Renee O'Connor

Renee O'Connor
O'Connor in 2007
Born
Evelyn Renee O'Connor[1]

(1971-02-15) February 15, 1971 (age 53)
Houston, Texas, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1989–present
Spouse(s)
Steve Muir
​
​
(m. 2000; div. 2004)​

Jed Sura
​
(m. 2017)​
Children2

Evelyn Renee O'Connor (born February 15, 1971)[2][3] is an American actress, producer, and director, known for the role of Gabrielle on the television series Xena: Warrior Princess.[4]

Early life

Born in Houston and raised in suburban Katy, Texas by her mother Sandra, O'Connor at age 12 studied acting at the Alley Theatre in Houston, Texas.[5][2] She attended Kinder High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston, and made her professional debut as a dancing Porky Pig at that city's Six Flags AstroWorld. Afterward, she moved to Los Angeles, California, to pursue an acting career.[2]

Career

O'Connor made her screen debut at 17, starring in the "Teen Angel" segment of the Disney Channel's The Mickey Mouse Club,[6] and the subsequent Teen Angel TV series. She went on to the Disney film The Adventures of Huck Finn and TV-movies including Follow the River, Danielle Steele's Changes, and Hercules and the Lost Kingdom, starring Kevin Sorbo.[6] There, in the role of Deianeira, O'Connor came to the attention of Hercules executive producers Rob Tapert and Sam Raimi, who cast her as Gabrielle in the spinoff TV series Xena: Warrior Princess.[citation needed]

In 2001, O'Connor began her own film production company, Roc Productions.[6] The following year, she played Lady Macbeth in the Shakespeare by the Sea production of Macbeth. O'Connor reprised the role in a House of Bards Theatre Company production in San Pedro, California, from October 11 to November 3, 2019.[7] She played Nurse in the Southern Shakespeare Company's May 10–13, 2018, production of Romeo and Juliet alongside her 16-year-old son, Miles Muir.[8][9]

Personal life

In 1998, O'Connor began dating restaurateur Steve Muir.[2] The couple married in 2000 and O'Connor had a son in 2001. O'Connor and Muir divorced in 2004.[citation needed]

O'Connor began a relationship with Jed Sura in 2004 and had a daughter in March, 2006. O'Connor and Sura were married in 2017.[citation needed]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1989 Match Point Robin Television movie
1989 Night Game Lorraine Beasley
1990 Black Snow Jennifer Winslow
1990 False Identity Angela Errickson
1991 Changes Jessica Adams Television film
1991 Stone Cold Tinselteeth Hostage
1993 Sworn to Vengeance Unknown Television film
1993 The Adventures of Huck Finn Julia Wilks
1993 The Flood: Who Will Save Our Children? Leslie Television film
1994 Hercules and the Lost Kingdom Deianeira Television film
1995 Follow the River Bettie Draper Television film
1995 The Rockford Files: A Blessing in Disguise Laura Sue Dean Television film
1995 Darkman II: The Return of Durant Laurie Brinkman
1997 Hercules & Xena: Wizards of the Screen Gabrielle Short film
1998 Hercules and Xena – The Animated Movie: The Battle for Mount Olympus Gabrielle
2001 Accidents Don't Happen Ashton
2004 One Weekend a Month Meg McDermott Short film
2005 Alien Apocalypse Lieutenant Kelly Lanaman Television film
2007 Ghost Town: The Movie Little Jack
2007 Boogeyman 2 Dr. Jessica Ryan
2008 Diamonds and Guns Ashley Also executive producer and co-director
2008 Monster Ark Dr. Ava Greenway Television film
2009 Bitch Slap Sister Batril
2010 Words Unspoken Sue Short film; also director, producer, and writer
2010 2010: Moby Dick Dr. Michelle Herman
2011 Deadrise Paula
2011 Infinity Elizabeth Short film, Producer
2011 Are You Kidding Me? Director
2013 Stranded From An Island Short; executive producer and assistant editor
2015 Beyond the Farthest Star Maurene Wells
2015 Last Chance Carrie Television film; also executive producer
2015 Broken Things Director
2016 The Usual Mrs. Ford Short film; also executive producer
2017 Watch the Sky Shannon Producer
2017 A Question of Faith Mary Danielson

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1989 Teen Angel Nancy Nichols
1990 Tales from the Crypt Waitress Episode: "The Switch"
1991 ABC Afterschool Specials Linda Episode: "The Less Than Perfect Daughter"
1992 FBI: The Untold Stories Officer Renee Lanot / Tina Marie Risico 3 episodes
1993 NYPD Blue Rebecca Sloane Episode: "Oscar, Meyer, Weiner"
1997–1999 Hercules: The Legendary Journeys Gabrielle 4 episodes
1995–2001 Xena: Warrior Princess Gabrielle 134 episodes
2002 Mataku American Buyer Episode: "The Heirloom"
2008 Criminal Minds Pam Baleman Episode: "A Higher Power"
2010 Ark Connie Miller 9 episodes
2021 My Life Is Murder Clarissa Klein Episode: "Pleasure & Pain"

Theater

Year Title Role Notes
2002 Macbeth Lady Macbeth Shakespeare by the Sea
2017 Dinner With Friends[10] Beth Little Fish Theatre
2017 Annie[11] Lily St.Regis (as Renee Sura) Warner Grand Theatre
2018 Romeo and Juliet[12] The Nurse Southern Shakespeare Company
2018 On Clover Road[13] Kate Hunter Little Fish Theatre
2018 Mary Poppins[14] Ms. Brill (as Renee Sura) Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center
2019 The Wizard of Oz[15] The Wicked Witch of the West (as Renee Sura) Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center
2019 Uncle Vanya Yelena Andreyevna Little Fish Theatre

References

  1. ^ "Renee O'Connor". Retrieved 2021-08-14.
  2. ^ a b c d Messer, Kate X. (February 13, 1998). "Women Who Run With Warrior Princesses: Reneé O'Connor ROCs". The Austin Chronicle. Archived from the original on April 23, 2017. Retrieved July 27, 2020. Born February 15, 1971 near Houston, O'Connor was raised by her mom, Sandra ...
  3. ^ "Famous birthdays for Feb. 15: Alex Borstein, Jane Seymour". United Press International. February 15, 2019. Archived from the original on August 19, 2020. Retrieved July 27, 2020. … actor Renee O'Connor in 1971 (age 48) [as of February 15, 2019]
  4. ^ Stafford, Nikki (1998). Lucy Lawless and Renee O'Connor: Warrior Stars of Xena. ECW Press. ISBN 9781550223477.
  5. ^ Derrick, Katherine (August 1998). "Of Mythic Proportions". Curve. Archived from the original on May 1, 2020. Retrieved May 1, 2020. Raised in the suburb of Katy, Texas...
  6. ^ a b c "About Us -". Roc Productions. Archived from the original on August 18, 2018. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  7. ^ "'Macbeth' Starring Renee O'Connor and Jed Sura Opens October 11 at Grand Annex". Broadway World. October 7, 2019. Archived from the original on May 1, 2020. Retrieved May 1, 2020. O'Connor reprises the role of Lady Macbeth after a 2002 production with Shakespeare by the Sea.
  8. ^ Atwood, Randi (May 2, 2018). "Xena's Gabrielle headlines Southern Shakespeare Festival". Tallahassee Democrat. Florida. Archived from the original on April 21, 2020. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  9. ^ "[Image: Southern Shakespeare Festival playbill for Romeo and Juliet]". Southern Shakespeare Company Instagram account. May 10, 2018. Archived from the original on 2021-12-24. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  10. ^ "TV Star Renee O'Connor Appears in 'Dinner with Friends' at Little Fish Theatre". Broadway World.
  11. ^ "Cast list" (PDF). www.encoresouthbay.org. Retrieved 2019-10-22.
  12. ^ "Renee O'Connor swaps 'Xena' for Shakespeare | Southern Shakespeare Company". Archived from the original on 2020-04-22. Retrieved 2019-10-22.
  13. ^ "Steven Dietz's 'On Clove Road' Starring Renee O'Connor Opens Sept. 21 At Little Fish Theatre". Broadway World.
  14. ^ Barrett, Shari. "BWW Review: Encore Entertains Audiences with Fun-Filled 'Mary Poppins' Musical". Broadway World.
  15. ^ "The Wizard of Oz" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-04-07. Retrieved 2019-04-07.