Rene Marie Russo (born February 17, 1954)[1][2] is an American actress, producer, and former model. Russo began her career in the 1970s as a fashion model appearing on several magazine covers including Vogue and Cosmopolitan. She made her film debut in the 1989 comedy film Major League. Later, Russo starred in a number of thrillers and action movies throughout the 1990s, including Mr. Destiny (1990) and One Good Cop
One Good Cop (1991). In the 1990s, she played Lorna Cole in Lethal Weapon 3
Lethal Weapon 3 (1992), In the Line of Fire
In the Line of Fire (1993), Outbreak (1995), Get Shorty (1995), Tin Cup
Tin Cup (1996), Ransom (1996), Lethal Weapon 4 (1998), The Thomas Crown Affair (1999), and The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle (2000). After she starred in the family comedy Yours, Mine and Ours in 2005, she took a six-year break from acting. Russo appeared as Frigga, the mother of the titular hero in the superhero films Thor
Thor (2011) and Thor: The Dark World (2013). In 2014, Russo co-starred in the crime thriller film Nightcrawler, for which she received critical praise, won the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress and was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.[3] She appeared in the 2015 comedy film The Intern and is set to star in the action comedy Just Getting Started, which is scheduled for release in December 2017.

Contents

1 Early life 2 Career

2.1 Modeling 2.2 Acting

3 Personal life 4 Filmography

4.1 Film 4.2 Television

5 See also 6 References 7 External links

Early life[edit] Russo was born in Burbank, California, the daughter of Shirley (née Balocca), a factory worker and barmaid, and Nino Russo, a sculptor and car mechanic who left the family when Russo was two.[1][4][5] Her father was of Italian descent, while her mother had Italian, German, and English ancestry.[6][7][8] Russo grew up with her sister, Toni (who would later marry songwriter Bernie Taupin), and attended Burroughs High School (where her classmates included director Ron Howard), dropping out in the tenth grade. She began taking a variety of part-time jobs to help her family, including working in an eyeglass factory and as a movie theater cashier. Career[edit] Modeling[edit] Russo started a modeling career after allegedly being spotted at a 1972 Rolling Stones concert by John Crosby, an agent from International Creative Management. With his encouragement, Russo applied to, and was signed by, Ford Modeling Agency. Russo was one of the top models of the 1970s and early 80s,[9] appearing on magazine covers for Vogue, Mademoiselle, and Cosmopolitan, as well as advertisements for perfume and cosmetics. Acting[edit] As she entered her 30s, demand for her as a model began to dwindle. She did a few more commercials and then turned her back on modeling and show business for a while. She studied theater and acting, and began appearing in theater roles at small theaters in Los Angeles and elsewhere in California. At one point, she took acting lessons from veteran actor Allan Rich. They were interviewed on CNN in 1980. She made her television debut in 1987 with a supporting role in the short-lived ABC television series Sable, based on the comic book, Jon Sable: Freelance by Mike Grell. She made her feature film debut in 1989 as the girlfriend of Tom Berenger's character in Major League, a comedy written and directed by David S. Ward. In 1990, she played the supporting role of the wife of Jim Belushi's character in the comedy film Mr. Destiny. In 1991, she had the female lead in the crime drama One Good Cop. She later starred in the science fiction film Freejack, which received mostly negative reviews from critics, but Russo was nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance. In 1992, she achieved breakout success with her role as internal affairs detective Lorna Cole in the action film Lethal Weapon 3.[10] The movie was a box office success, grossing over $320 million worldwide.[11] In later years, she had major roles in a number of box office hits and critically successful movies. In 1993, she starred with Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood in the thriller film In the Line of Fire, directed by Wolfgang Petersen. In 1995, Petersen cast her in the medical disaster film Outbreak with Dustin Hoffman. The film also had box office success, grossing $189 million worldwide.[11] Also in 1995, she appeared in Get Shorty, a crime-comedy directed by Barry Sonnenfeld. In 1996, she starred in the romantic comedy Tin Cup
Tin Cup with Kevin Costner and the crime thriller Ransom, directed by Ron Howard. In 1997, Russo had the leading role of Gertrude Lintz in the comedy film Buddy. The film received negative reviews from critics, and grossed only $10 million in US.[11][12] In 1998, she appeared in Lethal Weapon 4, the final film in the series. In 1999, she starred with Pierce Brosnan
Pierce Brosnan in the heist film The Thomas Crown Affair directed by John McTiernan. The film received generally positive reviews and was successful at the box office, grossing $124,305,181 worldwide.[11] Kenneth Turan in his review said: "[Her] smart, gritty performance is the best thing about this remake of the stylish caper movie 'Thomas Crown.'"[13] In 2000, she appeared in the live-action/animated film of The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, a box office bomb. In 2002, Russo appeared with Tim Allen
Tim Allen in the comedy film Big Trouble based on the novel by Dave Barry. Big Trouble was originally scheduled for release on September 21, 2001 and had a strong advertising push. The events of September 11 of that year cast a pall over the movie's comedic smuggling of a nuclear device onto an airplane. Consequently, the film was pushed back until April 2002, and the promotion campaign was toned down almost to the point of abandonment. The film came quietly to American theaters and left quickly afterwards, receiving mixed reviews and being generally ignored by audiences, becoming a box office bomb. Earlier in the same year, she appeared with Robert De Niro in Showtime. She starred in and produced Two for the Money, a 2005 film starring Al Pacino
Al Pacino and Matthew McConaughey. In 2005, Russo starred with Dennis Quaid
Dennis Quaid in the family comedy film Yours, Mine and Ours. The film received negative reviews from critics, but was success at the box office, grossing $72,028,752 worldwide.[11] In 2011, six years after resting from acting, she appeared in the superhero film Thor
Thor as Frigga, the mother of the titular hero.[14] Most of her scenes were removed in editing. She said that "Anthony Hopkins and I were each cut out".[15] She reprised the role in 2013's Thor: The Dark World in which she received more screen time. In 2014, Russo appeared with Jake Gyllenhaal
Jake Gyllenhaal in the critically acclaimed crime thriller film Nightcrawler, written and directed by her husband Dan Gilroy.[16] A film critic from Indiewire
Indiewire in his review said: "Russo is an integral part of the narrative and she gives as good as she gets. The role is easily her finest in several years and the rich material uncorks a wealth of inventiveness from the actress. There’s not a lot of imaginatively drawn roles for aging women, but Russo sinks her teeth into the role of a coldblooded vampiress protective of her own uncertain hold in the newsroom."[17][18] She also had the leading role in the independent film Frank and Cindy.[19] She also co-starred with Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro in the 2015 comedy The Intern directed by Nancy Meyers.[20] In 2017, she starred with Morgan Freeman and Tommy Lee Jones
Tommy Lee Jones in comedy film Just Getting Started.[21] Personal life[edit] Russo has been married to screenwriter Dan Gilroy
Dan Gilroy since March 14, 1992. They have one daughter, Rose (born 1993), and live in Brentwood, California. Her sister Toni was married to lyricist Bernie Taupin
Bernie Taupin in the 1980s, and Russo appeared with her sister in the 1987 video for Taupin's song "Citizen Jane". Russo has bipolar disorder.[22][23] She is a Christian.[24] Filmography[edit] Film[edit]

Year Title Role Notes

1989 Major League Lynn Wells

1990 Mr. Destiny Cindy Jo Bumpers / Burrows

1991 One Good Cop Rita Lewis

1992 Freejack Julie Redlund Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress

Lethal Weapon 3 LAPD Sgt. Lorna Cole Nominated— MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss (shared with Mel Gibson)

1993 In the Line of Fire Secret Service Agent Lilly Raines

1994 Major League II Lynn Wells Cameo

1995 Outbreak Robby Keough

Get Shorty Karen Flores Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

1996 Tin Cup Dr. Molly Griswold

Ransom Kate Mullen

1997 Buddy Mrs. Gertrude "Trudy" Lintz

1998 Lethal Weapon 4 Lorna Cole-Riggs Broadcast Entertainment Award for Favorite Supporting Actress—Action/Adventure

1999 The Thomas Crown Affair Catherine Olds Banning Nominated—Broadcast Entertainment Award for Favorite Actress—Drama/Romance

2000 The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle Natasha Fatale Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated—Razzie Award for Worst Supporting Actress Nominated—Stinker Award for Worst Supporting Actress

2002 Showtime Chase Renzi

Big Trouble Anna Herk

2005 Two for the Money Toni Morrow Executive producer

Yours, Mine and Ours Helen North

2011 Thor Frigga

2013 Thor: The Dark World Frigga

2014 Nightcrawler Nina Romina AARP
AARP Award for Best Supporting Actress San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actress Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated—BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role Nominated—Denver Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated— Detroit Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated—Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress (2nd place)[25] Nominated—National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress (3rd place)[26] Nominated— Village Voice Film Poll for Best Supporting Actress

2015 Frank and Cindy Cindy

The Intern Fiona

2017 Just Getting Started Suzie

2018 Velvet Buzzsaw

Filming

Television[edit]

Year Title Role Notes

1987–1988 Sable Eden Kendell 7 episodes

See also[edit]

List of people with bipolar disorder

References[edit]

^ a b " Rene Russo
Rene Russo Biography (1954-)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 2015-11-02.  ^ "Free Family Tree, Genealogy and Family History - MyHeritage". Familytreelegends.com. Retrieved 2015-11-02.  ^ Leo Barraclough (2015-01-08). "'Grand Budapest Hotel,' 'Birdman,' 'Theory of Everything' Lead BAFTA Nominations". Variety. Retrieved 2015-11-02.  ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on May 17, 2011. Retrieved 2008-06-02. CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link) ^ Date, CINDY PEARLMAN (August 11, 1996). "Chicago Sun-Times:: Search". Chicago Sun-Times.  ^ " Rene Russo
Rene Russo on Two for the Money, Al Pacino
Al Pacino and Matthew McConaughey". Movies.about.com. Archived from the original on 2007-12-31. Retrieved 2015-11-02.  ^ "A little older, a lot wiser.(Rene Russo)". Good Housekeeping. August 1, 2000.  ^ Magee Coleman, Darlene (1998-08-03). "Then and Now .Shirley Balocca Russo Returns for Reunion". The Fort Scott Tribune. Retrieved 2011-01-14.  ^ "Rene Russo". Yahoo Movies. Retrieved 6 September 2014.  ^ " Lethal Weapon 3
Lethal Weapon 3 Role Brings Stardom to Rene Russo". Chicago Tribune. 1992-05-24. Retrieved 2010-10-03.  ^ a b c d e "Rene Russo". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 6 September 2014.  ^ "Buddy (1997)". Rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 6 September 2014.  ^ "Just Call It the Rene Russo
Rene Russo Affair". Los Angeles Times. August 6, 1999. Retrieved 6 September 2014.  ^ Graser, Marc (2009-12-16). " Rene Russo
Rene Russo joins cast of 'Thor'". Variety. Retrieved 2009-12-17.  ^ Roger Friedman (July 31, 2012). "Rene Russo, Cut Out of Big Studio "Thor," Aims for New Indies Now". Retrieved 6 September 2014.  ^ "Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo
Rene Russo unite for noir movie 'Nightcrawler'". Digital Spy. 2013-04-26. Retrieved 2013-09-29.  ^ "TIFF Review: Dan Gilroy's 'Nightcrawler' Starring Jake Gyllenhaal & Rene Russo". Retrieved 6 September 2014.  ^ "Gold Derby Oscar MVP: Don't overlook Rene Russo
Rene Russo in 'Nightcrawler'". Retrieved 15 October 2014.  ^ " Rene Russo
Rene Russo to play real-life groupie in 'Frank and Cindy' -- EXCLUSIVE". Entertainment Weekly. Feb 23, 2011. Retrieved 6 September 2014.  ^ "'Mulaney' Actor Joins Anne Hathaway, Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro in 'The Intern'". Retrieved 6 September 2014.  ^ Busch, Anita (9 June 2016). " Rene Russo
Rene Russo Negotiating To Join Morgan Freeman, Tommy Lee Jones
Tommy Lee Jones In 'Villa Capri'". Retrieved 1 November 2016.  ^ "Rene Russo's Startling Revelation: I Am Bipolar". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved 15 October 2014.  ^ " Rene Russo
Rene Russo Reveals Battle With Bipolar Disorder". E! Online. 14 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.  ^ " Rene Russo
Rene Russo fights for her right to act in the buff". Retrieved 1 November 2016.  ^ "Los Angeles Film Critics Give Boyhood Top Honors". Vulture. Retrieved 2015-11-02.  ^ Justin Chang (2015-01-03). "'Goodbye to Language' Named Best Picture by National Society of Film Critics". Variety. Retrieved 2015-11-02. 

External links[edit]

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Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress

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WorldCat Identities VIAF: 120234591 LCCN: n96033840 ISNI: 0000 0001 2284 4835 GND: 140973389 SUDOC: 069222746 BNF: cb14027609k (data) BNE: XX1265906 SN