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Name: Dee
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Location: Malibu Riviera cliffside drive CA US

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Whats Shaking with Ren

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There is a double page photo of Renne' and an interview in the June 20th issue of NZ Next Magazine.
The road to Muriwai Beach is as Kiwi as Auckland gets. The buildings look like they've stretched out a bit; made themselves at home. Equal room is given to trees and weeds, and the fruit shops are tucked away into every gravel-covered corner.

And the road to Renee O'Connor's place is as Kiwi as Muriwai Beach gets. Iron sands glimmer in the distance and nikau palms point the way to a kinhfisher in a cabbage tree. "He's been here since we moved in. My host says, sinking into a deck chair. Nursing a cup of Bell tea, Renee's soft Texas drawl is the only thing saving me from an overdose of Kiwiana.

Whether the diminutive actress is defined as a sweet little Texan, or as leather-bound, sword-wielding Gabrielle of the 90's TV show Xena: Warrior Princess depends on who you are talking to. And where. If you are out and about with the blond in West Auckland, say, you'd find people would go for the Gabrielle option, then refuse to believe the nod of confirmation,"because there's no leather and I'm standing in a supermarket line". But if you were in Renee's main base, Los Angeles, people would call her well probably nothing actually. "People are too cool to acknowledge you there." She laughs.

Renee' 37, is in a carefree mood, barefoot and makeup free, she's clearly a long, long way from Hollywood right now. But even in LA, she's un-Hollywood she says. "I don't even ware makeup much" she tells me, before admitting, "but I do love to buy it. Mi daughter Iris is obsessed with it - 'lippy' was her first word.

Iris, two and Renee's son Miles, six. Have taken precedence since Renee's days of defending the world from the dark forces. With her divorce from New Zealand restaurant manager Steve Muir to contend with, she wanted to turn her focus to being a mother. But the decision wasn't without problems.

"I'd been driven so do long that to step back and have kids caused a bit of loss of identity." she says. "After a while I realized if I'm not being who I am as an artistic person, I'm not being a good role model."

So Renee' expanded her creative career to encompass acting, producing and painting, sometimes using the latter endeavor to fund the first two. Selling paintings at Xena conventions may seem an unusual way to source film funding, but it's in sync with the rest of the Diamonds ans Guns' production process. Renee' learned a lot about producing during this three-and-a-half year movie project and it was also where she met her current partner and Iris's father, Jed Sura.

The comedy, about a Kiwi girl who goes husband shopping in Las Vegas in order to aviod deportation, also came about in an unorthodox way. "I ran into Helena Beaven, who worked with me in Xena, at a function at the New Zealand Consulate," Says Renee'. "She was so frustrated with working in LA; there were no parts for her, so she made her own. I was attracted to he because of that."

There have other professional adventures including time in North Carolina filming the 2007 western Ghost Town, and a trip to Bulgaria where her recent movie Genesis Code was set. Watching a clip from the film, it looks like Renee' views acting like riding a bike - she's been doing it so long it's second nature. The actress started out on The Mickey Mouse Club. "I don't remember if I did ever did meet Britney," she says of her fellow MMC alumna.

But her real-live childhood couldn't have been more different from her time on the Disney set. "My mother married my stepfather when I was only two years old and my brother was five." Renee' says. She was in that marriage for 16 years and the whole time the three of us lived in a frightful world which was rife with domestic violence. We were all too scared to leave the situation."

Renee's trying to help other who have been abused , working with the Richstone Family Center in LA. Clearly charity work is good for the soul, but so too is horsing around with one of your best mates. Her six-year stint in New Zealand produced strong friendships, including one with Lucy Lawless, who played Xena. "I only see her about twice a year, but I feel like a version of a sister who I can call any time."

"What a blessing that show was," Renee' says of Xena. "A duo of women, protectors of the innocent? To have my background and play someone like that was profound."

Other people Renee' can call on include the 'Rent-a-Crowd"; the name her Kiwi group of friends gave themselves because they turn up at each other's everything. Luckily Renee' is equally conversant in her native and adoptive tongues. "I still have all the Texan in me - all the 'y'alls' - but now the 'cheers' and 'giddays' are who I am."

If you don't believe her ... well I just would. Renee's Kiwi heritage may be adopted but, but it's a heritage she's prepared to defend. "I had a fight with a tree guy this morning to save that kauri over there," she say, pointing to a stately roadside native. "I guess I'm a California tree hugger at heart." 

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GhostTown is in the AOL Film Festival International and will be shown July 25th at 6:00pm PCT at the Laemmle Theaters which are located at One Colorado Blvd in Old Pasadena, CA (that is in Metro LA County). All details are just across this Bog under "Renee' Will Be Coming Soon".

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Renee at Home In Muriwai Beach

Muriwai Beach is a beautiful coastal community of 2,000 people located on the west coast of North island and is one of the most ruggedly, picturesque wilderness in New Zealand located within a 30 minute drive west from Auckland City. It is known for its spectacular black volcanic sand beaches, great surfing, fantastic scenery and home to one of New Zealand's largest colony of gannets. Renee's home sits on a bluff overlooking Maori Bay. The noble beast Renee' is on was provided by Muriwai Beach Riding Center and the photo was taken by Calli for the June 20, 08 issue of NEXT Magazine.

From the Muriwai Beach Bluffs that Overlook Maori Bay

From Muriwai Beach Looking Back at the Bluffs

These Cliffs overlooking Murwai Beach provided the location for the infamous 'Gabdrag' which may be one of the most heinous scenes ever filmed for XWP in "The Bitter Suite". That episode was in Season Three and Renee' bought her home soon after filming here.

Renee Will Be Comming Soon to Your TV DVD Local Theater or on Stage

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Renee's upcoming movie Monster Ark (formerly Genesis Code), debuting Saturday, Aug. 9, on the Sci Fi Channel ...

"When scientists believe they have found Noah's Ark atop Turkey's Mount Ararat, an expedition is formed to find the ancient ship. They end up discovering two arks and a deadly creature that Noah had tried to drown at sea. Unfortunately for the expedition, the monster still roams the bowels of the ark, and you've got to know it's hungry after all those centuries."

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GhostTown is in the AOL Film Festival International and will be shown July 25th at 6:00pm PCT at the Laemmle Theaters which are located at One Colorado Blvd in Old Pasadena, CA (that is in Metro LA County).

AOF 2008 Schedule: Friday July 25, 2008 The AOF Fest begins. Films will be shown from Friday the 25th to Thursday the 31st - 2008.

Go to http://www.aoffest.com/ and then select: 2008 AOF Tickets Available Now From there select AOF Single Program Pass. This will provide you with all the information you need to order your ticket (cost $8.00 in advance - $10.00 at the door.) I would STRONGLY recommend that you order in advance. If you prefer to order by phone, simply call the AOF Hotline at 626.355.6929. All tickets will be available at will call at the AOF Hospitality Booth at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel located at Courtyard Los Angeles Pasadena/Old Town 180 North Fair Oaks Avenue Pasadena, California 91103 USA Phone: 1-626-403-7600. Their programming is broken into 60+ 2 Hour Blocks which means that a single program pass allows you entry into one of those 60+ 2 hour Blocks that will run from July 25-31, 2008.

PLEASE NOTE: Tickets are sold on a first come first served basis. Should any screening be full, you may use your ticket at any other available single program and GT will not be shown again!

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LATEST NEWS:
Renee O'Connor was scheduled to have a 3 to 4 show arch that would be a lesbian relationship in Army Wives. That was the plan before the Writers Guild strike, and that was one of the reasons many of us were excited about the second season of the popular Lifetime show, which began earlier this month.

Unfortunately, plans change, and it looks like Renee's lesbian/bi character may not be making an appearance this season, after all.

Series creator Katherine Fugate gave me this explanation on her website in response to a post:

"Renee herself is not the issue. she has fans all around.

When we returned from the strike, the scripts hadn't even been written yet. there was a long discussion with many different important players on what season 2 should be about. storylines are being revisited and some have changed - as can be expected when the scripts haven't been written and one discovers what "feels" right and what doesn't for an entire season. as always, I will be on the lookout for a part for renee. as i have always done. it will happen. don't lose faith."

I have posted a 2nd question on her website, asking for a more definitive answer ... but so far no nothing.

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