Renee O'Connor

A former Mickey Mouse Club starlet who has since gone on to craft an impressive career in film and television, Renee O'Connor gained widespread exposure thanks to her small-screen role as Xena's (Lucy Lawless) trusty sidekick, Gabrielle, in the hit television adventure series Xena: Warrior Princess. A Texas native who discovered her love of acting while performing at Houston's Alley Theater at age 12, the aspiring actress attended Taylor High School before refining her skills at the Huston High School of Visual and Performing Arts. After donning various cartoon costumes at Six Flags amusement park, O'Connor made the move to Los Angeles and soon landed a role in the Mickey Mouse Club serial drama Teen Angel (a revival of the original series Spin and Marty). Though a subsequent appearance in an Arnold Schwarzenegger-helmed episode of HBO's Tales From the Crypt ultimately ended up on the cutting room floor, early exposure came soon thereafter with a role in the 1991 television miniseries Changes. Following appearances in a pair of features and made-for-television films, O'Connor caught the eye of producer Rob Tapert during an audition for a role in the 1994 made-for-television adventure Hercules and the Lost Kingdom, and in addition to also casting her in the direct-to-video sequel to partner Sam Raimi's Darkman, the duo agreed that she would make a great addition to a new show they were producing. Her participation in the hit series Xena: Warrior Princess proved invaluable, and O'Connnor and Lawless' chemistry gelled right from the start. Following the cancellation of Xena: Warrior Princess, O'Connor would continue her feature career with the 2000 comedy drama Rubbernecking. - Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide