Rena Owen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rena Owen
Owen in 2012
Born	Maria Makarena Owen (1962-07-22) 22 July 1962 (age 62) Bay of Islands, Northland, New Zealand
Nationality	Maori
Occupation	Actress writer director producer
Years active	1990–present

Maria Makarena Owen (born on July 22, 1962), known as Rena Owen, is a talented actress from New Zealand. She has starred in many plays, TV shows, and movies. Rena is famous for playing Beth Heke in the movie Once Were Warriors. She is also known for her role as Taun We in George Lucas's Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones.

Rena Owen's Early Life

Rena Owen was born in the beautiful Bay of Islands in New Zealand. She has a mix of family backgrounds, including Welsh, English, Irish, and Māori. Rena grew up in a small town called Moerewa with eight brothers and sisters. Her family raised her as a Catholic.

When she was young, Rena loved to perform. She often took part in local Māori cultural groups. She also acted in plays and sang in musicals at her high school. Before becoming an actress, Rena trained to be a nurse. She worked at Auckland Hospital for three and a half years. After becoming a registered nurse, she moved to London, England.

Rena Owen's Acting Career

In the mid-1980s, Rena Owen studied acting at the Actors Institute in London. She performed in many plays across Britain. Some of her important theatre roles included "Voices From Prison" for the Royal Shakespeare Company. She also wrote and starred in her own play, Te Awa i Tahuti (The River That Ran Away). This play was very popular in London.

When Rena returned to New Zealand in 1989, she acted in two TV shows for Television NZ. These shows were part of the E Tipu E Rea series. This series was special because Māori people wrote, acted in, directed, and produced it. It told stories from a Māori point of view. Rena also helped start the Taki Rua Theatre. She wrote and acted in a play called Daddy's Girl. She also had regular roles in TV series like Betty's Bunch and Shark in the Park.

Rena Owen in Once Were Warriors

Rena Owen played the main character, Beth Heke, in the movie Once Were Warriors. Her co-star was Temuera Morrison, who played her husband. The movie mostly tells the story from Beth's perspective. Rena's acting in this role was highly praised. She played Beth Heke again in the movie's sequel, What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? in 1999.

Rena Owen in Star Wars and Other Films

Rena Owen is also known for her roles in the Star Wars movies. She voiced the character Taun We in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002). She also played Nee Alavar in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005). She even had a small role in Steven Spielberg's movie A.I..

Rena has appeared in many other international films. These include Nemesis Game, When Love Comes, and Dance Me to My Song. She also starred in the Australian TV drama series Medivac and The Straits. Later, she appeared in the TV show Longmire.

In 2011, Rena Owen was part of a big concert called Mika's Aroha Mardi Gras. This event was held during the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Rena was the storyteller for the event, which had 15,000 people. More recently, Rena and Temuera Morrison worked on a documentary. It celebrated 20 years since Once Were Warriors was first released. In 2016, Rena was cast as Helen in the TV series Siren. This show started in March 2018. In 2021, she returned to voice Taun We in the animated series Star Wars: The Bad Batch.

Rena Owen's Awards

Rena Owen received many awards for her role in Once Were Warriors. She won Best Actress at the Montreal World Film Festival and the San Diego International Film Festival. She also received a special Benny Award in New Zealand for her excellent work in film.

She was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the TV series Coverstory in 1997. In 1998, she was nominated for an AFI Best Supporting Actress award for Dance Me to My Song. In 2012, she won the Best Supporting Actress Award at the Aotearoa Film and Television Awards. This was for her role as Hine Ryan in the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. She was also nominated for her role in the Australian TV series East West 101.

• Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Award nomination (2012): Best Guest or Supporting Actress in a Television Drama- East West 101
• New Zealand Film and TV Awards Winner (2011): Best Supporting Actress- Shortland Street
• Film Critics Circle of Australia Awards Nomination (1999): Best Supporting Actress- Dance Me to My Song
• Australian Film Institute Awards Nomination (1998): Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role- Dance Me to My Song
• NZ Film & TV Awards nomination (1997): Best Supporting Actress- Cover Story
• Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress (1994): Once Were Warriors
• Montreal World Film Festival Winner (1994): Best Actress- Once Were Warriors
• San Diego International Film Festival (1994): Best Actress- Once Were Warriors
• New Zealand Māori Queen, Dame Te Atairangikaahu Literary Award, 1992

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Images for kids

• 

  A friendly robot

See also

In Spanish: Rena Owen para niños