they signed her on for a starring role in 'Darkman II: The Return of Durant'.  This work led Renee to be later cast in the breakthrough role she is most remembered for, the role which shot her to fame, Gabrielle, Xena's Sidekick on 'Xena: Warrior Princess'. She also played her character Gabrielle on 'Hercules: The Legendary Journeys' in four episodes. As Xena became increasingly successful and the seasons progressed Renee wanted to try her hand at directing, and so she shadowed director TJ Scott on season 4's episode 'Adventures in the Sin Trade' where her character did not appear. After this Renee went on to direct the final episode of season 4 'Deja Vu All Over Again' and season 6's 'Dangerous Prey'.Since Xena ended in 2001, Renee took on the role of Lady Macbeth in Shakespear by the Sea's version of Macbeth on 27 June 2002. The play ran for five weeks and was initially located in San Pedro Point Fermin Park and then toured the beach cities in Los Angeles. She took the lead in Eric Escobar's Sundance short film 'One Weekend a Month' (2004) and co-starred with Bruce Campbell in the Sci-Fi channel movie 'Alien Apocalypse' (2005). Renee produced and starred in the independant film 'Diamonds and Guns' (2007) which was the first feature film made by her production company ROC Pictures, she also starred in 'Ghost Town' (2007) and 'Boogeyman 2' (2007). Renee is still close friends with Xena co-star Lucy Lawless and the pair regularly attend Xena conventions (Renee appears every year), she also attends some of Lucy's concerts. She joined Lucy for her two night 'Sold Out' performance at the Roxy in LA, Lucy sang and Renee danced, she repeated this during Lucy's New York concerts 31 May (2007) - 2 June. Renee made her singing debut in Hollywood at the Roxy Theatre, January 2008, when she sang with Lucy to a sell out crowd. Renee will appear as Sister Batrille alongside Lucy Lawless as Mother Superior in the 2009 movie Bitch Slap. Relationships Steve Muir: Married 14 October 2000 - Divorced 2005 (one son) Jed Sura: Together 2005 - present (one daughter) Children Miles William Muir: Born 22 September 2001 Iris Sura O'Connor: Born 19 March 2006  Video Xena Bloopers Season 2 & 3: Part 2 lol VITAL STATS
 Renee has climbed Mount Kilamanjaro. Renee is an accomplished artist with a showing at the Submerged Art Gallery in LA, June 2005. Her favourite movie is The Piano. Has a cat called Kia Ora, Maori for 'Hello'. Owns her own film production companies, ROC Pictures and ROC Productions. Renee is proficient in several forms of martial art, including Taekwondo and Shinkendo, as well use the use of the Karate Bo Staff, the Nunchaku, the Sai and the Japanese Kumori Katana Renee was a contestant on 'The Price is Right' when she was 18 She made it to the 'Showcase Showdown' but overbid and lost. Lived in Auckland, NZ for 6 years while filimg Xena: WP. When Renee found out Lucy (Lawless) was pregnant with her first son Julius she started to 'feel clucky', the Kiwi phrase for wanting a child of her own, so she went out and got a dog. During the first year Renee's nickname on the set of Xena was 'Halfday Renee' as she would work half the day and then have nothing left to do. When Renee would audition for Southern characters and use her real Texan accent she was told her that her accent was terrible, not strong enough. Lucy tried to teach Renee the Xena warcry but she just couldn't pick it up. But she thought it was just aswell because it would be funnier to have Gabrielle not be able to do it. Renee is afraid to let anyone put mascara on her, so she does this part of her make-up herself. Her costume continuing to shrink on Xena was a running joke. She was in 3 TV appearances with Bruce Campbell, Xena: Warrior Princess, Alien Apocalypse and Campbell's directed episode of Hercules. Renee's first TV kiss was on The Mickey Mouse Club serial 'Teen Angel'. In 1997, Renee was voted as one of the most beautiful people by People Online.
   Light a candle for Kevin Smith 1963 - 2002 |
