Profile
Real Name : Rena Sherel Sofer
Date of Birth : December 2, 1968
Born and raised : Arcadia, California; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Nationality : American
Height : 5’6″
Hair and Eyes : Blue and dark brown
Parents : Susan, a psychology professor, and Martin, an Orthodox Jewish rabbi
Siblings : Older brother named David
Education : —
Occupation : Actress
Hobbies : Yoga, Roller-blading, Hiking
Status: Divorced from Sanford Bookstaver
Children: Rosabel Rosalind Kurth (born September 17, 1996); Avalon Leone Bookstaver (born August 5, 2005)
Rena Sofer is set to star in Steven Bochco’s new one hour drama Blind Justice for ABC in 2005. The show will revolve around a detective (Ron Eldard) who is blinded in the line of duty and faces skepticism from his co-workers when he is reinstated to his old job. Ms. Sofer will play Christie, the wife of Mr. Eldard’s character.
Most recently, Ms. Sofer starred as Susan, a beautiful and sexy go-getter with an uninhibited attitude towards life and the world of romance on NBC’s comedy Coupling. Previously, she had a strong story arc on NBC’s Just Shoot Me. Last fall, Ms. Sofer also appeared in NBC’s remake of the classic Stephen King thriller, Carrie.
For the big screen, Ms. Sofer appeared in director Steven Soderbergh’s highly acclaimed Traffic. She also had a featured role opposite Edward Norton, Ben Stiller and Jenna Elfman in Disney’s romantic comedy Keeping The Faith, which Mr. Norton directed.
Born in Arcadia, California, and raised in Pennsylvania and New Jersey by her Orthodox rabbi father, Ms. Sofer caught the eye of a modeling scout while shopping in Greenwich Village when she was just sixteen. Although it took less than a month of going out on calls and auditioning to be convinced that modeling was not for her, it did wet her appetite for acting. Ms. Sofer recalls: “I knew if I worked hard, I could always improve my acting skills. With modeling, your only option is plastic surgery.” She went on to study the Meisner Technique and Method Acting.
While still in her teens, she landed the role of Rocky McKenzie on the ABC daytime drama, Loving. Toward the end of her two-year run on the show, she was cast in Sidney Lumet’s feature film, A Stranger Among Us, starring Melanie Griffith. After that, Ms. Sofer packed up and drove west by herself and was soon cast in ABC’s long-running General Hospital. The role of the brassy, Brooklyn-bred music promoter Lois Cerullo catapulted Ms. Sofer to fame, capturing audiences’ hearts with her gutsy performance and earning her an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
While still on General Hospital, Ms. Sofer starred in her first movie for television, the Lifetime Original Film, Hostile Advances: The Kerry Ellison Story. She has since starred in such telefilms as USA Networks’ The Stepsister and ABC’s Nightmare Street, with Thomas Gibson and Sherilyn Fenn.
Ms. Sofer joined the cast of FOX-TV’s popular Melrose Place in its final season, playing Eve, a lounge singer and long-lost friend of Heather Locklear’s character. She was also a series regular on the Sci-Fi Channel’s The Chronicle and ABC’s Oh, Grow Up. The latter project was created and executive-produced by Academy Award-winner Alan Ball (American Beauty, Six Feet Under). She had a recurring role on NBC’s Ed, and she has guest-starred on numerous hit series such as NBC’s Friends, Seinfeld and ABC’s Spin City, Ellen and Caroline in the City.
Daughter of a Rabbi, Ms. Sofer has a strong Jewish background, and is a fervent supporter of Israeli causes. From her personal experiences, she can address the importance of Jewish education, our Jewish heritage and support for Israel.
Ms. Sofer resides in Los Angeles with her six-year-old daughter, Rosabel, her husband, director/producer Sanford Bookstaver (FOX’s Fastlane) and her father. In her free time, she enjoys a variety of activities that keep her fit physically as well as mentally. She likes to hike and rollerblade, and she is a yoga enthusiast.
Biography by The Harry Walker Agency.