Rena Riffel
Biography
Rena Riffel is an American actress, singer, dancer and director who landed a breakthrough supporting role in Paul Verhoeven's Showgirls (1995). She initially read for the lead role of Cristal Connors before she was cast as Penny, also known as Hope. A song she recorded, Deep Kiss, was included in the film's lap dance scene. She went on to appear in Striptease (1996) and David Lynch's Mulholland Drive (2001), then took roles on television series such as Married... with Children and Clueless. Her horror and thriller credits include Candyman 3: Day of the Dead and Dark Reel (2008). In 2008 she directed, produced, wrote and starred in Trasharella, and she later wrote, directed and starred in Showgirls 2: Penny's from Heaven, which screened in arthouse theaters. She also developed a musical based on Showgirls.
57years old
Turns 58 on March 5in 120 days
- Born Los Angeles
- Star sign: PiscesThe sign runs February 19 to March 20
Movie Career
- Films
- 7
- Career span
- 20 years1993 to 2013
First and latest
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Big break
Riffel landed her breakthrough in the 1995 film Showgirls. She read for the lead role of Cristal Connors, but director Paul Verhoeven cast her as Penny/Hope, deciding she was too young for an aging showgirl.
Behind the camera
Riffel took on directing, producing, writing and starring duties for Trasharella, a 2008 comedy/crime/fantasy musical. She handled the editing herself, and Rena Riffel Films, her production company, put the film out on DVD via Amazon.com in 2009.
Behind the camera
Riffel wrote, directed, and starred in Showgirls 2: Penny's from Heaven, a sequel to Showgirls first called Showgirl. Its first screening was on October 27, 2011, at the Laemmle Theatre's Sunset 5 in West Hollywood, California.
Beyond film
In 2008, Riffel played Judy Feathers in Coheed and Cambria's music video for "Feathers." Judy is a 1950s housewife who hides a cannibal secret, killing a milkman, postman, sailor and boyscout and serving them for dinner. The video won Best Video at the UK's Kerrang! Awards.
Rena Riffel movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Worked with
Rena Riffel shares two films with Tony Todd, and one with each of the others. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Tony Todd's page
Lance Henriksen's page
James Hong's page
Burt Reynolds's page
Ving Rhames's page
Robert Patrick's page
All films by Paul Verhoeven
All films by Andrew Bergman
Turi MeyerDirector, 1 film, 1999
All films by Turi Meyer
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.