Rene Aranda

Last updated
Rene Aranda
Rene Michelle Aranda.jpg
Aranda in 2018
Born
Rene Michelle Aranda

(1990-12-06) December 6, 1990 (age 32)
NationalityAmerican
Other namesRen
Occupation(s)Actress, singer
Years active2013–present
Known for Papa (2018 film)
FamilyMichael Aranda (brother)
Websiterenearanda.com

Rene Michelle Aranda, sometimes credited as Ren Aranda, (born December 6, 1990) is an American actress and singer, best known for Searching and Midnight in the Switchgrass . She has won Best Actress (Silverstate Film Festival, 2018), [1] Best Supporting Actress (LA Edge Film Awards, 2018) [2] and Outstanding Performance by an Actress (Kennedy Center ACT Festival) [3] [4] [5] and finished as a semifinalist in the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Center's Irene Ryan scholarship program. [6]

Contents

Early life and family

Aranda was born in Whittier, California, to Frank and Cheryl Aranda. She was raised in the nearby city of Chino Hills, where Aranda grew up with older brother Michael Aranda (YouTube creator and musician), older sister Sara Ann Aranda and younger brother Frank Nathan Aranda. Her mother was a self produced singer/songwriter through CD Baby and secretary to the college dean of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at Cal State Fullerton [7] until she died June 27, 2009, after a seven-year battle with breast cancer. [8]

Career

2009–2012: Vocational training

Aranda is an alumnus of the Los Angeles City College Theater Academy, a three-year, audition-only acting conservatory at which Morgan Freeman, Mark Hamill, Cindy Williams and Bette Davis studied. [9] Just before graduating in 2012, she won the national award "Outstanding Performance by an Actress" in the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival for her role as Willy the Space Freak in a gender-bent adaptation of Sam Shepard's The Unseen Hand. [3]

For her role as "Van's Sister" in LACC's stage production of Bert V. Royal's Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead in 2010, Aranda was nominated for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Irene Ryan scholarship, [6] for which actors compete as a part of the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. She made it to the semi-finals.

2013–2014: Early career

First invited to the set of network Cinelatino distributed film Smile Now Cry Later as a background actor by a fellow Theater Academy alum, Aranda was later asked to replace a crew member on a subsequent film before being locked in for two more features (Fighting Chance and Cherry Red Kiss) and by the fourth production (Until the Day I Die), she served the company Plus Entertainment as an in-house producer, appearing on screen in each title she helped produce. [9]

Aranda was featured with touring architect Alán Ramiro Manning in the Woodbury University Neo-Tribes Runway Event [10] on May 1 and 2 2013, donning a Jenny Erin Davis (Black Lightning) design of a Bram Stoker's Dracula inspired Elisabeta (Transylvania 1462), wearing Stila makeup.

2018: Music

In addition to her film and television career, Aranda debuted as a musical artist in 2018, releasing two pop singles a few months apart on Spotify, [11] iTunes, [12] iHeartRadio [13] and other online streaming platforms.

Youth programs and education

Aranda is a regular volunteer reader and occasional coordinator for Reading to Kids, [14] and ran on the foundation's charity relay team in the Los Angeles Marathon in 2016. [15]

She also participates as a volunteer actor in Young Storytellers "Big Show" productions.

Filmography

Film roles
YearTitleRoleNotes
2013It's Dark HereFuneral Mourner
Smile Now Cry Later
2014Sins of a Call GirlDiner PatronScene deleted
Fighting ChanceSabrina
Expelled Police Officer
Cherry Red KissEva Alvarez
2015 Faraar SWAT
2016Until the Day I Die: Part 1Officer Bracamontes
Until the Day I Die: Part 2Cholita
The Green FairyMrs. Ferrer
A Killer Walks Amongst Us
Shadows of the DeadPolice OfficerUncredited
Christmas with the AndersonsPolice Officer
2 Lava 2 Lantula! S.W.A.T.Uncredited
I Know Where Lizzie IsEMT
2017 Destruction: Los Angeles Police OfficerUncredited
Inspired to KillInmate
2018Eruption: LAArmy SoldlierUncredited
Papa Robin
Searching Emergency Medical TechnicianUncredited
Woman on the EdgePolice OfficerUncredited
2019Boris and the BombSonia
Intolerance: No More9-11 OperatorVoice
Debbie and Doug

Drop Acid in the Desert

BunnyShort, festival circuit
The Fanatic Tourist
12 Pups of ChristmasAlex's Mom
2020Sinister SaviorIzzie's House Medic
Mommy is a MurdererEMT
86 Melrose AveCoworker
BondedGirl in PedicabUncredited
Night MistressShelly SteelePost-production
DustersThe RetrieverShort, festival circuit
Lichlord Dan and the Fall of ManDr. Samantha MonroeFilming
Happy Horror DaysParty GuestAnthology
2021BlursdayNurse ReneVoice Over
Midnight in the Switchgrass' [16] [17] [18] ProstituteUncredited
2022Clown & OutRebecca Jones
Emily or OscarLaura50+ festival wins [19]
In Love with My Partner's WifePolice Officer Lifetime Movie
My Nightmare Office AffairBusiness WomanLifetime Movie
The Stepmother 2Hostess Tubi Original
Four Hour Layover in JuarezValeriaShort, festival circuit
2023ImaniParamedic BET Original
AssistantCouple at RestaurantTubi Original
No Way OutParamedic
The Stepmother 3Paramedic
Proof SheetFemale Police Officer / Brothel Worker
Our Broken FamilyAmyAward winning [20]
In DevelopmentDreamer [21] Girl in Pedicab
Television roles
YearTitleRoleNotes
2014 HitREcord on TVHerselfEpisode 2: "Fantasy"
2014-2018WhatImDoingRightNowHerselfMichael Aranda's vlog, 9 episodes
2015TabloidBracamontes/ S.W.A.T2 episodes
2016 Murder Among Friends Officer MejiaEpisode: "Unholy Friends"
Take My Wife Hotel PatronEpisode: "Holiday Special"
Dangerous Games
2016-2017 Blood Relatives Police Officer2 episodes
Ryan Hansen Solves Crimes on Television ParamedicScene Deleted
2017 Germany's Next Top Model Herself3 episodes
BetrayedPolice Officer/ S.W.A.T.3 episodes
Extreme MeasuresCSIEpisode: "Oh Mother, Where Art Thou?"
2019IntrigueJury
CollegeHumor Originals:Kingpin KatieOfficerEpisode 8
CryptTV: Fight NightSpectator
2021 Nova Vita Nurse Julie3 episodes
2023Double CrossPatient AllBlk Original Series
Music Video roles
YearSongArtistRole
2016JoHn Muir ScHoolboy Q Police Officer
One Time Comin' YG Police Officer
Let You Go - Ft. The PromiseBobo NorcoPolice Officer
2017High SpiritsPierreLead
Math Quin EMT
2018Need You Anymore

(Movie Soundtrack - Smile Now Cry Later)

Patrick Nuo Dancer
EvidenceBashrockGirlfriend
2019Stay BrokeTokyo YensInmate
No Sudden Moves Julia Nunes Hand Dancer
2020We Can Make UpGuy TangLGBTQ+ Couple
2021
Rap Demigod Dax Police Officer
SuffocatingDaxRapper Entourage
2022I DanceYG feat. "Duki" & "Cuco" Guest

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryFilmResult
2010Irene Ryan (KCACTF) [6] Acting Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead Semifinalist
2012Outstanding Performance by an Actress (KCACTF) [3] [4] [5] ActingThe Unseen HandWon
2018LA Edge Film Awards [2] Best Supporting ActressA View From the Mountain (short)Won
2018Silverstate Film Festival [1] Best Actress A View From the Mountain (short)Won
2019Rising Star [22] Industry AwardWon

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