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Trivia
Birth name: Rene Marie Russo
Date of birth: 17 February 1954
Place of birth: Burbank,
California, USA
Nickname: Ren
Height: 5' 8" (1.73 m)
Spouse: Dan Gilroy (14 March 1992
- present) daughter: Rose
Discovered at 16 after attending a Rolling
Stones concert.
Model.
Her father, a mechanic, left the family when
she was 2.
Parents Shirley Balocca (a workwoman and barmaid) and Nino Russo, a sculptor and mechanic who left the family when Rene was 2.
Russo grew up with her sister, Toni, and
their single mother.
She attended Burroughs High School (where her classmates included director Ron Howard), but eventually dropped out in the tenth grade.
Has seven siblings on her father's side. The
late one-time auto mechanic turned sculptor Nino Russo had at least six
other children besides Rene. They are: Jim, January Debra, Toni Lynn,
David, and Anthony John Russo.
At 10 years old Rene developed curvature of
the spine and had to wear a body cast for 4 years.
Due to financial constraints within the family, she began taking a variety of part-time jobs, working as a restaurant hostess, a Disneyland cashier, a movie theatre concession stand worker, and as a contact lens inspector at an eyeglass factory.
She met her husband, Dan Gilroy, 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.
Russo made her television series debut in 1987, with a supporting role in the TV-series Sable. Two years later, she made her debut in film as the girlfriend of the lead character in Major League.
In 1972, Russo was spotted at a Rolling Stones concert by a scout and manager from International Creative Management.
Is allergic to sesame.
Went to high school with actor/director Ron
Howard.
She was signed to the Ford modeling agency and began modeling shortly after, appearing on several magazine covers, including that of Vogue.
Daughter Rose born. [August 1993]
Russo spent the majority of the 1970s and early 1980s modeling, but later began to study acting, and appeared in roles at regional theaters in Los Angeles.
Measurements: 33-23-34 (Source: Celebrity
Sleuth magazine).
Was originally cast as Dr. Chase Meridian in
Batman Forever (1995) but, when Michael Keaton was replaced by Val
Kilmer, she was replaced with Nicole Kidman because the producers felt
that she was too old to be aconvincing love interest for Kilmer.
First major breakthrough role is generally considered to be her part as an internal affairs detective in Lethal Weapon 3 (1992).
Daughter-in-law of Frank D. Gilroy.
Sister-in-law of John Gilroy and Tony
Gilroy.
Russo has been married to screenwriter Dan Gilroy since 1992. They have one daughter, Rose, and reside in Brentwood, California.
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