Profile
Ethnicity
Māori
Location
Auckland, New Zealand
Height
169 cm
Age Range
48–68
Also Represented in
United States of America
Career Highlights
Rena Owen is renowned for her unforgettable portrayal of Beth Heke in the seminal New Zealand film "Once Were Warriors," marking the start of a prolific career that spans across a diverse array of international film and television productions, including notable roles in George Lucas’s "Star Wars: Attack of the Clones," Spielberg’s "A.I. Artificial Intelligence," "The Last Witch Hunter," US /Freeform "Sirens," "The Dead Lands," "Vegas," "Orville," alongside Seth MacFarlane and Australian series "The Gloaming." Rena is currently overseas, working on Disney's Live-Action "Moana" as the role of Moana's Gramma Tala.
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 |
Film Film.
| 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 |
Short Film.
| 2016 | Lost Girls | Cop | Rough Diamond Productions Dir. Julia Verdin |
| 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) |
Short Film Film.
| 2009 | Spout | Oma | Dir. Alex Munoz |
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 Series 2 | Medicine Woman (Guest Star) | Dir. Randall Einhorn |
| 2012 | Longmire Series 4 | Medicine Woman (Guest Star) | Dir. T.J. Scott |
| 2012 | The Straits | Kitty Montebello (Series Lead) | |
| 2011 | East West 101 Series 3 | Mere Hahunga (Series Regular) | Dir. Peter Andrikidis |
| 2011 | Shortland Street | Hine Ryan | |
| 2009 | East West 101 Series 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 |
Training.
| Graig Wallace Acting for Camera, Los Angeles - 2005 | |||
| Margie Haber Summer Intensive, Los Angeles - 2002 | |||
| The Actor's Institute, London - 1985 |