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Rena Owen is a New Zealand actress in film, theatre and television. She is of Maori, Torres Strait Islander and Pakeha (European) descent. Owen is most well known in the lead role of Beth in the cult classic movie Once Were Warriors (1994) directed by Lee Tamahori. The role earned Owen a number of awards including Best Actress at the Montreal World Film Festival and San Diego International Film Festival. Owen has also worked with arthouse director Rolf de Heer, one of Australia's most well known directors, in the film Dance Me to My Song (1998). Owen played the role of Rix in the movie... MORE

Rena Owen is a New Zealand actress in film, theatre and television. She is of Maori, Torres Strait Islander and Pakeha (European) descent. Owen is most well known in the lead role of Beth in the cult classic movie Once Were Warriors (1994) directed by Lee Tamahori. The role earned Owen a number of awards including Best Actress at the Montreal World Film Festival and San Diego International Film Festival. Owen has also worked with arthouse director Rolf de Heer, one of Australia's most well known directors, in the film Dance Me to My Song (1998). Owen played the role of Rix in the movie which earned her a nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the AFI Awards. In Once Were Warriors, Owen played the role of abused Māori housewife Beth Heke alongside Temuera Morrison who played the role of her husband. In the cast were other prominent Maori actors including Hollywood star Cliff Curtis and veteran stage and screen actor George Henare. The movie broke box office records in New Zealand and even surpassed Jane Campion's film The Piano. Once Were Warriors is predominantly narrated from Beth's perspective. Owen reprised the role in the film's sequel, What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? LESS