Rene Russo grew up in Burbank, a Los Angeles suburb. Her father, a sculptor and mechanic, left the family when Rene was just two leaving her mother Shirly, as a single mom with two daughters. (Rene has one sister named Toni) In junior high, Rene was plagued with scoliosis. She entered Burroughs High School, along with classmate Ron Howard. Rene dropped out of school in the tenth grade. Since money was tight, she began to take a variety of part-time jobs over the next 18 months.
In 1972, the 17 year old was attending a Rolling Stones concert when she was approached by John Crosby, a scout and manager from International Creative Management. He told her she should be a model and had test photos made of her. 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. She would define what a supermodel was for years to come.
By her 30th birthday, she did a few more commercials and then turned her back on modeling and show business for awhile. Financially secure for the next several years, she began an intense period of literature and Christian theology. She also began to study theater and acting and began appearing in theater roles at small regional theaters in Los Angeles and California.
Her television series debut came in 1987 with a supporting part on the short lived TV series Sable. In 1989 she made her motion picture debut with the part of the lead characters girlfriend in the film Major League. Most of her subsequent roles were that of girlfriends and supportive wives in several films, until her breakthrough as an internal affairs detective in Lethal Weapon 3. Rene Russo has been praised for her ability to hold her own against her major male co-stars. Two of her performances within the last few years, have gotten her recognition as both a major dramatic actress, and a talented character actress. One was as the mother of a kidnapped son in Ransom. The other was as the cartoon femme fatale foreign spy in The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle.
|
|
– After presenting Mel Gibson with his award at 2005 People's Choice Award, she hurried downstairs to the Distinctive Assets celebrity gift room to collect her $15,000 presenter's goody bag. But Russo never made it. On the way, she banged her head and ended up with a bloody cut over her right eyebrow. Holding a compress to her forehead, Russo headed to a nearby hospital to get stitched up.
|
– She was discovered at 16 after attending a Rolling Stones concert.
|
– Her father, a mechanic, left the family when she was 2.
|
– At 10 years old Rene developed curvature of the spine and had to wear a body cast for 4 years.
|
– She met her husband Dan Gilroy (I) while they were both working on the film FREEJACK (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.
|
– She is allergic to sesame.
|
– She went to high school with actor/director Ron Howard.
|
– She is hoping to make charity millions from a new bracelet inspired by her hit golf movie TIN CUP (1996).
|
– She demands millions of dollars for film roles - but she's telling movie-goers she's certainly nothing special.
|
– Has revealed she could have excelled in another career - as a nun.
|
– 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), 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.
|
– Performed the first nude scenes of her career in THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR (1999).
|
– Was nominated Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Actress - Drama/Romance in 2000 for THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR.
|
|
|
