Jan. 10, 2022

Fiona Rene: Coping with Grief & Substance Use Through Art, Acting, and "Emotional Cuddling"

S3/Ep 18//Color of Success

Fiona Rene has already built an impressive career, best known for her role as Lyla on Amazon Video’s “I Know What You Did Last Summer," and starring as Kara Lee on ABC’s “Stumptown.” Her other credits include ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy,” FOX’s “LA’s Finest,” and The CW’s “Jane the Virgin.” Fiona is also a successful voiceover actor in animation, radio, promo, narrative and commercial. Fun fact: She got her start in building immersive haunted house experiences!

In this in-depth conversation with my new sis, Fiona Rene, we discuss how art, acting, and embracing others are essential to her coping with grief and substance use.  She coins the term, "emotional cuddling," which is connecting with others by holding "space" for them and working towards understanding cultural and personal values.  She also reveals what question she wishes someone would ask.

Upcoming projects: She will be be starring alongside, Cobie Smulders! Fiona will also voice Jey Zhang, indie pop band OFK’s producer, in PlayStation’s interactive and episodic narrative game, We Are OFK.  We Are OFK, slated to release in 2022, follows the lives of the band members Itsumi Saitō, Carter Flores, Jey Zhang and Luca Le Fae as they attempt to break into the music business, fall in and out of love and figure out how to pay rent and make art in Los Angeles. Alongside Fiona Rene on this highly anticipated project is Ally Maki (Netflix’s “Dear White People”), Greg Chun (Netflix’s “Squid Games”), Yuri Lowenthal (Marvel’s SPIDER-MAN), and many more talented individuals. 

To learn more about Fiona: fionarene.com 

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Transcript