Reneé O'Connor
Reneé O'Connor - one of the most fabulous talents you'll ever catch is best known for her role as spunky Gabrielle on Xena: Warrior Princess. With new roles on the way and a short film in the Sundance Film Festival, her fans are finally getting a chance to see this gem of a star really shine. We talked with the incredibly sweet Reneé about her career and so much more.
Photo by Ellen Filler
THE STAR SCOOP:
How are you choosing your roles these days?
RENEE O'CONNOR:
Because I'm a mom now, as well as someone who wants to have a career, I have to really pick and choose what's going to be the best for everyone. So I'm trying to find things that I really feel passionately about. And that aren't too long of a commitment [laughs]. So I'm looking for parts that are going to say something about someone who is growing and finding themselves - I believe that we do that throughout life in different stages or I love the hero stories: someone who rises above all obstacles and overcomes it to become something bigger than themselves. It's just a matter of reading some material and seeing if I resonate with it and then if I do, looking into how I can become a part of it.
THE STAR SCOOP:
How do you decide if you want to act or direct or produce or some combination?
O'CONNOR:
How do you decide? I think it comes down to the material and who else is attached. If it's something that I've just been asked to act in - then that's pretty self explanatory [laughs]. But if it's something that I have designed the material myself and I want to create a project then I might come at it as a producer or actor or I might say I'd like to direct this and someone else produce it and act. But I do find that it's hard to take on all the roles at the same time. People do it, now especially with digital media, but it's a still a collaborative endeavor - filmmaking. And it's always nice to have other people around you that support your vision.
THE STAR SCOOP:
Do you think it takes a different type of talent to perform live vs. working in TV?
O'CONNOR:
There are different skills involved in both. In film and television you have to be able to see the whole picture in a different way than you do on the stage because you shoot out of order and you're working with technology. But on stage you're able to just take the character from one point to the end and it's a fluid, organic piece. It's about being completely present all the time, right there in the moment. And I guess with filmmaking you have the downtime so you have to sort of stay connected to the character, but you're able to have a cup of coffee and talk to someone else, [laughs] you know? It's more about elasticity in filmmaking - being able to kind of come and go within the work as opposed to on stage once you're on, you're on.
THE STAR SCOOP:
Alien Apocalypse and
One Weekend a Month are more present/future based while
Xena and
Macbeth were in the past. What time period do you enjoy working in most?
O'CONNOR:
I believe right now I really love working in the present. But it's always different for me. When
Xena finished I just really wanted to work with Shakespeare's material. It wasn't so much about the time frame of it; it was more about just working with his words. And I think right now I'm just enjoying finding something such as
One Weekend a Month where I can really resonate with this woman's history and her situation. I feel for this woman. And I'm against the war. I mean obviously I'm pro troops. You know I believe in supporting them because they're the ones that are taking the brunt for all of us, but I just really wish that we hadn't started this to begin with. But what I think is great about One Weekend a Month is that it really brings to light the profile of a mother going to war. Something like this - because it's in our life right now, it's perfect for me to work on. I'd say present day right now.
O'CONNOR:
I'll tell you a little story about filming
One Weekend a Month. They're going to show the short film on the sundance.org website on January 20-30th and it's interesting because there are a couple of children in the short film and I'm cussing the whole time and the way we staged it is that we worked with the little boy first I didn't say anything that was bad, you know and I just sort of acted out some things and then they filmed him and then they shot the little girl - well she's not little - she's about eleven now - it might be up to twelve. We did her material and then we started working with me and that's when the real rawness of this character comes out and she just cusses without even thinking about it. She's just so unapologetic about her environment which is pretty traumatic when you see the two children. But anyway, I was so kind of horrified of having to cuss in front of this beautiful girl, beautiful spirit. I said, you know I'm really sorry [laughs]. And she said oh don't worry about it I've got a sixteen year old sister and she says everything to me. And I just thought oh my god, that's so...it was so funny but at the same time it was just so interesting for me because I was worried about cussing in front of her.
THE STAR SCOOP:
Do you think anyone will have a hard time not necessarily believing your character but - people see you as this very innocent, sweet, person and then they see you swearing. Do you think that will be hard for them to believe or that you think you played it pretty well?
O'CONNOR:
You know what it is? I think it's sometimes hard for people sometimes to accept, but not to believe. And the reason that is, is because people have an idea of who I am based on the characters I have played, which is mostly Gabrielle because she's the most high profile. And I think because there is an essence of me that cares about other people and what other people think then that then makes me seem very sweet and polite. But on the other hand, I think as an actor, you tend to want to look at the darker parts of your psyche. And this character is still very much a part of me. I don't think it's that far off [laughs]. But it's upsetting for me to watch because it's a character that I'm not proud of, and I guess that's why I told you the story about the cussing - because if people do log on who are sixteen, you know, I don't have that in my house. I don't believe in cussing around my son who's three of course, but I don't even believe in teaching that. I'm trying to teach him that it's about being a good person. It's hard for me to watch, every time I watch it, it's uh, it's ugly, you know. But I don't think that people find it unbelievable, I just think they kind of find it hard to accept. There's a lot of cussing. Not as much as the actual filming of the day, they took some of it out, but, you know, it is what it is.
THE STAR SCOOP:
Do you see your work making a difference in other people's lives? How so?
O'CONNOR:
Well I hope it does. I hope that my work makes a difference because I think that's why I do it. I mean, I like to be creative because it challenges me to try to be better than I am as a person and I hope that in some way that that makes someone else think and feel something about themselves that then has given them the opportunity to grow. I can't imagine doing this kind of work if you're not going to affect someone. I just don't see what it's for. I mean yes you grow as a person but it's still about the greater consciousness of the world and to me that's truly why I'm doing this. I'm growing and learning all the time. Not only hopefully does it help my son but it will help everybody. And not to mean that I think I'm some special person, but I think we're all here for a very specific reason and once you figure out what that is then you're on the right track and we're all on the ride together.
THE STAR SCOOP:
You've really got your hand in everything – acting, directing, producing. Why did you decide to delve into these different aspects of the acting world?
O'CONNOR:
Well for me I think it's always been about a search - trying to figure out what can I do best [laughs]? How can I be here and make a difference in some way and feel like I'm trying to do something that is significant. And with
Xena it was different because that was just a wonderful opportunity for me to explore another side to the filmmaking but now it's really about - I don't know - they're all so different. But it's just about getting the work done. So how do you do it? If you have somebody that's a great producer that's fantastic, then you can do other roles. But it just comes down to trying to get the work out there and however the team fits together then that's the way it sort of plays into itself. I think you have to have different tools for each job - you know producer is very different from a director and very different from an actor. But if you're able to kind of see those different jobs then I think that you can put the hats on take them off as you need to.
THE STAR SCOOP:
How do you prepare for an emotional role or scene?
O'CONNOR:
I think it changes throughout your mind. I think before, if I had not experienced something, then I would just try to replace the feeling with something that was specific for me. If I'm having to like say on
Xena or something, Xena dying then I would sort of remind myself how I felt when one of my friends died. And so it was just sort of easy to replace that feeling with something that was specific for me. And then as you get older [laughs] life has many more challenges that present itself to you and you find that you want to explore everything about yourself that you've experienced up until this time and for me I've found that I have a well of life experiences that I can draw from and now for me it's about the courage to actually look at them and be able to use them. That's where I'm at. It's definitely about very personal experiences and you have to know how to relate to the character.
THE STAR SCOOP:
How did you end up with the role in
Alien Apocalypse?
O'CONNOR:
I was hanging out with Rob Tapert - I don't know if I was at his house or with Lucy or what. But basically Rob who was the executive producer on
Xena said that I should call up Bruce Campbell and Josh Becker - the star and director and let them know that I'm around and that I would like to do this because Bruce and Josh thought I was too young to play the part. But basically Rob just saw me and said you know what, you're perfect for this, you should call them up. And I did and it just went from there. But I've worked with these guys before, so it's like visiting relatives [laughs].
THE STAR SCOOP:
When is it set to air?
O'CONNOR:
The end of February. And it's going to be just fun, you know, it's like a cute little sci-fi flick from the sixties. It's just fun. It's all filmed very lightly and it's a lot of fun.
THE STAR SCOOP:
You climbed Mount Kilimanjaro. Why did you decide to do that?
O'CONNOR:
Yes [laughs]. I think at the time I was looking for something that was going to be interesting and fun [laughs]. And I was always up for a challenge. And to begin with it wasn't my idea, which is funny, it was my mother's. But I just thought it was fantastic and brilliant and jumped right on the bandwagon and started training for it. I fell in love with Africa while I was there. And so to be able to experience another part of - through the essence of the country then all the better really for me. It was an amazing experience. It took a lot of strength and determination and patience. And it was in the type of place where you were able to see people from all over the world and yet see that we all had one thing in common and that was to reach the pinnacle of the mountain. And I think that's just such a great attitude to have in life - you know to see that we're all really connected in some way. That's a nice way to look at. it.
THE STAR SCOOP:
That's got to be hard, climbing that.
O'CONNOR:
You know it wasn't as much as you would think. It wasn't as treacherous as something that you might find near Mount Everest. It wasn't like that at all. I mean it was difficult but it wasn't as difficult as I was expecting it to be. Most of the way it was pretty flat, but just gradually, gradually taking you up this mountain. It was only the last night that was pretty treacherous and that's when we started at midnight with a flashlight on our head and took maybe a couple steps in the sand trying to walk straight up this one peak and it was odd. I remember singing these television show tunes or something in my head to keep myself distracted from what was going on [laughs].
THE STAR SCOOP:
Do you have any advice for teen girls about being happy with themselves?
O'CONNOR:
Don't look at magazines [laughs]. Don't look at magazines because you really hear that it's hard to try to look at them and then compare yourself to them but it's really true - we're in a society as young girls we're expected that we have to dress a certain way and look a certain way. And truly, that starts so young for all of us and it goes all the way up until my age and I'm 33 and I'm still having to go, 'Oh, you know, I really don't want to do this because it doesn't feel right for me.' And especially being an actress because I'm in a place where people look at you with a little more scrutiny. If you can find a way to just believe that who you are is so unique and so precious and if you find that place within yourself and feel connected to it just with such honesty, if you can find that now, then it's going to help you in the long run because it doesn't go away - people are always going to expect you to - we're women. I mean or girls, women, it's all the same. We are always just trying to be strong and yet in touch with our bodies and the only way you can really do that is to believe in yourself because that's all that you have. Just believe in yourself and to find spirituality that's going to carry you. Because all the rest is just fluff. All the pictures in magazines and all of that is fun but in the end it's all about your soul and who you are and have you connected with the people.
THE STAR SCOOP:
What three words would you say best describe you?
O'CONNOR:
Open, loving, (pause) hmm. I'm trying to take it down to a word. Inquiring.
THE STAR SCOOP:
You've been a hero to many people. Who is your hero?
O'CONNOR:
I think anyone who is brave enough to be who they are all the time. And that means people who aren't afraid to stand alone if it goes against the collective consciousness of what's happening in society. People who are open and non judgmental to others. All these people heroes to me. So it is all of us, if we choose it to be.
THE STAR SCOOP:
Choose one question you'd like to answer and answer it.
O'CONNOR:
Hmm [laughs]. I've been looking at oil paintings from oriental artists lately, and the one artist who's inspired me right now is a man named Hokusai and I've had his book by my bed looking at how he interprets landscapes - mountains and water and flowers and birds. And there's this picture that's on the cover and it's a picture of a Tsunami. And it's really interesting to look at it and go, "wow," you know - it's just spectacular how he animates this wave. And now I look at it and it's so incredibly haunting because you look at this piece - it's called The Great Wave at Kanagawa and it's enormous and it's just incredible to see how within our lifetime on this planet that people have all experienced such bizarre natural disasters. And I'm not trying to sound, you know, gloom and doom but it's just interesting to see I don't know - how you can connect something that's so old - this is from 1830 to now. And you go oh my gosh. This touches all of us forever. And it's so beautifully done, at the same time kind of frightening. So that's something that's been by my bed - how about the book by my bed lately - that was the question.
THE STAR SCOOP:
What is one thing about you that your fans don't know?
O'CONNOR:
It's kind of like what do the fans not know about you? I mean - well today...you know what I mean? Today they don't know that - well, that I really enjoy spending time with my son today - I don't know [laughs].
THE STAR SCOOP:
You don't have an official website do you?
O'CONNOR:
No, but I will be bringing one up. That's a question nobody knows. I'm definitely working on trying to get a website up.
THE STAR SCOOP:
Is there something outside the acting world you're interested in pursuing? You mentioned painting.
O'CONNOR:
Yeah. Painting is a hobby for me. Filmmaking in general is just really where I'm putting all of my energy. This is going to be my year for really trying to write. Because I've always been more afraid of writing than I have of doing anything visually such as directing or acting. But I think the writing is going to really start to become more introspective and that's what I'm going to concentrate on this year. And hopefully I will write and direct my first short film for myself.
THE STAR SCOOP:
Do you have any idea what you want it to be about?
O'CONNOR:
I do actually. I pulled this little article out of a newspaper while I was working on
Xena, but it must have been eight years ago or something and it was about a man who tries to fulfill his dad's last dying wish. And it's that story and it's really sweet. It actually started off really sweet [laughs] but now I'm starting to look at really more psychological scenes that I want to portray in the short film. So I'm experimenting with it and it's becoming a little more abstract - I guess I can say that for filmmaking. It's going to be fun. For me it's all about creating a goal and fulfilling it.