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| | Actress Profile: Rene Russo |
"My age is not something I hide. I really don't. It's in every article, who cares. But it's not anything I necessarily talk about when I'm being hired on a film because we're neurotic. Women, in general, are neurotic; it's a horrible quality to have"
| | Rene Russo Mini-Bio: |
 Rene Marie Russo is an American film actress and a former fashion model.
Early Life:
Russo, an Italian American, was born on February 17, 1954 in a low-income neighborhood in Burbank, California, Rene was raised by her single mother. Her starving artist father took off when Rene was only 2 years old, leaving his wife and two daughters to fend for themselves.
In junior high, Rene was plagued with scoliosis, and had to wear a back brace for four years. Unable to deal with academics, and the school social scene, Rene dropped out of school in the tenth grade. Not only was she a social outcast, but she also wanted to help her single mother who was already working two jobs to support her family.
Wanting to alleviate her mother's financial burden, she began to take a variety of part-time jobs over the next 18 months, many for the free benefits. She sold refreshments at a movie theater, where she could see free movies, worked as a restaurant hostess where her meals were free, a store cashier at Disneyland, where she had free admission. She often had two jobs at one time. Her last job, which was solely for the paycheck, was a full-time job at an eyeglass factory, inspecting contact lenses.
Career:
Her luck changed after she attended a Rolling Stones concert. When she was leaving the concert, talent scout John Crosby was mesmerized by Rene's beauty and wanted to meet with her to take snapshots. These pictures and her meeting with John Crosby is what turned the once awkward girl into a glamorous model. Within a few months, Rene signed a contract with Ford Modeling Agency, and within a year had become a successful print and photographers model. Soon, her modeling breakthrough came when she graced the cover of Vogue.
By 1975, she had appeared on numerous magazine covers, was one of the most successful models in America, and was also starting to be seen in several TV commercials through the 1980s.
Russo shifted to acting in the late 1980s and made a strong debut as the catcher's ex-girlfriend in the cult baseball comedy Major League (1989, starring Charlie Sheen).
Her heyday was the early 1990s, when she co-starred with a glamour lineup of leading men in quick succession : Mel Gibson (Lethal Weapon III, 1992), Clint Eastwood (In the Line of Fire, 1993), John Travolta (Get Shorty, 1995) and Kevin Costner (Tin Cup, 1996).
She had the leading role in the strange zoological biopic Buddy (1997), then matched chiseled forty-something physiques with Pierce Brosnan in the 1999 remake of The Thomas Crown Affair (with Russo in the role created by Faye Dunaway). She rang in the new century by playing nefarious Natasha Fatale in The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle (2000).
She has starred in at least one major studio film per year from 1992 to 2002.
Although she did not appear in any films in 2003 or 2004, she co-starred with Al Pacino in the sports gambling drama Two For the Money, written by her husband, the screenwriter Dan Gilroy. Her latest film incarnation was through the character of Helen North, in Yours, Mine and Ours (2005), which was directed by Raja Gosnell.
Private Life:
 Her sister, Toni Russo was married to lyricist Bernie Taupin in the 1980s, and Rene appeared alongside her sister in the 1987 video for Taupin's solo song, "Citizen Jane."
She met her husband Dan Gilroy while they were both working on the film Freejack in 1992, Gilroy as screenwriter had turned down an offer to rewrite it and Rene had turned down an offer to star in it - both changed their minds, met on the set, and were soon married in March 14, 1992.
They have one daughter, Rose, and reside in Brentwood, Los Angeles, California.
| | Rene Russo Information: |  | Birth Name:
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| Rene Marie Russo
| Nickname:
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| Rene
| Zodiac Sign:
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| Aquarius
| | Eye color: |
| Blue
| | Height: |
| 5' 8" (173 cm)
| Hair color:
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| Red
| Body Measurements:
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| 33-23-34 | Education:
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| Burroughs High School Burbank California
| Family:
|
| Husband: Danny Gilroy
Daughter: Rose Gilroy
Mother: Shirley Jean
Father: Nino Russo (sculptor; had total of eight children with four different women; died in 1996 at age 74)
| Resides In:
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| Brentwood, Los Angeles, California
| Religious affiliations:
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| Christian | Political affiliation:
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| Democrat
| Personal interests
and Hobbies:
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| Gardening
| Other:
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| • She's allergic to sesame.
• Her dog's name is 'Swiss'.
• Wanted to be a singer when she was a kid
• Supported Barrack Obama
• She is the daughter-in-law of Frank D. Gilroy• She went to high school with actor/director Ron Howard.
• She was originally cast to play Dr. Chase Meridian in BATMAN FOREVER (1995) when Michael Keaton was still attached to the project as Batman. However, when Keaton dropped out of the project and was replaced by Val Kilmer, Russo was deemed to old to play his love interest and was replaced by Nicole Kidman.
• In the science fair scene in 'Ransom' (1996) with Mel Gibson, when her character asks which school is this, they reply P.S. 41. This is an actual school which provided some of the science fair props for the scene.
• She Performed the first nude scenes of her career in 'The Thomas Crown Affair' (1999).
Salary:
The Thomas Crown Affair (1999) $5,000,000
Lethal Weapon 4 (1998) $3,000,000
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Looking sexy and glamorous over 50, Rene Russo
at the 60th annual DGA Awards, January 26, 2008.
(Photo by Toby Canham/Getty Images North America) ~ Picture from Zimbio.com | | Rene Russo (1997) YouTube Video: | |
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mkr06tycoonposted 910 days ago
