Trivia

Grateful she grew up in rural New Zealand with a strong concept of family, community and nature. Milked cows, rode horses, swam in rivers, and lived off the land.

Rena was one of only a very few to receive a Literary Award from Dame Te Atarangikahu, NZ's Maori Queen in 1991.

Her Maori Tribal affiliation is Ngati Hine. Both parents have now passed away leaving behind a very large tight-knit family. 9 children, 7 in-laws, 28 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren! Family means everything to her as do her life-long friends.

In conjunction with the New Zealand Film Commission (NZFC), Rena has developed a totally pre-colonial epic NZ feature film based on the first historical novel to be written by a Maori, Behind The Tattooed Face by Heretaunga Pat Baker. She has also developed a Samoan Family Drama set in Los Angeles and Auckland, New Zealand.

Is proud to be an honorary Australian.

One of only six actors to appear in films directed by both George Lucas and Steven Spielberg (the others are Harrison Ford, Liam Neeson, Christopher Lee, Richard Dreyfuss and Samuel L. Jackson).

Rena has served on the Sundance Native Screenplay Selection Panel, as a Public Speaker for various Schools and Organizations including Graduation Keynote Speaker for the Ethnic Studies Department of Berkeley University, and as a Mentor for Film Independent's (FIND) Project Involve.

Was awarded a Scholarship to be a Native Fellow at the 2005 Sundance Producers Lab. Gained a place in the 06 European Film Business School and has been a Mentor for Film Independent's program; Project Involve.

She had to leave her cat in New Zealand and her dog in Australia rather than subject them to 6 months in USA quarantined cages. Misses them terribly but she now makes do with travel friendly Beanie Monkeys and a Plush Yoda.

Lives in West Hollywood, California (January 2007)

Was selected for Academy Celebrity Exhibition by Pat York and was honored to be next to Anthony Hopkins.

Rena continues to maintain her home in NZ and a base in West Hollywood.

Rena has served on multiple International Film Festival Juries; MWFF Montreal World Film Festival, HIFF in Hawaii, LAAPFF Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, FIFO Festival International du film in Tahiti, USA Film Festival in Dallas & The Metro Manila Film Festival in the Philippines.

Invited to join the actor's branch of AMPAS in 2022.