Actress, producer, director, Fiona Rene is truly a multi-faceted diamond. Wearing different hats allows her to tap into different sides of herself, broadening her perspective on the world. Recently, she starred in “I know what you did last summer,” where she lived/worked in Hawaii! Umm, yes please! Overcoming any obstacle thrown her way, Fiona continues to amaze us all!
You wear many different hats in the industry. Tell us more about each of them and why you decided to pursue such careers!
I’d like to think of myself as a story-builder. Acting is where my heart is and I feel like I truly get to play and trust in a way that is so scary at all other areas of life. Producing is almost inevitable when you believe in a story so much, and you feel like you really can help get an amazing team together that can do it justice. Lastly, I LOVE directing performances, theatre especially. The theatre is where I started, and I’ll always go back to it.
While working on each craft, what are the different sides of yourself that come out?
What a great question, when I’m acting I’m truly being; I’m vulnerable and childlike, scared and brave, trusting and playing – it’s really the best! When producing, I am doing, connecting and it feels like I’m achieving; ticking things off the list, which always feels good. When I’m directing, I feel like I’m envisioning, planning in my mind something much bigger than me, but to be honest, when I’m doing any of those jobs well I’m always taking into account what I’ve learned from the others.
Share with us your time on “I know what you did last summer.” How has your character (and how have you personally) evolved?
Wow, it was just almost a dream come true, to be able to live and work in Hawaii! The terrain alone fueled my gratitude every day. Also the team; especially the local team!! Just had such a wonderful energy and attitude on set. Such characters and unique individuals, and Lyla Kalei is more like me than I had initially realized. Lyla is always doing her best, but her personal needs sometimes get in the way. Lyla really has to walk the line with her personal connection and doing her job to the best of her ability. I think audiences can really resonate with how professional work can be affected by personal relationships, and how a person can need to “put on a face”.
Is there a particular moment you recall while filming that you would like to share with us?
Honestly, there are so many, but at this particular moment I’m thinking about this one time, I’ve made really good friends with Cassie Beck, who plays Courtney, and when I had to watch her die it literally was so brutal. I remember just standing there in shock, just like Lyla was and when we were shooting they covered Courtney‘s dead body, Cassie yelled out, “those better be real tears, friend!!”, I’ll never forget it.
What is one of your biggest fears and why?
Hands down my biggest fear is not experiencing my own potential. I feel like I think about this all the time, but honestly, it’s funny, I was talking to one of my best friends about this last night and he reminded me my potential is somehow in the future and to be more present in the now. It helped ease the fear, at least for a minute😭🙈
Tell us more about your creative side. What are your favorite projects to tackle and why?
I love to sing, make music, paint, and cook, which I feel require just as much of my creativity as story building and acting. But what they all have in common is usually some kind of darkness. I love to tackle projects that expose the dark crevices and corners of humanity that societies say can be too inappropriate to discuss or share, too uncomfortable to be said out loud, but feel truly honest and can be resonated with.
Share with us a moment where you were challenged and how you overcame it.
This question is just triggering. All the moments that I felt challenged, honestly, well, I lived in Europe for quite a while – longest I’ve lived anywhere actually. In 2016, I was ready for the “big move to LOS ANGELES”. The year I moved here a few months later my mother passed of cancer. I had to learn to GRIEVE while learning to LOVE; my mother, myself, my craft, this city, and I discovered how those two things really go hand in hand.
Do you believe you have found your purpose?
I’d like to think so, but it’s almost a cycle, and I think it’s the same for A LOT, if not everyone, when I lose my love and light I can no longer share it with others; which i think is “my purpose”. So I have to maintain my love for myself and the light that burns in me or I cannot continue with my purpose in sharing it.
What does beauty mean to you?
Oh wow, to me beauty is the amalgamation of qualities that inspire. Inspire one to love more, share more, play more, or feel more.
As the Holidays approach, any exciting plans?! What comes next?
I’m going southeast for the holidays to spend some time with my Oklahoma family, but also to have a few meetings. I’m working on building a non-profit there where my grandma used to live to help with food drought and mental illness. I’m also working in my own project, which I hope to pitch in the new year, it’s a dark comedy around my work in haunted houses and I really think people will like it. 🥰
@BELLOmag
Talent Fiona Rene @fionarene
Photo credit is Caleb Auston @calebauston
Interview Alexandra Bonnet @alexbonnetwrites
