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RENEE MONTEMAYOR
Renee Montemayor
Biography
Renee Montemayor is a British actress who is best known for her role as Briony Jones on the long running BBC Television series Grange Hill. She was the one actress, out of a cast of hundreds of actors spanning over 25 years, specially chosen by BBC producers to represent the television series when it won a BAFTA award in 2001, alongside Todd Carty and Gwyneth Powell who played Tucker Jenkins and Mrs. McCluskey in the original series. She was also asked to participate in BBC 1's Live and Kicking Castaway Special to represent the show on a survival challenge match against the cast of Byker Grove.
As well as being a successful actress Renee is also a trained mezzo soprano singer and has appeared in various West End musicals. As a child she played Princess Ying Yeowlak, performing the finale death/goodbye monologue at the age of four in The King and I alongside film legend Yul Brynner and Virginia McKenna at the London Palledium.
As a teenager she returned to the West End stage in the hit musical Miss Saigon at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane where she played the role of Yvonne and understudied and played both Gigi and the lead role Kim at the age of 18.
She trained at Sylvia Youngs Theatre School, London before studying Shakespeare and Acting at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (summer syllabus) as well as training in The Meisner Technique at The Impulse Company with Scott Williams for 2 years.
In 2008 she was auditioned, and then personally chosen and invited by Bernard Hiller himself to fly out to Los Angeles to take part in his intensive LA Acting Masterclass in order to be presented to Hollywoods most elite producers, directors, agents and casting directors as one of the top 40 best actors in Europe. Casting Director of Lost and Star Trek the movie, April Webster, said of Renee She has such amazing presence.
Theatre:
Her theatre credits include playing a Royal Wife and Singer in Raymond Gubbays The King and I at The Royal Albert Hall, directed by Jeremy Sams, Freda in Dangerous Corner (Landor Theatre), Emma in Betrayal (Tristan Bates Theatre), Ensign Carla Velasquez, and understudy Liat, in Trevor Nunns adaptation of South Pacific(Royal National Theatre), Miss Saigon directed by Nicolas Hytner (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane) where she played the part of Yvonne and understudied and played the role of Gigi as well as the lead role Kim, cast member of Hey! Mr Producer, Cameron Mackintoshs Royal Gala for the Queen (Lyceum Theatre), Liat in South Pacific with Apollo Leisure Ltd on a number 1 UK tour, a Royal wife and u/s Tuptim for The King and I at the Covent Garden Festival, Maria Clara in Noli mi Tangere (Touch Me Not) worldwide debut at the Covent Garden Theatre Museum, Princess Jasmine in Aladdin with Hammond Productions(Chatham Theatre) Alice Fitzwarren in Dick Whittington (Greenwich Theatre for Stratford East) and Cinderella in Cinderella,The Glass Slipper at the Brewhouse theatre.
Television:
Television credits include playing the role of Jacinta in ITV's Lewis (alongside an all star cast including Helen Baxendale, Joanna Lumley and Simon Callow); the Peking Princess in Harry and Cosh (Two Hats Film and Television) which she filmed alongside her sister Rhoda Montemayor (The Pink Power Ranger in Disney's Power Rangers: Operation Overdrive) who played Mai in the same episode as her; a siren on Blue Peter Quest; guest starring in Live and Kickings Celebrity Castaway Special, where she was left on a tiny deserted island to complete various physical challenges with her Grange Hill co stars against the cast of Byker Grove; Grange Hill (BBC) where she played the part of Briony Jones for three years; Hollyoaks as Sarah (Channel 4), various roles in many episodes of Agony (Live TV); a waitress in Respect (Yorkshire TV); Sally in Dear Dilemma; a peasant in Swank and Teenage Health Freak where she played the part of Lyndsay.
Film:
Film work includes playing a sexy drug dealer called Morag in Don't Walk (Channel 4); a fiery red haired burger assistant in Luc Besson's The Fifth Element; and the sexually confident Naomi, in the short film Naomi, Kate, Kylie and Me which she starred in opposite Hollywood heart throb Matthew Marsden.
Presenting:
Presenting work includes Teachers TV; An English Adventure for Disney and Pearson Education; The Frame (BBC); Roar TV the music magazine show for Europe and being the face of Cathay Pacifics Inflight entertainment, where she presented many travel features on location including a documentary about the Philippines, where her parents are from, as well as interviewing many well known Asian celebrities including violinist Vanessa Mae, director Clara Law and international shoe designer Jimmy Choo.
Commercial:
Renee has had extensive experience on many high profile commercial projects from Music Videos to Television Commercials to Voiceover and Modelling work etc. Some of her most notable ones are; the featured floating girl in the huge worldwide Baileys advertising campaign, the part of the lover in Ultimate Kaos music video entitled My Lover and a singer on the recording of Coca Colas new song This is Our World.
Directing:
Renee made her directorial debut in October 2010 when she assisted American director Niki Flacks on a Mike Folie play Love in the Insecurity Zone, for its UK debut.
Official website: www.ReneeMontemayor.com
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