FOX NEWS26 (Houston, TX) -May 8, 1997
Reneé
O'Connor
Reporter:
Andrea Watkins
Andrea: Reneé O'Connor isn't a household name, but she's working
on it. O'Connor's developing a following in the mythological series
Xena: Warrior Princess as Xena's quick-witted sidekick Gabrielle.
Reneé: Gabrielle is the voice of the audience. I usually think of
seeing what they see for the first time and try to react to that.
O'Connor has had a variety of TV and movie roles over the years
including this one in the Adventures of Huck Finn, (clips from this
movie and ROC are shown). She's happy now being involved in a successful
series. O'Connor lives in New Zealand where Xena is filmed, but her
roots are in Houston. (They show ROC looking at some slides of her
former classmates) This informal slide show was part of a reunion
O'Connor attended at the Houston High School of Visual and Performing
Arts (HSVPA). It was O'Connor's chance to look back at the way she
was 7 years ago.
Bob Singleton (Reneé's former theater teacher): Reneé was very...
she was one of those students that you wished you had ALL of them
like her.
O'Connor's former theater teacher Bob Singleton says Reneé was
always a friendly and willing student.
She had that ability to play absolute innocence, and, um... the charming
girl next door...or, she could do that seductress siren. It was a
real delight to see this versatility.
Singleton was TOUGH... very tough. I remember just being in awe of
him...a bit intimidated, (laugh), 'cause he knows soooo much. It's
still that way actually.
O'Connor was genuinely excited to come home and encourage students
to stick with their dreams. She said that the support and discipline
she picked up at the HSVPA has helped her to keep going.
There are demands placed on you to act like an adult. To work as a
professional. And you learn that here at HSVPA. It's been a lot of
work. A lot of hard work, and determination. Umm... there are times
when people say; "maybe this isn't for you." And you just have to
believe that it is.
Meanwhile there's a payoff for people who can say; I knew her
when.
It's actually something kind of pleasant to sit in a theater and say
"Oh... that's one of my students."
In Houston... Andrea Watkins.
[back
to articles index]