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 63) Bay of Islands, New Zealand
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 her main role as Beth Heke in the movie Once Were Warriors. She is also well-known for playing Taun We in George Lucas's Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones.

About Rena Owen's Early Life

Rena Owen was born in the beautiful Bay of Islands in New Zealand. She has a mix of backgrounds, including Welsh, English, Irish, and Māori heritage. Rena grew up in a small town called Moerewa on the North Island. She was one of nine children in her family.

When she was in high school, Rena loved to perform. She often took part in local Māori culture groups. She also acted in school plays and musicals. After high school, Rena decided to study nursing. She trained at Auckland Hospital for over three years. Once she became a registered nurse, Rena moved to London, United Kingdom.

Rena Owen's Acting Journey

In the mid-1980s, Rena Owen trained to be an actress at the Actors Institute in London. She worked a lot in British theatre. Some of her important roles included "Voices From Prison" for the Royal Shakespeare Company. She also wrote and starred in a play called 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 dramas. These shows were special because they were written, acted, and produced by Māori people. They told important Māori stories. Rena also worked a lot in theatre in New Zealand. She was an actress, writer, and director. She even helped start a theatre group called Taki Rua Theatre.

Famous Movie Roles

Rena Owen played the main character, Beth Heke, in the movie Once Were Warriors. Her acting in this role was highly praised. Many people called her performance "classic." She later played Beth Heke again in the movie's sequel, What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? in 1999.

Rena also appeared in the Star Wars movies. She was the voice of Taun We in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones. She also played Nee Alavar in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. She even had a small role in Steven Spielberg's movie A.I..

TV Shows and Other Work

Rena Owen has been in many TV shows. She had a repeating role in the show Angel. She also appeared in independent films from different countries. Some of these include Nemesis Game and When Love Comes. She played leading roles in the Australian TV drama series Medivac in 1998. More recently, she was in ABC's The Straits, a crime drama about a family. She also appeared in Longmire.

In 2011, Rena was part of a big concert called Mika's Aroha Mardi Gras. This event was part of the 2011 Rugby World Cup. Rena was the storyteller for the event, which had 15,000 people.

In 2016, Rena Owen was cast in the TV series Siren. She played the character Helen. The show first aired on March 29, 2018.

Rena Owen in Star Wars

Rena Owen is well-known to Star Wars fans. She voiced the character Taun We in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002). In that movie, Temuera Morrison played Jango Fett. Rena returned to the Star Wars universe in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005) as Nee Alavar.

She also worked on Star Wars video games. She voiced Taun We again in the game Star Wars: Republic Commando. In 2021, she reprised her role as Taun We in the animated series Star Wars: The Bad Batch.

Awards and Recognition

Rena Owen has won many awards for her acting. Her role in Once Were Warriors brought her great reviews and several international awards. She won Best Actress at the Montreal World Film Festival, Oporto Film Festival, and San Diego International Film Festival. She also received the Cannes Film Festival Spirit Award.

In New Zealand, she was given a special Benny Award for her excellent work in film. She also received the Toastmasters Communicator of the Year Award.

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

• 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

Rena Owen's Filmography

Rena Owen has appeared in many movies and TV shows. Here are some of her notable works:

Movies

Television Shows

Video Games

See also

In Spanish: Rena Owen para niños