Rena Sherel Sofer (born December 2, 1968)[1] is an American actress, known for her appearances in daytime television, episodic guest appearances, and made-for-television movies. In 1995, Sofer received a Daytime Emmy Award for her portrayal of Lois Cerullo in the soap opera General Hospital. She reprised the role of Lois in October 2023. From 2013 to 2022, she played Quinn Fuller on the CBS soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful.
Rena Sofer | |
|---|---|
 Sofer in 2014 | |
| Born | Rena Sherel Sofer December 2, 1968 Arcadia, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1984–present |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 2 |
Early life
editSofer was born in Arcadia, California, the daughter of Susan Sofer (née Franzblau), a psychology professor, and Martin Sofer, an Orthodox rabbi. [2]
She moved with her father and brother David to Teaneck, New Jersey, in 1970. However, when Sofer was 5 years old, they resided in Western Pennsylvania. They lived in Ambridge, Pennsylvania, where her father led Beth Samuels Jewish Center. She later attended the Frisch School, a coeducational Modern Orthodox Jewish high school in Paramus, New Jersey.[3] Sofer lived in North Bergen, New Jersey, where her father was rabbi of synagogue Temple Beth El. She graduated from North Bergen High School, then attended classes at Montclair State College.[4][5]
Career
editDaytime television
editSofer first played Lois Marie Cerullo on General Hospital. Her first appearance was in 1993 as a band manager. However, her first high-profile role was as Rocky McKenzie on the daytime soap opera Loving (1988–1991).
Sofer is perhaps best known for her role as Lois Cerullo on General Hospital (December 15, 1993 – September 24, 1996). She later returned as a guest star (February 7–17, 1997; September 30 – October 2, 1997). Her portrayal of the outrageous Lois won Sofer a Daytime Emmy Award in 1995 for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.
In May 2013, it was announced that Sofer would join the CBS soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful, in a newly created role of Quinn Fuller; her first episode aired on July 12.[6] After nine years on the canvas, Sofer opted to end her run in the role of Quinn; she last aired on August 29, 2022.[7]
On September 14, 2023, People announced Sofer would reprise the role of Lois on General Hospital after a 26-year absence.[8]
Primetime television
editSofer has appeared in several high-profile prime time television series in a guest star/supporting cast member roles: Seinfeld, Melrose Place, The Chronicle, Ed, Friends, Spin City, Blind Justice, Ghost Whisperer, 24, NCIS, and Two and a Half Men.
Sofer briefly joined the cast of the NBC sitcom Just Shoot Me!, playing the character Vicky Costa.[9] The network later cast Sofer in the short-lived US remake of the UK series Coupling. In recent years, Rena Sofer has appeared in the NBC TV series Heroes as the recurring character Heidi Petrelli, wife of aspiring politician Nathan Petrelli (Adrian Pasdar). She appeared on Two and a Half Men in 2008, as a former girlfriend of the character Charlie Harper (Charlie Sheen).[10] Rena also has guest starred on Dirty Sexy Money playing an intrepid reporter[11] and played a ghost on Ghost Whisperer. In early 2010, Sofer began a recurring role on NCIS as attorney Margaret Allison Hart, a potential love interest for the character Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon). She had a brief guest role on Bones as a love interest for the character Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz).
In 2013, Sofer had a publicized appearance on Once Upon a Time, playing Snow White's mother.[12]
Film
editIn film, she appeared as a love interest of Ben Stiller's character in the film Keeping the Faith, starring Jenna Elfman, Stiller and Edward Norton (who also directed). She also played a bride to-be with Melanie Griffith in Sidney Lumet's movie A Stranger Among Us and in Penelope Buitenhuis's movie The Secret of Hidden Lake.
She played the P.E. teacher Ms. Desjarden in the television film adaptation of Carrie in 2002. She starred in the television movie Always and Forever which aired October 24, 2009 on the Hallmark Channel. She has been doing TV movies since 1992, when she starred as Andrea Larson in the television movie Saved by the Bell: Hawaiian Style.
Personal life
editThis section of a biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. (June 2023) |
Sofer and her General Hospital co-star Wally Kurth, who played her onscreen love interest, became involved as their characters' storyline progressed. In 1995, the actors were married and had a daughter, Rosabel Rosalind Kurth. In 1997, Sofer and Kurth divorced.
Sofer married television director and producer Sanford Bookstaver in 2003. On August 5, 2005, Sofer gave birth to her second daughter, her first with Bookstaver, in Los Angeles. Sofer and Bookstaver eventually divorced in 2017. In 2019, Sofer announced they had reconciled and in April announced their engagement, and they later remarried in 2024.[13]
Filmography
edit| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | A Stranger Among Us | Shayna | |
| 1992 | Saved by the Bell: Hawaiian Style | Andrea Larson | TV movie |
| 1994 | Twin Sitters | Judy | |
| 1996 | Hostile Advances: The Kerry Ellison Story | Kerry Ellison | TV movie |
| 1997 | The Stepsister | Darcy Canfield Ray | TV movie |
| 1998 | Nightmare Street | Penny Randolph | |
| 2000 | Keeping the Faith | Rachel Rose | |
| 2000 | Traffic | Helena's Friend | |
| 2001 | March | Hedy Pullman | |
| 2002 | Carrie | Miss Desjarden | TV movie |
| 2006 | The Secret of Hidden Lake | Maggie Dolan | TV movie |
| 2009 | Rock Slyde | Sara | |
| 2009 | Always & Forever | Grace Holland | TV movie |
| 2010 | Sarah | Teenage Sarah | |
| 2010 | The Devil's Teardrop | Joan | TV movie |
| 2011 | Another Man's Wife | Hadley Warner | TV movie |
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Another World | Joyce Abernathy | Unknown episodes |
| 1988–1991 | Loving | Amelia "Rocky" McKenzie Domeq | Unknown episodes |
| 1992 | Freshman Dorm | Veronica | 2 episodes |
| 1993 | Herman's Head | Stephanie | Episode: "When Hermy Met Crawford's Girlfriend" |
| 1993–1997 2023-Present |
General Hospital | Lois Cerullo | Main role |
| 1996 | Caroline in the City | Risa Glickman | Episode: "Caroline and the Nice Jewish Boy" |
| 1997 | Seinfeld | Mary Anne | Episode: "The Muffin Tops" |
| 1998 | Glory, Glory | Elizabeth | TV Pilot |
| 1998 | Ellen | Jean | Episode: "Womyn Fest" |
| 1998 | Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place | Lauren Henderson | Episode: "Two Guys, a Girl, and a Recovery" |
| 1998 | Timecop | Dr. Carrie Ann Trent | Episode: "D.O.A." |
| 1998–1999 | Melrose Place | Eve Cleary | Main role (Credited as a Recurring Character) 25 episodes |
| 1999 | Oh, Grow Up | Suzanne Vandermeer | Main role |
| 2000 | Opposite Sex | Ms. Gibson | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2000 | Spin City | Sam | Episode: "Lost and Found" |
| 2001 | The Weber Show | Dawn Cheswick | Episode: "Dog Eat Dog" |
| 2001 | Ed | Bonnie Hane | 7 episodes |
| 2001–2002 | The Chronicle | Grace Hall | 22 episodes |
| 2002 | Friends | Katie | Episode: "The One with the Cooking Class" |
| 2002–2003 | Just Shoot Me! | Vicki Costa | 14 episodes |
| 2003 | CSI: Miami | Alison | Episode: "Grave Young Men" |
| 2003 | Coupling | Susan Freeman | Main role |
| 2005 | Blind Justice | Christie Dunbar | Main role |
| 2006–2007 | Heroes | Heidi Petrelli | 5 episodes |
| 2007 | 24 | Marilyn Bauer | 12 episodes |
| 2008 | Ghost Whisperer | Tammy | Episode: "Ball & Chain" |
| 2008–2010 | Two and a Half Men | Chrissy | 2 episodes |
| 2009 | Dirty Sexy Money | News Reporter | Episode: "The Facts" |
| 2009 | Monk | Kim Kelly | Episode: "Mr. Monk's Favorite Show" |
| 2009 | Criminal Minds | Erika Silverman | Episode: "The Slave of Duty" |
| 2010 | Bones | Dr. Catherine Bryar | Episode: "The Predator in the Pool" |
| 2010 | NCIS | Margaret Allison Hart | 6 episodes |
| 2010 | Royal Pains | AJ | Episode: "Open Up Your Yenta Mouth and Say Ah" |
| 2010 | Medium | Dr. Natalie Salem | Episode: "Native Tongue" |
| 2011–2012 | Covert Affairs | Geena | 3 episodes |
| 2012 | House | Marlene Reese | Episode: "Man of the House" |
| 2012 | The Glades | Alexis Cane | Episode: "Old Times" |
| 2012 | Beauty & the Beast | Sabrina Meyer | Episode: "Bridesmaid Up!" |
| 2013 | Once Upon a Time | Queen Eva | Episode: "The Queen is Dead" |
| 2013–2022 | The Bold and the Beautiful | Quinn Fuller | Main role |
| 2014 | Chicago P.D. | Doctor | Episode: "Chin Check" |
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Award | Category | Title | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1995
|
Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series | General Hospital | Won | |
1995
|
Soap Opera Digest Award | Outstanding Younger Lead Actress | General Hospital | Won | |
2016
|
Soap Awards France | Best Villain of the Year | The Bold and the Beautiful | Won | |
2016
|
Soap Awards France | Best New Character | The Bold and the Beautiful | Nominated | |
2017
|
Soap Awards France | Best Actress of the Year | The Bold and the Beautiful | Nominated | |
2017
|
Soap Awards France | Best Villain of the Year | The Bold and the Beautiful | Nominated | |
2018
|
Soap Awards France | Best Villain of the Year | The Bold and the Beautiful | Won | |
2018
|
Soap Awards France | Best Couple of the Year — "Quinn and Eric" (shared with John McCook) |
The Bold and the Beautiful | Nominated |
References
edit- ^ "Rena Sofer on Instagram: "So today is my birthday!! Yay!! I'm 53 today and my FAVORITE part of birthdays and Mother's Day are the hand made cards my daughters give to me every year. Avalon always does the most incredible photoshop cards that are timely and hilarious. And Rosabel loves to draw things that make me laugh til I pee in my pants. I really hope @keithbrymerjones does not take offense to this card and sees it as what it is, an homage to a brilliant ceramicist and potter who may look amazing in lipstick and mascara. The second one is of princess. I added a pic of her so you can see how good the resemblance is! Thank you all so much for all the amazing birthday wishes. And for those of you inspired by my love of dogs and rescues and fostering THANK YOU FOR DOING something in that honor. THANK YOU ALL AGAIN!!! 💋💋💋❤️❤️❤️🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🎂🎉🎊🎁"".
- ^ "STATE OF MIND with MAURICE BENARD: RENA SOFER". YouTube. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
- ^ Dickter, Adam. "Sofer Sex". The Jewish Week. September 19, 2003. Archived from the original on October 8, 2003.
- ^ "Rena Sofer", Oh, Grow Up, WCHS. Accessed September 22, 2011. "Born in Arcadia, California, Rena moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, following her parents' divorce, and later to North Bergen, New Jersey, where she finished high school."
- ^ Lipton, Michael A. "Heart Condition: For Rena Sofer, Checking into General Hospital Meant Finding a Healing Love with Costar Wally Kurth", People, October 31, 1994. Accessed September 22, 2011. "Neither parent remarried, and today Sofer maintains close relations with both her father, who presides at Temple Beth El in North Bergen, N.J., and her mother, a professor of developmental psychology at the University of North Carolina in Fayetteville.... She took a drama class during her senior year at North Bergen High School and then, after less than a semester at Montclair State College, took acting lessons in New York."
- ^ Logan, Michael (May 20, 2013). "Exclusive: Rena Sofer Joins The Bold and the Beautiful". TV Guide. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
- ^ SOD (August 17, 2022). "EXCLUSIVE! RENA SOFER LEAVES B&B!". Soap Opera Digest. United States: American Media, Inc. Odyssey Magazine Publishing Group Inc. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
- ^ Staff (September 14, 2023). "Rena Sofer Returning to General Hospital as Lois Cerullo After Leaving Soap 26-Years Ago (Exclusive)". People. United States. ISSN 0093-7673. OCLC 794712888. Archived from the original on September 14, 2023. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
- ^ Sandell, Scott (October 1, 2002). "TUNED IN; A New Face, but the Usual 'Shoot'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 23, 2008.[dead link]
- ^ Waldman, Allison (August 8, 2008). "Rena Sofer booked on Two and a Half Men". TV Squad. Archived from the original on November 26, 2018. Retrieved August 12, 2008.
- ^ Shhh! Rena Sofer Has a Dirty Sexy Little Secret!" TV Guide. November 10, 2008. Retrieved on November 12, 2008.
- ^ "Once Upon a Time Exclusive: Rena Sofer Cast as Snow White's Mother". TV Guide. 9 January 2013. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
- ^ SOD (April 29, 2019). "B&B's Rena Sofer to Re-Wed". Soap Opera Digest. United States: American Media, Inc. Retrieved April 29, 2019.
- ^ "Winners of Daytime Emmy Awards at a glance". The Daily Union. Kansas: Montgomery Communications, Inc. Associated Press. May 21, 1995. p. 2. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
- ^ "'Days of Our Lives' Wins Best Soap Opera Award". The Durant Daily Democrat. Associated Press. February 19, 1995. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
- ^ a b "Soap Awards France 2016 : Hélène Rollès, Les Mystères de l'amour, Rena Sofer, Plus belle la vie...le palmarès complet". France: toutelatele.com and Médiamétrie. May 2, 2016. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
- ^ a b "Soap Awards France 2017 : Hélène Rollès, Les Mystères de l'amour, Ambroise Michel, Terre de passions, Eric Braeden... le palmarès complet". France: toutelatele.com and Médiamétrie. June 1, 2017. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
- ^ a b "Soap Awards France 2018 : Sharon Case, Clément Rémiens, Fanny (Elsa Esnoult), Demain nous appartient... le palmarès complet". France: toutelatele.com and Médiamétrie. March 28, 2018. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
External links
edit- Rena Sofer at IMDb