Renee O'Connor facts for kids
Evelyn Renee O'Connor (born February 15, 1971) is an American actress, producer, and director. She is best known for playing the character Gabrielle in the popular TV show Xena: Warrior Princess.
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Growing Up and Early Acting
Renee O'Connor grew up in Katy, Texas, with her mother, Sandra. When she was 12 years old, Renee started taking acting classes at the Alley Theatre in Houston. She also went to the Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston.
Her very first professional acting job was dancing as Porky Pig at Six Flags AstroWorld in Houston. After that, she moved to Los Angeles, California, to follow her dream of becoming an actress.
Renee's Acting Career
Renee O'Connor began her screen career at age 17. She appeared in a part called "Teen Angel" on the Disney Channel's The Mickey Mouse Club. This led to her starring in the Teen Angel TV series.
She also acted in the Disney movie The Adventures of Huck Finn. Renee appeared in several TV movies, including Follow the River and Danielle Steele's Changes. She also starred in Hercules and the Lost Kingdom with Kevin Sorbo. In this movie, she played the character Deianeira.
Becoming Gabrielle in Xena
Her role in Hercules caught the attention of the show's producers, Rob Tapert and Sam Raimi. They decided to cast her as Gabrielle in a new TV show called Xena: Warrior Princess. This show was a spin-off from Hercules. Renee played Gabrielle for many years, and it became her most famous role.
Other Projects and Directing
In 2001, Renee started her own film company called Roc Productions. She also loves theater! In 2002, she played Lady Macbeth in a play called Macbeth for Shakespeare by the Sea. She played this role again in 2019.
Renee also played the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet in 2018. Her son, Miles Muir, who was 16 at the time, also acted in that play with her. Besides acting, Renee has also worked as a producer and director for some films.
Renee's Family Life
In 1998, Renee started dating Steve Muir, who owned restaurants. They got married in 2000. Their son was born in 2001. Renee and Steve later divorced in 2004.
Renee then began a relationship with Jed Sura in 2004. They had a daughter in March 2006. Renee and Jed got married in 2017.
Selected Film and Television Roles
Renee O'Connor has acted in many movies and TV shows. Here are a few of them:
- Night Game (1989) as Lorraine Beasley
- Changes (1991) as Jessica Adams (TV film)
- The Adventures of Huck Finn (1993) as Julia Wilks
- Hercules and the Lost Kingdom (1994) as Deianeira (TV film)
- Xena: Warrior Princess (1995–2001) as Gabrielle (134 episodes)
- Alien Apocalypse (2005) as Lieutenant Kelly Lanaman (TV film)
- Boogeyman 2 (2007) as Dr. Jessica Ryan
- Diamonds and Guns (2008) as Ashley (also executive producer and co-director)
- 2010: Moby Dick (2010) as Dr. Michelle Herman
- Beyond the Farthest Star (2015) as Maurene Wells
- A Question of Faith (2017) as Mary Danielson
- Criminal Minds (2008) as Pam Baleman (TV series episode)
- My Life Is Murder (2021) as Clarissa Klein (TV series episode)
Theater Performances
Renee O'Connor has also performed in many plays:
- Macbeth (2002) as Lady Macbeth
- Romeo and Juliet (2018) as The Nurse
- Mary Poppins (2018) as Ms. Brill
- The Wizard of Oz (2019) as The Wicked Witch of the West
Images for kids
See also
In Spanish: Renée O'Connor para niños