# Deborah Rennard

Deborah Rennard is an American actress, writer and producer, best known for her role as Sly Lovegren in Dallas (1981–1991).

## Life and career

Rennard was born in Los Angeles, California. In 1981 she was cast in a recurring role on Dallas as J.R. Ewing's loyal secretary Sylvia "Sly" Lovegren. She appeared in the series from 1981 to 1991 and later was cast in the 1996 film J.R. Returns. After Dallas, she had role in daytime soap operas Days of Our Lives and Sunset Beach, and guest starred on Silk Stalkings, Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, and Due South. In film, Rennard played the leading role as Harmony in the 1986 science fiction action film Land of Doom. She starred as Cynthia alongside Jean-Claude Van Damme in the 1990 martial arts film Lionheart. She later appeared in films Kazaam (1996) and Gang Related (1997). She left acting and as of late 1990s began career as stage producer. She co-produced the short-lived 1997 CBS crime drama series EZ Streets and the 2007 crime drama film In the Valley of Elah.
Rennard met her future husband, Academy Awards-winning director Paul Haggis, during the filming of Due South in 1994. In 1997, Rennard married Haggis. They divorced in 2016. She grew up in the Church of Scientology and privately left the faith around the time of his highly contentious exit from the church. She said the end of their marriage happened for other reasons, unrelated to the church exit.
After the divorce, Rennard returned to acting appearing in an episodes of FBI: Most Wanted and Law & Order in 2022. In 2023, she played lead character's mother in the horror-comedy film Appendage.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1986 | Land of Doom | Harmony | |
| 1990 | Lionheart | Cynthia Caldera | |
| 1996 | Kazaam | Malik's Dinner Mate | |
| 1996 | Dallas: J.R. Returns | Sylvia 'Sly' Lovegren | TV movie |
| 1997 | Gang Related | Caroline Divinci | |
| 2007 | In the Valley of Elah | | Producer |
| 2021 | Deck the Heart | Elaine Stein | |
| 2021 | You Can Never Go Home Again | May Malcolm | |
| 2021 | The Families Feud | Stella | |
| 2023 | Appendage | Stacy | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1985 | Hardcastle and McCormick | Lucy | Episode: "Strangle Hold" |
| 1989 | Freddy's Nightmares | Britt | Episode: "Dreams That Kill" |
| 1990 | Hardball | Melinda | Episode: "The Cool Katt" |
| 1981-1991 | Dallas | Sylvia 'Sly' Lovegren | Recurring role, 188 episodes |
| 1991 | Days of Our Lives | Whitney Baker | Recurring role |
| 1991 | Silk Stalkings | Monica Cameron | Episode: "Going to Babylon" |
| 1994 | Side Effects | Lesley Carswell | Episode: "In Sickness and in Health" |
| 1995 | Kung Fu: The Legend Continues | Lilly Montgomery Caine | Episode: "Gunfighters" |
| 1995 | Forever Knight | Julia Winwood | Episode: "Partners of the Month" |
| 1994-1995 | Due South | Dr. Esther Pearson | Recurring role, 5 episodes |
| 1995 | TekWar | Rachel | Episode: "Zero Tolerance" |
| 1997 | Michael Hayes | Christine Speyers | Episode: "Slaves" |
| 1998 | Sunset Beach | Dr. Julie Fenmore | Recurring role |
| 2000-2001 | Family Law | DDA Ann Hoffner | Episodes: "The Choice" and "Safe at Home" |
| 2015 | Show Me a Hero (TV series) | Poodle Lady | Episode: 1.6 |
| 2022 | FBI: Most Wanted | Jodee Perwin | Episode: "Incel" |
| 2022 | Law & Order | Audrey White | Episode: "Wicked Game" |
| 2022 | East New York | Brenda Sykes | Episode: "Pilot" |