Profile
Ethnicity
Māori
Location
Auckland, New Zealand
Height
169 cm
Age Range
49–69
Also Represented in
United States of America
Career Highlights
Rena Owen is a New Zealand–born, Māori actress whose award-winning career has spanned more than 35 years across international film, television, and theatre production. She is one of only six actors in the world as well as the only woman to have worked with both George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. Rena is best known for her iconic performance as Beth Heke in the landmark New Zealand film “Once Were Warriors”, as well as her roles as Taun We in “Star Wars: Attack of the Clones” and “The Bad Batch”, Nee Alavar in “Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith”, and major roles in “The Last Witch Hunter”, Freeform’s “Siren”, Seth MacFarlane’s “The Orville”, and Stan’s “The Gloaming.” Rena is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) and was awarded the 2023 Septimius Award for Best Oceanic Actress for her portrayal of trailblazing New Zealand leader Whina Cooper in “Whina.” She will soon be seen as Gramma Tala in Disney’s highly anticipated live action “Moana”, set for release in July 2026 and in the Jessica Alba–led feature film "The Mark", recently shot on the Gold Coast.
Awards.
| 2012 | Nominated for Best TV Actress for East, West 101 AACTA; Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts | ||
| 2011 | Nominated for Best TV Actress for East, West 101 Montecarlo International TV Festival | ||
| 2011 | Nominated for TV Guide’s People’s Choice Best Actress award for Shortland Street | ||
| 2011 | Shortland Street Best Supporting Actress, Aotearoa Film and TV Award | ||
| 1998 | Dance Me to My Song Best Supporting Actress Nomination | ||
| 1997 | Coverstory Best Actress in a Television Drama Nomination, New Zealand | ||
| 1995 | Best Actress Award at the Oporto Film Festival for Once Were Warriors | ||
| 1995 | Once Were Warriors - Benny Award for Excellence in Film, New Zealand | ||
| 1995 | Once Were Warriors - Best Actress Award, Montreal Film Festival | ||
| 1995 | Once Were Warriors - Best Actress Award, San Diego Film Festival | ||
| 1995 | Once Were Warriors - Toastmasters Communicator of the Year, New Zealand | ||
| 1995 | Once Were Warriors Best Actress Independent Spirit Awards | ||
Feature Film.
| 2026 | Moana Live-Action | Gramma Tala | Disney Dir. Thomas Kail |
| 2023 | Maya | Sandy | Dir. Julia Verdin |
| 2022 | A Mistake | Tessa Williams (Supporting) | Dir. Christine Jeffs |
| 2022 | KĀINGA | Nan (Supporting ) | Dir. Nahyeon Lee |
| 2020 | Whina | Whina | Dir. Paula Whetu Jones & James Napier Robertson |
| 2018 | Escape and Evasion | Michelle | Bronte Pictures Pty Ltd Dir. Storm Ashwood |
| 2017 | Without a Body | Mordeya | Dir. Harvey Lowry |
| 2016 | Asomatous | Mordeya (Lead) | Dir. Harvey Lowry |
| 2015 | The Last Witch Hunter | Glaeser (Lead) | Dir. Breck Eisner |
| 2014 | The Dead Lands | Hongi's Grandmother (Supporting) | Dir. Toa Fraser |
| 2014 | The Last Survivors | Cameo (Cameo) | Dir. Tom Hammock |
| 2014 | The Well | Claire (Supporting) | Dir. Tom Hammock |
| 2014 | Where Are They Now? - Once Were Warriors 20th Anniversary | Dir. Julian Arahanga | |
| 2012 | Alyce Kills | Danielle (Supporting) | Dir. Jay Lee |
| 2011 | Absolute Killers | Judge Irwin | Dir. Heather Hale |
| 2011 | The Exquisite Continent | Narrator (Narrator) | Dir. Stephen Gyllenhaal |
| 2009 | Spout | Oma (Lead) | Dir. Alex Munoz |
| 2009 | Veronika Decides to Die | Nurse Josephine (Supporting) | Dir. Emily Young |
| 2008 | A Beautiful Life | Sam (Supporting) | Dir. Alejandro Chomski |
| 2008 | Rain of the Children | Puhi (Lead) | Dir. Vincent Ward |
| 2007 | Amusement | Psychiatrist (Supporting) | Dir. John Simpson |
| 2007 | Finding Red Cloud | Barfly | Dir. Michael O'Connor |
| 2007 | Ocean of Pearls | Anna Berisha (Supporting) | Dir. Sarab Neelam |
| 2007 | The Iron Man | Dolores (Supporting) | Dir. Alex Nam |
| 2006 | Horrible Flowers | Nancy (Lead) | Dir. Eric Tretbar |
| 2005 | Deadly | Aunt Bonnie | |
| 2005 | Freezerburn | Lee (Supporting) | Dir. Melissa Balin |
| 2005 | Mee-Shee: The Water Giant | Crazy Norma (Supporting) | Dir. John Henderson |
| 2005 | Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith | Senator Nee Alavar (Supporting) | Dir. George Lucas |
| 2005 | The Crow: Wicked Prayer | Mary (Supporting) | Dir. Lance Mungia |
| 2004 | The Land Has Eyes: Pear ta ma ‘on maf | Warrior Woman (Supporting) | Dir. Vilsoni Hereniko |
| 2003 | Nemesis Game | Emily Gray (Supporting) | Dir. Jessie Warne |
| 2002 | A Thousand Guns | Gypsy | |
| 2002 | Pledge of Allegiance | Maria MacIntyre (Supporting) | Dir. Lee Madsen |
| 2002 | sIDney | Clarissa | |
| 2002 | Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones | Taun We | Dir. George Lucas |
| 2001 | Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) | Ticket Taker (Cameo) | Dir. Steven Spielberg |
| 2001 | Soul Assassin | Karina (Supporting) | Dir. Laurence Malkin |
| 2000 | Her Iliad | Lena (Supporting) | Dir. Jesse Warn |
| 2000 | The Mary Kay Letourneau Story: All-American Girl | Soona Fualaau | Dir. Lloyd Kramer |
| 1999 | I’ll Make You Happy | Mickie (Supporting) | Dir. Athina Tsouli |
| 1999 | What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? | Beth Heke | Dir. Ian Mune |
| 1998 | Dance Me to My Song | Rix (Supporting) | Dir. Rolf de Heer |
| 1998 | When Love Comes | Katie Keen (Lead) | Dir. Garth Maxwell |
| 1997 | 9 Across | Joey (Lead) | Dir. Jesse Warn |
| 1997 | Vaudeville House | Nadine (Lead) | Dir. Marianne Rischert |
| 1995 | Once Were Warriors | Beth Heke (Lead) | Dir. Lee Tamahori |
| 1994 | Rapa Nui | Hitirengi (Supporting) | Dir. Reynolds |
Television.
| 2022 | Super Giant Robot Brothers (Animated Series) | Sarge (Guest) | Dir. Mark Andrews |
| 2020 | Vegas | Rawinia Duncan (Guest) | Greenstone TV Dir. Michael Bennett and Kiel McNaughton |
| 2019 | The Gloaming | Grace Cochrane | Dir. Michael Rymer, Greg McLean, Sian Davies |
| 2018 | Siren - Season 1-3 | Helen Hawkins | Freeform Dir. Nick Copus |
| 2017 | The Deep | Helen (Series Regular) | Dir. Scott Stewart |
| 2017 | The Orville | Heveena | Dir. Brannon Braga |
| 2016 | Joy | Kaylee (Guest Star) | Dir. Nan (Arnaud Dufour) |
| 2015 | The Red Road - Season 2 | Medicine Woman (Guest Star) | Dir. Randall Einhorn |
| 2012 | Longmire - Season 4 | Medicine Woman (Guest Star) | Dir. T.J. Scott |
| 2012 | The Straits | Kitty Montebello (Series Lead) | |
| 2011 | East West 101 - Season 3 | Mere Hahunga (Series Regular) | Dir. Peter Andrikidis |
| 2011 | Shortland Street | Hine Ryan | |
| 2009 | East West 101 - Season 2 | Mere Hahunga (Series Regular) | Dir. Peter Andrikidis |
| 2009 | Fear Clinic | Brett’s Mom | Dir. Robert Hall |
| 2009 | Piece of My Heart | Kat (Lead) | Dir. Fiona Samuels |
| 2009 | Prison Break | SHU C.O. (Guest Star) | Dir. Kevin Hooks |
| 2002 | Angel | Dinza (Reccuring) | |
| 2001 | Aroha Maori Drama Series | Wai | |
| 2001 | Gideon’s Crossing | Tara McPhearson (Guest Star) | |
| 2001 | Living Face | Wai | Dir. Sally-Anne Kerr |
| 2000 | Dark Knight | The Rock Witch | |
| 1996 | Beth’s World | Presenter | |
| 1996 | Medivac - Adrenalin Junkies | Macy Fields (Series lead) | |
| 1995 | Coverstory | Mairanga (Guest Star) | Dir. Mike Smith |
| 1995 | High Tide | Kara Gibson | |
| 1995 | Savage Play | Takiora (Supporting) | Dir. Alan Lindsay |
| 1995 | The Call Up | Emily | Dir. David Blyth |
| 1992 | The Visitation | Cheryl Natana | Dir. Ian Mune |
| 1990 | Shark in the Park | Ngaire (Lead) | |
| 1989 | Betty’s Bunch | Shirley Gardner (Recurring) | |
| 1989 | Roimata | Girlie | Dir. Riwia Brown |
| 1989 | Variations on a Theme | Nancy (Lead) | Dir. Don Selwyn |
| 1988 | Nightmare to a Dream | Cindy (Lead) | |
| 1987 | Open Space | HMP Officer | |
| 1987 | Reporting London | Customs Official | |
| 1986 | Breaking Through | Cinderella |
Theatre.
| 2021 | Two Ladies | Sandy (Supporting) | Auckland Theater Company Dir. Colin McColl |
| 2009 | The Pohutukawa Tree | Aroha Mataira | |
| 2001 | Bare | Director | |
| 2000 | Haruru Mai | Pearl | |
| 1998 | West | Sylvia | |
| 1997 | Fine Dancing | Hina | |
| 1996 | Kvetch | Donna | |
| 1993 | The Hungry City | Riria | |
| 1993 | The Hungry City | Riria | |
| 1992 | Land of Trash | Rahui | |
| 1992 | Te Whanau a Tuanui Jones | Director | |
| 1991 | In the Wilderness without a Hat (On Ilkla Moor b’aht ‘at) | Director | |
| 1991 | Te Hokina | Girlie | |
| 1991 | Whatungarongaro - Adelaide Theatre Festival - Australia, NZ | Ruby | |
| 1990 | Daddy’s Girl | Writer / Rose | |
| 1990 | Iwitaia | Pene | |
| 1990 | No Ordinary Sun | Various | |
| 1990 | Te Hara (The Sin) | Director | |
| 1989 | Outside In | Di/Sandy | |
| 1989 | The Feds | Various | |
| 1988 | Voices from Prison | CB | |
| 1987 | Coexistences | Susie | |
| 1987 | Te Awa I Tahuti (The River that Ran Away) | Writer / Toni |
Short Film.
| 2016 | Lost Girls | Cop | Rough Diamond Productions Dir. Julia Verdin |
| 2009 | Spout | Oma | Dir. Alex Munoz |
| 2004 | Leela | Mother Earth (Lead) | Dir. Malik Vitthal |
| 1995 | Hinekaro goes on a Picnic and Blows Up Another Obelisk | Hinekaro (Lead) | Dir. Christine Parker |
| 1991 | The Visitation | Cheryl Natana (Guest Star) |
Training.
| Graig Wallace Acting for Camera, Los Angeles - 2005 | |||
| Margie Haber Summer Intensive, Los Angeles - 2002 | |||
| The Actor's Institute, London - 1985 |