Renee O'Connor

**Reneé O'Connor** (born **Evelyn Reneé O'Connor** on February 15, 1971 in Houston, Texas) is an American actress, producer and director best known for playing the role of Gabrielle on the TV series _Xena: Warrior Princess_ from 1995 to 2001.

### Early career

O'Connor had her first acting role at age eight as a caterpillar during a Theater on Wheels production. At age twelve, she began studying acting at Houston's Alley Theatre, and later attended the _High School for the Performing and Visual Arts_ in Houston. She transferred back to Taylor High School to graduate with her friends.

### Television career

O'Connor began her television career at the age of sixteen with commercials for McDonald's and Exxon. A string of other commercials followed, as well as a series of odd jobs such as Porky Pig at Astroworld and an aerobics instructor in Los Angeles. In 1989, O'Connor landed a recurring role in a serial called _Teen Angel_, featured on the "New Mickey Mouse Club." This led to roles in another Disney serial called _Match Point_, and an episode of _Tales from the Crypt_ (directed by Arnold Schwarzenegger), though her Crypt role was later cut. O'Connor then played a  student on the NBC special "The Flood", Cheryl Ladd's daughter in Danielle Steel'<nowiki/>s "Changes", a woman captured by Shawnee Indians in ABC's _Follow the River_, an actress who hires Rockford as her bodyguard in _The Rockford Files: A Blessing in Disguise_, Julia Wilkes in Disney's "The Adventures of Huck Finn", and the daughter of a murdered couple in an episode of _NYPD Blue_.

O'Connor first came to the attention of _Xena: Warrior Princess_ executive producers Robert Tapert and Sam Raimi with an "over-the-top" audition that won her the role of the young Deianeira in their two-hour "Action Pack" adventure _Hercules and the Lost Kingdom_. They were so impressed by her performance opposite _Hercules: The Legendary Journeys_ star Kevin Sorbo that they signed her for a starring role in _Darkman II: The Return of Durant_. She was later cast as Gabrielle, and co-starred opposite Lucy Lawless as Xena's companion on _Xena: Warrior Princess_.

O'Connor was voted #3 of the most intriguing people in 1996, #2 in 1997, and one of the most beautiful people of 1997, by People Magazine. O'Connor was featured in Maxim magazine in November 1999 with a photo shot and intimate interview. She made the cover of _TV Guide_ on the July 29, 2000 to August 4, 2000 issue as "one of "The Sexiest Stars in the Universe". She was voted #45 on FHM-US and FHM-Australia's 100 Sexiest Women in [2000]. In January 2007, O'Connor topped the 2006 annual list of LesbiaNation.com – establishing her as the longest reigning queen of their top-ten list of "Women We Love". O'Connor has a cult following in the lesbian community, stemming from her role as Gabrielle in _Xena: Warrior Princess_ and her ambiguous relationship with her traveling companion Xena. Although O'Connor is heterosexual, she loves her gay and lesbian fans and has appeared at gay-pride events such as the _Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras_ and the 2007 Dinah Shore Weekend in Palm Springs. In June 2007, and again in June 2008, O'Connor was named to the AfterEllen.com Hot 100 List.

After the end of _Xena_, O'Connor began a movie production company, ROC Pictures. Her first independent production was _Diamonds and Guns_, a romantic comedy about two friends who go to Las Vegas to find true love. It was shot digitally. O'Connor raised funds for the movie by selling autographed photos and a few of her personal paintings on eBay. In 2008 O'Connor was working on her second ROC Pictures LLC movie..

In 2019 she was to  open her own Theatre Company, named "House of Bards Theatre Company".

### Charity

O'Connor is an active supporter of the Alissa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation, working each year at the Southern California Firefighters Burn Relay which benefits the Foundation. She also set up The Renée O'Connor Outreach Fund which is designed to raise money for families in need and to support families whose medical bills have become too overwhelming due to serious illness.

### Early life and personal life

O'Connor was born to Walter and Sandra O'Connor. Her mother and stepfather, Sandra and Eddie Wilson, own the restaurant "Threadgill's" in Austin, famous for being the site of Janis Joplin's first performance. She has an older brother named Chris, who is a grocery store manager, and her biological father Walter is a finance manager.

From 1995 to 2001, during the filming of _Xena_, O'Connor lived in Auckland, New Zealand, where she still owns a home. O'Connor married New Zealand native and restaurant manager Steve Muir on October 14, 2000. They have a son, Miles William Muir (born September 22, 2001). The couple divorced in 2005. O'Connor became involved with Jed Sura, an actor she met while filming _ Enter_ in 2003 and later _Diamonds and Guns_ in 2004. She and Sura have a daughter, Iris Sura O'Connor (born March 19, 2006).

O'Connor is an accomplished artist, with a showing at the Submerged Art Gallery in Los Angeles, June 2005. She is also proficient in several forms of martial arts, including Taekwondo and Shinkendo, as well as the use of the Karate Bō Staff, the Nunchaku, the Sais, and the Japanese Kumori Katana.

## Awards

|**Year**|**Category**|**Role**|**Score**|
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
|2000|_Best Actress TV Series_|Gabrielle from Xena: Warrior Princess|Won|
|2001|_UPBEAT Entertainment News Award for Best Actress in a TV Drama or Comedy Series_|Gabrielle from Xena: Warrior Princess|Won|
|2001|_The Tube File Awards - Best Actress in a TV Drama or Comedy Series_|Gabrielle from Xena: Warrior Princess|Won|
|2005|_One Weekend a Month - Sundance Film Festival - Short Filmaking Award_|Meg McDermott|Winner of Jury Prize in Short Filmmaking.|

### Starring roles

|**Year**|**Title**|**Role**|**Other notes**|
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
|2009|_Words Unspoken_||A ROC Pictures Production. Writer / Producer / Director / Leading Actor: Renee' O'Connor|
|2009|_Ark_|Connie|web series feature and CGI.|
|2008|_Monster Ark_|Eva Solomon|TV (SCI-FI) Release Date August 9, 2008 Sci-Fi Channel|
|2008|_Boogeyman 2_|Dr. Ryan|Release Ghost House Pictures January 2008 DVD, Sony Entertainment Dist.|
|2007|_Ghost Town - The Movie_|Little Jack|Released 2008 DVD, Barnholtz Entertainment Dist.|
|2007|_Diamonds and Guns_ (Production: 2003/2007)|Ashley|The DVD was first released 09/12/07 by ROC Pictures, LLC - Followed by the International Release 02/04/08 by amazon.com|
|2005|_Xena: The 10th Anniversary Collection_|Gabrielle|DVD|
|2005|_Alien Apocalypse_|Kelly|TV (SCI-FI)|
|2004|_One Weekend a Month - (A short movie)_|Meg McDermott|TV - DVD - movie Festival Winner|
|2003|_Enter_|Short movie|Anita Jessie 2003 movie Festival|
|2000|Rubbernecking''|Ashton|DVD|
|1998|_Hercules and Xena - The Animated Movie: The Battle for Mount Olympus_|Gabrielle (voice)|Video|
|1995|_"Xena: Warrior Princess"_ 1995-2001|Gabrielle|Co-Star of this TV Series for 6 yrs.|
|1995|_The Rockford Files: A Blessing in Disguise_|Laura Sue Dean|TV Series|
|1995|_Follow the River_|Bettie Draper|TV|
|1994|_Hercules: The Legendary Journeys – Hercules and the Lost Kingdom_|Deianeira|TV & DVD|
|1994|_Darkman II: The Return of Durant_|Laurie Brinkman|Video|
|1994|_A Place For Sara_|Sara|movie About a Mentally Ill Woman|
|1993|_The Flood: Who Will Save Our Children?_|Leslie|TV|
|1993|_The Adventures of Huck Finn_|Julia Wilks|Walt Disney Pictures film|
|1993|_NYPD Blue - Oscar, Meyer, Weiner_|Rebecca Sloane|TV|
|1993|_Sworn to Vengeance_|Julia Wilks|TV|
|1992|_FBI: The Untold Stories - Blue Fiber_|Ofc. Renée Lanot|TV|
|1992|_FBI: The Untold Stories - Millionaire Murderer_|Ofc. Renée Lanot|TV|
|1991|_Stone Cold_|Tinselteeth|TV|
|1991|_ABC Afrer School - The Less Than Perfect Daughter _|Linda|TV|
|1991|_Changes_|Jessica Adams|TV|
|1990|_False Identity_|Angela Errickson|TV|
|1989|_Night Game_|Lorraine Beasley|TV|
|1989|_Black Snow_|Jennifer Winslow|TV & DVD|
|1989|_Match Point_|Robin|TV|
|1989|_"Teen Angel"_|Nancy Nichols|TV Series|

### Guest-starring roles

|**Year**|**Title**|**Role**|**Episode**|
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
|2008|_Bitch Slap (a movie)_|Sister Batrille|Cameo Appearance in this Eric Gruendemann Rick Jacobson Production|
|2008|_Criminal Minds_|Pam Bateman|Episode 60 "A Higher Power" April 9, 2008|
|2002|_Mataku_|American Buyer|1.2 "_The Heirloom_"|
|2001|_Entertainment Tonight_|Herself|Episode dated February 17, 2001|
|1999|_Hercules: The Legendary Journeys_|Sunny Day|5.9 "_For Those of You Just Joining Us..._"|
|1999|_Entertainment Tonight_|Herself|Episode dated October 16, 1999|
|1998|_Hercules: The Legendary Journeys_|Gabrielle|4.14 "_Armageddon Now: Part 2_"|
|1998|_Entertainment Tonight_|Herself|Episode dated October 16, 1999|
|1997|_Hercules: The Legendary Journeys_|the executioner|4.5 "_Stranger in a Strange World_"|
|1997|_E! News Daily_|Herself|Episode dated October 18, 1997|
|1997|_Hercules: The Legendary Journeys_|Gabrielle|3.15 "_Judgment Day_"|
|1995|_Entertainment Tonight_|Herself|Episode dated August 21, 1998|
|1993|_NYPD Blue_|Rebecca Sloane|1.10 "_Oscar, Meyer, Weiner_"|
|1992|_Arresting Behavior_|Jade Pearl||
|1992|_FBI: The Untold Stories_|Ofc. Renee Lanot|"_Blue Fiber_"|
||_FBI: The Untold Stories_|Tina Marie Risico|"_Millionaire Murderer_"|
|1990|_Tales from the Crypt_|Waitress (scenes deleted)|2.2 "_The Switch_"|

### Director

|**Year**|**Title**|**Other Notes**|
| --- | --- | --- |
|2009|_"Words Unspoken"_|Director for ROC Pictures, LLC|
|2008|_"Diamonds and Guns"_|2nd Unit Director for ROC Pictures, LLC|
|2001|_"Xena: Warrior Princess"_|TV Series episode "Dangerous Prey"|
|1999|_"Xena: Warrior Princess"_|TV Series episode "Déjà Vu All Over Again"|
|1995|_"Girls Just Wanna Have Fun - Xena Warrior Princess"_|For DVD International|

### Producer

|**Year**|**Title**|**Other Notes**|
| --- | --- | --- |
|2009|_"Words Unspoken"_|A ROC Pictures, LLC Short Film|
|2007|_"Diamonds and Guns"_|Production: 2004/2006) A ROC Pictures, LLC Production|

### Writer

|**Year**|**Title**|**Other Notes**|
| --- | --- | --- |
|2009|_"Words Unspoken"_|A ROC Pictures, LLC Short Film|

### Video Game roles

|**Year**|**Title**|**Role**|**Other notes**|
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
|1998|_StarCraft_|Miscellaneous Crew|Thanks|

### Live theater roles

|**Year**|**Title**|**Role**|**Location**|
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
|2002|_Macbeth_|Lady Macbeth|Los Angeles, CA|

## Other websites

- Official Reneé O'Connor Site
- Renee O'Connor at AUSXIP
- TheStarScoop.com Interview

## Infobox (actor)

- **name**: Reneé O'Connor
- **image**: Renee O'Connor Xena Con 2007.jpg
- **caption**: Renee O'Connor Xena Con 2007
- **birthname**: Evelyn Reneé O'Connor
- **birth place**: Houston, Texas
- **website**: http://houseofbards.org/
http://rocpictures.com/
- **spouse**: Steve Muir (2000-2005) (divorced) 1 child /
Jed Sura (2017) 1 child
- **domesticpartner**: Jed Sura (2004–present, married in 2017) 1 child
- **children**: Miles William Muir /
Iris Sura O'Connor