Biography of Rene RussoRene Marie Russo (born February 17, 1954) is an American film actress and former fashion model.
Russo, an Italian American, was born in Burbank, California to Shirley Jean (a secretary 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. Due to financial constraints within the family, she began taking a variety of part-time jobs including working in an eyeglass factory, and as a movie cashier.
In 1972, Russo was spotted at a Rolling Stones concert by a scout and manager John Crosby from International Creative Management. She was signed to the Ford Modeling Agency and began modeling shortly after, appearing on several magazine covers, including that of "Vogue". Russo spent the majority of the 1970s and early 1980s as a successful model, but later began to study acting, and appeared in roles at regional theaters in Los Angeles.
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 Tom Berenger character in Major League. Her first major breakthrough role is generally considered to be her part as a martial arts-practising internal affairs detective Lorna Cole in Lethal Weapon 3 (and later again in Lethal Weapon 4).
Throughout the 1990s, Russo appeared in a number of high-profile thrillers that were hugely successful at the box office, including In the Line of Fire, Outbreak, Ransom and The Thomas Crown Affair. She has starred in at least one major studio film per year from 1992 to 2002.
She recently starred in both Two for the Money and Yours, Mine and Ours.
Russo has been married to screenwriter Dan Gilroy since 1992. They have one daughter, Rose (born August 31, 1993), and the family currently lives in Brentwood, Los Angeles, California. Her sister Toni 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."
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