Rena Sofer

Rena Sherel Sofer (born December 2, 1968) is an American actress, primarily 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 work in the soap opera General Hospital, for her portrayal of Lois Cerullo.

Early life

Sofer was born in Arcadia, California, the daughter of Susan (née Franzblau), a psychology professor, and Martin Sofer, a Conservative Jewish rabbi.^[1][2] Her family subsequently moved to Pittsburgh, where she was raised after her parents' divorce.^[1] Sofer attended the Frisch School, a Jewish high school in Paramus, New Jersey.^[3] She lived in North Bergen, New Jersey, where her father was Rabbi of Temple Beth El, and graduated from North Bergen High School before beginning classes at Montclair State College.^[4][5]

Career

Early Daytime Television: Sofer first played Lois Marie Cerullo on General Hospital. Her first appearance was in 1993 as a band manager. When she saw Eddie Mane perform at a New York Concert, she was immediately impressed and hired him. Unbeknownst to her, "Eddie" was Ned Ashton, son of Tracy Quartermaine not a traveling pharmaceutical salesman by day.

Daytime television

Sofer's first high profile role was as Rocky on the daytime soap opera Loving, a role she played from 1988 to 1991. She is perhaps best known for her role as Lois Cerullo on General Hospital from December 15, 1993 to September 24, 1996. She would later return as a guest star from February 7, 1997 to February 17, 1997 and again from September 30, 1997 to 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, and first aired on July 12.^[6]

Primetime television

Sofer 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 was the subject of controversy in the early 2000s when she briefly joined the cast of the NBC sitcom Just Shoot Me!, playing the character Vicky Costa.^[7] It was widely reported that NBC executives forced the producers of the series to add Sofer to the cast, due to executives liking Sofer and wanting to showcase the actress in hopes of making her a break-out star for the network.^{[citation needed]} Sofer's addition to Just Shoot Me! was widely panned. With the show being canceled midway through the season, she was quietly written out of the series halfway through the final season. A farewell episode for her character had been produced, but it was not shown during the show's first run. It aired in syndication. 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).^[8] Rena also has guest starred on Dirty Sexy Money playing an intrepid reporter ^[9] and played a ghost on Ghost Whisperer. In early 2010, Sofer began a recurring role on NCIS as Attorney Margaret Allison Hart, who is 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).

Film

In film, she has appeared as an involuntary love interest of Ben Stiller in the film Keeping the Faith, starring Jenna Elfman, Stiller and Edward Norton (who also directed).

She also appeared as 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. Desjardin 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 also starred as Andrea Larson in the television movie Saved by the Bell: Hawaiian Style.

Personal life

Sofer and General Hospital love interest and co-star Wally Kurth became involved as their characters' storyline progressed. In 1995, the actors were married, and the couple have a daughter, Rosabel Rosalind Kurth. In 1997, Sofer and Kurth divorced.

Sofer married television director/producer Sanford Bookstaver in 2003. On August 5, 2005, Sofer gave birth to her first child with Bookstaver, named Avalon Leone, in Los Angeles.

Filmography

Awards and nominations

References

External links

• Rena Sofer at the Internet Movie Database