Rene Aranda

Rene Aranda
Aranda in 2018
Born
Rene Michelle Aranda

(1990-12-06) December 6, 1990 (age 34)
Whittier, California
NationalityAmerican
Other namesRen
Occupation(s)Actress, singer
Years active2011–present
Known forPapa
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]

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

Year Title Role Notes
2011 For a Reason Eva Short
2012 Wake-up Call Iris Short
Sin_Eater Rebeka Short
2013 Smile Now Cry Later -
Fellatio Is Fo Suckas Rene the Sweet Short
The Pain Killers Elise
It's Dark Here Funeral Mourner
The Mountain - Short
2014 The Unexpected Guest Amy Flint Short
Cutting Corners 2 - Short
Fatty Student Short
The Tragedy of Petey Pompeii Kate Short
Contest Melanie Short
Expelled Police Officer
Frankenchick Mad Scientist Short
Sins of a Call Girl Diner Patron
Fighting Chance Sabrina
Cherry Red Kiss Eva Alvarez
2015 A Family Affair Paula Short
Suckas Fo Fellatio Rene The Sweet Short
Violet Femke Klebb Short
Faraar SWAT
Relentless Rachel Short
A Lesson in Love - Short
D.O.P: The Director of Photography Mad Scientist Short
Performance Art Lana Short
2016 Until the Day I Die: Part 1 Officer Bracamontes
The Fertile Fiend from Outer Space Rachel Short
Until the Day I Die: Part 2 Cholita
Stories for the Fire Kitty Short
I Know Where Lizzie Is EMT TV movie
A Killer Walks Amongst Us -
2 Lava 2 Lantula! S.W.A.T.
Black Flag S.W.A.T. Short
Shadows of the Dead Police Officer
Like the First Time Elle Short
Inspired to Kill Inmate TV movie
Christmas with the Andersons Police Officer TV movie
The Green Fairy Mrs. Ferrer
Selfish Party Guest Short
2017 Try Hard Veronica Short
Open Mic - Short
Destruction: Los Angeles Police Officer
A View from the Mountain Lucy Short
UniversitE DEA Agent Short
2018 Eruption: LA Army Soldlier
Frankie Skater Girl Short
Searching Emergency Medical Technician
Papa Robin
When You Lose Someone - Short
Woman on the Edge Police Officer
2019 The Final Journey of Hartwick Stance Hartwick's Wife Short
Debbie & Doug Drop Acid in the Desert Bunny Short
The Fanatic Tourist
Intolerance: No More 9-11 Operator (voice)
Boris and the Bomb Sonia
12 Pups of Christmas Alex's Mom
2020 Sinister Savior Izzie's House Medic
Cops Like Us LAPD Officer Ronnie Aranda Short
The Undead of the Z West Undead Farm Girl Short
Mommy is a Murderer EMT
One of These Days Police Officer #6 Short
Dusters The Retriever Short
Open Mic Couple in Audience Short
Happy Horror Days Party Guest
Peek Det. Liza Sepps Short
2021 86 Melrose Ave Co-Worker in Background
Blursday Nurse Rene
Midnight in the Switchgrass Prostitute [16][17][18]
2022 Emily or Oscar Lawyer Laura [19]
Lizard Brain Sandy Short
In Love with My Partner's Wife Police Officer TV movie
Tavern Tony Returns Margarita Girl Short
Four Hour Layover in Juarez Valeria Short
My Nightmare Office Affair Business Woman TV movie
The Stepmother 2 Hostess
2023 Imani Paramedic
The Assistant Couple at Restaurant
City of Dreams Girl in Pedicab [20]
No Way Out Paramedic
The Stepmother 3 Paramedic
Proof Sheet Female Police Officer/Brothel Worker
F.L.Y. Postal Worker (mid credit scene) TV movie[21]
Night Mistress Shelly Steele
In Deep S.W.A.T Short
Still Here Fan Girl
Mystery Incorporated and the Threshold of Chaos Thorn (voice)
Falaq S.W.A.T.
Our Broken Family Amy [22]
2024 Upon Waking Paramedic
The Disinvited Sarah
Somnium Victim #3
Holy Cash Sinner

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2014 HitRecord on TV Herself Episode: "RE: Fantasy"
2014-2018 WhatImDoingRightNow Herself Michael Aranda's vlog, 9 episodes
2015 Tabloid Bracamontes/ S.W.A.T 2 episodes
2016 Murder Among Friends Officer Mejia Episode: "Unholy Friends"
Take My Wife Hotel Patron Episode: "Holiday Special"
Dangerous Games
2016-2017 Blood Relatives Police Officer 2 episodes
Ryan Hansen Solves Crimes on Television Paramedic Scene Deleted
2017 Germany's Next Top Model Herself 3 episodes
Betrayed Police Officer/ S.W.A.T. 3 episodes
Extreme Measures CSI Episode: "Oh Mother, Where Art Thou?"
2019 Intrigue Jury
CollegeHumor Originals: Kingpin Katie Officer Episode 8
CryptTV: Fight Night Spectator
2021 Nova Vita Nurse Julie 3 episodes
2023 Double Cross Patient AllBlk Original Series

Music videos

Year Song Artist Role
2014 All About You Ray Castle Interviewer
2016 JoHn Muir ScHoolboy Q Police Officer
One Time Comin' YG Police Officer
Let You Go Bobo Norco feat. The Promise Police Officer
2017 High Spirits Pierre Lead
Math Quin EMT
2018 Need You Anymore Patrick Nuo Dancer
Evidence Bashrock Girlfriend
2019 Stay Broke Tokyo Yens Inmate
No Sudden Moves Julia Nunes Hand Dancer
2020 We Can Make Up Guy Tang LGBTQ+ Couple
2021
Rap Demigod Dax Police Officer
Suffocating Dax Rapper Entourage
2022 I Dance YG feat. "Duki" & "Cuco" Guest

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Film Result
2010 Irene Ryan (KCACTF)[6] Acting Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead Semifinalist
2012 Outstanding Performance by an Actress (KCACTF)[3][4][5] Acting The Unseen Hand Won
2018 LA Edge Film Awards[2] Best Supporting Actress A View From the Mountain (short) Won
2018 Silverstate Film Festival[1] Best Actress A View From the Mountain (short) Won
2019 Rising Star[23] Industry Award Won

References

  1. ^ a b "Silver State Film Festival 2018 Awards". Silver State Film Festival. Retrieved 2019-03-18.
  2. ^ a b "Winners". LA EDGE. Retrieved 2019-03-18.
  3. ^ a b c "National Awards – The Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival". web.kennedy-center.org. Retrieved 2019-03-18.
  4. ^ a b "Los Angeles Collegian". Issuu. Apr 30, 2012. Retrieved 2019-03-18.
  5. ^ a b "Los Angeles Collegian". Issuu. Mar 13, 2012. Retrieved 2019-03-18.
  6. ^ a b c "Issue 1 Spring 2011 Volume 164 Feb 23 | Egypt | Student Financial Aid In The United States". Scribd. Retrieved 2019-03-18.
  7. ^ "Cheryl Aranda Finds Inspiration in Her Children and in Song". calstate.fullerton.edu. Retrieved 2019-03-18.
  8. ^ Gutierrez, Guerra (July 2, 2009). "Legacy Obituaries". Los Angeles Times.
  9. ^ a b "What Show Business Looks Like In Your Twenties". Ms. In The Biz. 2015-02-25. Retrieved 2019-03-18.
  10. ^ Aranda, Rene Michelle (2019-05-20). "Remembering opening the Bram Stroker Dracula-inspired collection in the @Woodburyfashion Neo-Tribes Runway Event, May 2013". @therenearanda. Retrieved 2019-05-20.
  11. ^ "Ren Aranda". Spotify. Retrieved 2019-03-18.
  12. ^ "Ren Aranda on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved 2019-03-18.
  13. ^ "Ren Aranda on iHeartRadio". iHeartRadio.com.
  14. ^ "Reading to Kids Monthly Reading Club Recap". ReadingtoKids.org.
  15. ^ "Reading to Kids - 2017 Sketchers Performance Los Angeles Marathon". ReadingtoKids.org | News. 2017.
  16. ^ Midnight in the Switchgrass - IMDb Full Cast & Crew, retrieved 2020-09-22
  17. ^ "Rene Michelle Aranda (aka Ren) on Instagram: "I missed set meals like this. #lunchat8pm #becausefilmmaking #masksuntilseated #midnightintheswitchgrass #i❤️acting"". Instagram. Retrieved 2020-09-22.
  18. ^ "Midnight in the Switchgrass - Google Search". Google. Retrieved 2020-09-22.
  19. ^ "Emily or Oscar". IMDb. 2022. Archived from the original on Jan 20, 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  20. ^ Fuente, Anna Marie de la (2023-02-22). "Oscar-Nominated Yalitza Aparicio to Executive Produce Sweatshop Drama 'Dreamer' with Infinity Hill (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  21. ^ Albarrán, Rafael; Kendrick, Trent (2023-07-18). "F.L.Y. - Apple TV". Apple TV. Retrieved 2024-12-20.
  22. ^ Services, Matts Marketing. ""Our Broken Family," Becomes Multiple Award Winner". PRLog. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
  23. ^ "Rene Michelle Aranda Wins the Rising Star Award at the 2019 HSSF". Eye on Entertainment.