Rena Sofer

American actress (born 1968)

Rena Sofer

Sofer in 2014

Born|

Rena Sherel Sofer

(1968-12-02) December 2, 1968 (age 56)

Arcadia, California, U.S.

Occupation| Actress
Years active| 1984–present
Spouses|

Wally Kurth

(m. 1995; div. 1997)​

Sanford Bookstaver

(m. 2003; div. 2017)​

(m. 2024)​

Children| 2

Rena Sherel Sofer (born December 2, 1968)[1] is an American actress, 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 portrayal of Lois Cerullo in the soap opera General Hospital. She reprised the role of Lois in October 2023. From 2013 to 2022, she played Quinn Fuller on the CBS soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful.

## Early life

[edit]

Sofer was born in Arcadia, California, the daughter of Susan Sofer (née Franzblau), a psychology professor, and Martin Sofer, an Orthodox rabbi. [2]

She moved with her father and brother David to Teaneck, New Jersey, in 1970. However, when Sofer was 5 years old, they resided in Western Pennsylvania. They lived in Ambridge, Pennsylvania, where her father led Beth Samuels Jewish Center. She later attended the Frisch School, a coeducational Modern Orthodox Jewish high school in Paramus, New Jersey.[3] Sofer lived in North Bergen, New Jersey, where her father was rabbi of synagogue Temple Beth El. She graduated from North Bergen High School, then attended classes at Montclair State College.[4][5]

## Career

[edit]

### Daytime television

[edit]

Sofer first played Lois Marie Cerullo on General Hospital. Her first appearance was in 1993 as a band manager. However, her first high-profile role was as Rocky McKenzie on the daytime soap opera Loving (1988–1991).

Sofer is perhaps best known for her role as Lois Cerullo on General Hospital (December 15, 1993 – September 24, 1996). She later returned as a guest star (February 7–17, 1997; September 30 – 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; her first episode aired on July 12.[6] After nine years on the canvas, Sofer opted to end her run in the role of Quinn; she last aired on August 29, 2022.[7]

On September 14, 2023, People announced Sofer would reprise the role of Lois on General Hospital after a 26-year absence.[8]

### Primetime television

[edit]

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 briefly joined the cast of the NBC sitcom Just Shoot Me!, playing the character Vicky Costa.[9] 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).[10] Rena also has guest starred on Dirty Sexy Money playing an intrepid reporter[11] and played a ghost on Ghost Whisperer. In early 2010, Sofer began a recurring role on NCIS as attorney Margaret Allison Hart, 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).

In 2013, Sofer had a publicized appearance on Once Upon a Time, playing Snow White's mother.[12]

### Film

[edit]

In film, she appeared as a love interest of Ben Stiller's character in the film Keeping the Faith, starring Jenna Elfman, Stiller and Edward Norton (who also directed). She also played 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. Desjarden 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 has been doing TV movies since 1992, when she starred as Andrea Larson in the television movie Saved by the Bell: Hawaiian Style.

## Personal life

[edit]

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|

Sofer and her General Hospital co-star Wally Kurth, who played her onscreen love interest, became involved as their characters' storyline progressed. In 1995, the actors were married and had a daughter. In 1997, Sofer and Kurth divorced.

Sofer married television director and producer Sanford Bookstaver in 2003. On August 5, 2005, Sofer gave birth to her second daughter, her first with Bookstaver, in Los Angeles. Sofer and Bookstaver eventually divorced in 2017. In 2019, Sofer announced they had reconciled and in April announced their engagement, and they later remarried in 2024.[13]

## Filmography

[edit]

Films  Year  | Film  | Role  | Notes

|
|
|

1992  | A Stranger Among Us | Shayna  |
1992  | Saved by the Bell: Hawaiian Style | Andrea Larson  | TV movie
1994  | Twin Sitters | Judy  |
1996  | Hostile Advances: The Kerry Ellison Story | Kerry Ellison  | TV movie
1997  | The Stepsister | Darcy Canfield Ray  | TV movie
1998  | Nightmare Street | Penny Randolph  |
2000  | Keeping the Faith | Rachel Rose  |
2000  | Traffic | Helena's Friend  |
2001  | March | Hedy Pullman  |
2002  | Carrie | Miss Desjarden  | TV movie
2006  | The Secret of Hidden Lake | Maggie Dolan  | TV movie
2009  | Rock Slyde | Sara  |
2009  | Always & Forever | Grace Holland  | TV movie
2010  | Sarah | Teenage Sarah  |
2010  | The Devil's Teardrop | Joan  | TV movie
2011  | Another Man's Wife | Hadley Warner  | TV movie
Television  Year  | Film  | Role  | Notes

|
|
|

1987  | Another World | Joyce Abernathy  | Unknown episodes
1988–1991  | Loving | Amelia "Rocky" McKenzie Domeq  | Unknown episodes
1992  | Freshman Dorm | Veronica  | 2 episodes
1993  | Herman's Head | Stephanie  | Episode: "When Hermy Met Crawford's Girlfriend"
1993–1997
2023-Present  | General Hospital | Lois Cerullo | Main role
1996  | Caroline in the City | Risa Glickman  | Episode: "Caroline and the Nice Jewish Boy"
1997  | Seinfeld | Mary Anne  | Episode: "The Muffin Tops"
1998  | Glory, Glory | Elizabeth  | TV Pilot
1998  | Ellen | Jean  | Episode: "Womyn Fest"
1998  | Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place | Lauren Henderson  | Episode: "Two Guys, a Girl, and a Recovery"
1998  | Timecop | Dr. Carrie Ann Trent  | Episode: "D.O.A."
1998–1999  | Melrose Place | Eve Cleary  | Main role (Credited as a Recurring Character) 25 episodes
1999  | Oh, Grow Up | Suzanne Vandermeer  | Main role
2000  | Opposite Sex | Ms. Gibson  | Episode: "Pilot"
2000  | Spin City | Sam  | Episode: "Lost and Found"
2001  | The Weber Show | Dawn Cheswick  | Episode: "Dog Eat Dog"
2001  | Ed | Bonnie Hane  | 7 episodes
2001–2002  | The Chronicle | Grace Hall  | 22 episodes
2002  | Friends | Katie  | Episode: "The One with the Cooking Class"
2002–2003  | Just Shoot Me! | Vicki Costa  | 14 episodes
2003  | CSI: Miami | Alison  | Episode: "Grave Young Men"
2003  | Coupling | Susan Freeman  | Main role
2005  | Blind Justice | Christie Dunbar  | Main role
2006–2007  | Heroes | Heidi Petrelli  | 5 episodes
2007  | 24 | Marilyn Bauer  | 12 episodes
2008  | Ghost Whisperer | Tammy  | Episode: "Ball & Chain"
2008–2010  | Two and a Half Men | Chrissy  | 2 episodes
2009  | Dirty Sexy Money | News Reporter  | Episode: "The Facts"
2009  | Monk | Kim Kelly  | Episode: "Mr. Monk's Favorite Show"
2009  | Criminal Minds | Erika Silverman  | Episode: "The Slave of Duty"
2010  | Bones | Dr. Catherine Bryar  | Episode: "The Predator in the Pool"
2010  | NCIS | Margaret Allison Hart  | 6 episodes
2010  | Royal Pains | AJ  | Episode: "Open Up Your Yenta Mouth and Say Ah"
2010  | Medium | Dr. Natalie Salem  | Episode: "Native Tongue"
2011–2012  | Covert Affairs | Geena  | 3 episodes
2012  | House | Marlene Reese  | Episode: "Man of the House"
2012  | The Glades | Alexis Cane  | Episode: "Old Times"
2012  | Beauty & the Beast | Sabrina Meyer  | Episode: "Bridesmaid Up!"
2013  | Once Upon a Time | Queen Eva  | Episode: "The Queen is Dead"
2013–2022  | The Bold and the Beautiful | Quinn Fuller | Main role
2014  | Chicago P.D. | Doctor  | Episode: "Chin Check"

## Awards and nominations

[edit]

List of acting awards and nominations  Year  | Award  | Category  | Title  | Result  | Ref.

|
|
|
|
|

1995

| Daytime Emmy Award | Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series | General Hospital | Won  |

[14]

1995

| Soap Opera Digest Award | Outstanding Younger Lead Actress  | General Hospital | Won  |

[15]

2016

| Soap Awards France  | Best Villain of the Year  | The Bold and the Beautiful | Won  |

[16]

2016

| Soap Awards France  | Best New Character  | The Bold and the Beautiful | Nominated  |

[16]

2017

| Soap Awards France  | Best Actress of the Year  | The Bold and the Beautiful | Nominated  |

[17]

2017

| Soap Awards France  | Best Villain of the Year  | The Bold and the Beautiful | Nominated  |

[17]

2018

| Soap Awards France  | Best Villain of the Year  | The Bold and the Beautiful | Won  |

[18]

2018

| Soap Awards France  | Best Couple of the Year — "Quinn and Eric"
(shared with John McCook)  | The Bold and the Beautiful | Nominated  |

[18]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Rena Sofer on Instagram: "So today is my birthday!! Yay!! I'm 53 today and my FAVORITE part of birthdays and Mother's Day are the hand made cards my daughters give to me every year. Avalon always does the most incredible photoshop cards that are timely and hilarious. And Rosabel loves to draw things that make me laugh til I pee in my pants. I really hope @keithbrymerjones does not take offense to this card and sees it as what it is, an homage to a brilliant ceramicist and potter who may look amazing in lipstick and mascara. The second one is of princess. I added a pic of her so you can see how good the resemblance is! Thank you all so much for all the amazing birthday wishes. And for those of you inspired by my love of dogs and rescues and fostering THANK YOU FOR DOING something in that honor. THANK YOU ALL AGAIN!!! 💋💋💋❤️❤️❤️🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🎂🎉🎊🎁"".
2. ^ "STATE OF MIND with MAURICE BENARD: RENA SOFER". YouTube. 2 October 2022. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
3. ^ Dickter, Adam. "Sofer Sex". The Jewish Week. September 19, 2003. Archived from the original on October 8, 2003.
4. ^ "Rena Sofer", Oh, Grow Up, WCHS. Accessed September 22, 2011. "Born in Arcadia, California, Rena moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, following her parents' divorce, and later to North Bergen, New Jersey, where she finished high school."
5. ^ Lipton, Michael A. "Heart Condition: For Rena Sofer, Checking into General Hospital Meant Finding a Healing Love with Costar Wally Kurth", People, October 31, 1994. Accessed September 22, 2011. "Neither parent remarried, and today Sofer maintains close relations with both her father, who presides at Temple Beth El in North Bergen, N.J., and her mother, a professor of developmental psychology at the University of North Carolina in Fayetteville.... She took a drama class during her senior year at North Bergen High School and then, after less than a semester at Montclair State College, took acting lessons in New York."
6. ^ Logan, Michael (May 20, 2013). "Exclusive: Rena Sofer Joins The Bold and the Beautiful". TV Guide. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
7. ^ SOD (August 17, 2022). "EXCLUSIVE! RENA SOFER LEAVES B&B!". Soap Opera Digest. United States: American Media, Inc. Odyssey Magazine Publishing Group Inc. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
8. ^ Staff (September 14, 2023). "Rena Sofer Returning to General Hospital as Lois Cerullo After Leaving Soap 26-Years Ago (Exclusive)". People. United States. ISSN 0093-7673. OCLC 794712888. Archived from the original on September 14, 2023. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
9. ^ Sandell, Scott (October 1, 2002). "TUNED IN; A New Face, but the Usual 'Shoot'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 23, 2008.[dead link]
10. ^ Waldman, Allison (August 8, 2008). "Rena Sofer booked on Two and a Half Men". TV Squad. Archived from the original on November 26, 2018. Retrieved August 12, 2008.
11. ^ Shhh! Rena Sofer Has a Dirty Sexy Little Secret!" TV Guide. November 10, 2008. Retrieved on November 12, 2008.
12. ^ "Once Upon a Time Exclusive: Rena Sofer Cast as Snow White's Mother". TV Guide. 9 January 2013. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
13. ^ SOD (April 29, 2019). "B&B's Rena Sofer to Re-Wed". Soap Opera Digest. United States: American Media, Inc. Retrieved April 29, 2019.
14. ^ "Winners of Daytime Emmy Awards at a glance". The Daily Union. Kansas: Montgomery Communications, Inc. Associated Press. May 21, 1995. p. 2. Retrieved May 6, 2013.
15. ^ "'Days of Our Lives' Wins Best Soap Opera Award". The Durant Daily Democrat. Associated Press. February 19, 1995. Retrieved February 10, 2013.
16. ^ a b "Soap Awards France 2016 : Hélène Rollès, Les Mystères de l'amour, Rena Sofer, Plus belle la vie...le palmarès complet". France: toutelatele.com and Médiamétrie. May 2, 2016. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
17. ^ a b "Soap Awards France 2017 : Hélène Rollès, Les Mystères de l'amour, Ambroise Michel, Terre de passions, Eric Braeden... le palmarès complet". France: toutelatele.com and Médiamétrie. June 1, 2017. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
18. ^ a b "Soap Awards France 2018 : Sharon Case, Clément Rémiens, Fanny (Elsa Esnoult), Demain nous appartient... le palmarès complet". France: toutelatele.com and Médiamétrie. March 28, 2018. Retrieved July 4, 2020.

## External links

[edit]

* Rena Sofer at IMDb

* v
* t
* e

Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series

1970s|

* Suzanne Rogers (1979)

1980s|

* Francesca James (1980)
* Jane Elliot (1981)
* Dorothy Lyman (1982)
* Louise Shaffer (1983)
* Judi Evans (1984)
* Beth Maitland (1985)
* Leann Hunley (1986)
* Kathleen Noone (1987)
* Ellen Wheeler (1988)
* Nancy Lee Grahn / Debbi Morgan (1989)

1990s|

* Julia Barr (1990)
* Jess Walton (1991)
* Maeve Kinkead (1992)
* Ellen Parker (1993)
* Susan Haskell (1994)
* Rena Sofer (1995)
* Anna Holbrook (1996)
* Michelle Stafford (1997)
* Julia Barr (1998)
* Sharon Case (1999)

2000s|

* Sarah Joy Brown (2000)
* Lesli Kay (2001)
* Crystal Chappell (2002)
* Vanessa Marcil (2003)
* Cady McClain (2004)
* Natalia Livingston (2005)
* Gina Tognoni (2006)
* Genie Francis (2007)
* Gina Tognoni (2008)
* Tamara Braun (2009)

2010s|

* Julie Pinson (2010)
* Heather Tom (2011)
* Nancy Lee Grahn (2012)
* Julie Marie Berman (2013)
* Amelia Heinle (2014)
* Amelia Heinle (2015)
* Jessica Collins (2016)
* Kate Mansi (2017)
* Camryn Grimes (2018)
* Vernee Watson (2019)

2020s|

* Tamara Braun (2020)
* Marla Adams (2021)
* Kelly Thiebaud (2022)
* Sonya Eddy (2023)
* Courtney Hope (2024)

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF

National|

* Germany
* Spain

People|

* Deutsche Synchronkartei

*[m.]: married
*[div.]: divorced
*[Ref.]: References
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