Reneé O'Connor stars as Gabrielle, a spirited young woman who idolizes Xena and recklessly follows the warrior princess in search of a more exciting life, (which, apparently includes games of "hide the soap" in the tub) in the MCA/Universal's one-hour HIT syndicated series "Xena: Warrior Princess."

O'Connor first came to the attention of X:WP executive producers Rob Tapert and Sam Raimi when an "over-the-top" audition won her the role of the young Deianeira in their two-hour "Action Pack" adventure "Hercules and the Lost Kingdom." They were so impressed by her performance opposite "Hercules" star Kevin Sorbo, they signed her for a starring role in "Darkman II: The Return of Durant," a feature released on home video in July 1995.

Prior to "Darkman II," she co-starred with Ellen Burstyn and Sheryl Lee in the ABC-TV movie "Follow the River," portraying a young woman captured by Shawnee Indians. Set in the year 1755, the drama was based on a true story. In her next role, she starred opposite James Garner as a self-obsessed actress who hires Rockford as her bodyguard in "The Rockford Files: A Blessing in Disguise," which was first broadcast in May 1995. "A Blessing in Disguise," was one of Garner's two recent "Rockford" reunion movies for CBS-TV.

(Note: Ms. O'Connor's resumé appears below.)

Born February 15, 1971 in Houston, and raised in Katy, Texas, O'Connor knew she wanted to be a performer at a very early age. After much begging -- her mother relented, and Reneé joined Katy's THEATER ON WHEELS. Reneé's very first role on stage (age 8) was that of "a caterpillar" -- a role that was given RAVE reviews by her mother, Sandra Wilson. At 12, Reneé began studying acting at Houston's Alley Theatre, and later attended Houston's High School of the Performing and Visual Arts her sophormore and junior years. She made her professional acting debut in 1989 starring in the "Teen Angel" serial, which was featured on the Disney Channel's "Mickey Mouse Club," and then in "Match Point," another serial for the popular children's show. That same year, O'Connor moved to Los Angeles and soon landed a role in the episode of "Tales from the Crypt" that marked Arnold Schwarzenegger 's directing debut.

O'Connor then portrayed Cheryl Ladd's daughter in Danielle Steel's "Changes," and starred as one of a group of students whose lives are suddenly endangered in the NBC movie "The Flood. " Her most recent theatrical film role was that of Julia Wilkes in Disney's "The Adventures of Huck Finn," starring Elijah Wood. She also guest-starred as the daughter of a murdered couple in an episode of the acclaimed television series "NYPD Blue."

Reneé is single, and enjoys, horseback riding, kickboxing, rock climbing and other sports. To keep in tip-top physical shape for her role as Gabrielle, Reneé gets up before dawn to work out. (note: Seems to be working just fine!)

According to one director, Reneé is very professional, and takes her job very seriously... However, the cast and crew agree -- her sweet, kind and honest, good-humored nature makes Reneé a much-loved favorite on the set.

When not in Auckland, New Zealand, where the series is filmed, she makes her home in Los Angeles. Sometimes Reneé finds time during hiatus to travel to Texas to visit her momma and step-dad, who oversee THREADGILL'S WORLD HEADQUARTERS -- the Austin, Texas, Landmark of Southern Comfort Food.

FILM

• Adventures of Huck Finn - Walt Disney Pictures; Director: Steven Sommers

• Darkman II - Universal Studios; Producers: Rob Tapert, Sam Rami; Director: Bradford May

• Stone Cold - Director: Craig Baxley

• False Identity - RKO Pictures; Director: James Keach

• Night Game - Trans World Entertainment; Director: Peter Masterson
  
  

TELEVISION

• Xena: Warrior Princess-MCA/Universal; Producers: Rob Tapert, Sam Raimi; New Zealand

• NYPD Blue - Producer: Steven Bochco; Director: Brad Silberling

• The Rockford Files- CBS; Producers: Stephen Cannell, Charles Johnson, Juanita Bartlett, James Garner; Director: Jeannot Szwarc

• Follow the River - ABC; Producer: Richard Welsh; Director: Marty Davidson

• Hercules - Producers: Rob Tapert, Sam Raimi; Director: Harley Cokeliss

• The Flood - NBC, Warner Brothers Prod.; Australia

• Arresting Behavior - ABC, HBO Prod.; Director: Betty Thomas

• Changes - NBC, NBC Prod.; Director: Charles Jarrot

• Tales From the Crypt - HBO; Producer: Richard Donner; Director: Arnold Schwarzenegger
  

THEATRE TRAINING

• Janet Alhanti

• High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, Houston, Texas

• Rehearsal and Performance, University of California at Los Angeles

• Stages Rep. Theatre, Houston, Texas; Ted Swindley, director: The Tempest, understudy

• Alley Theatre Acting School, Houston, Texas

SPECIAL ABILITIES

• Southern, Irish, German dialects; most sports; western horseback riding; jazz dancing

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