Born in Houston and raised in the suburb of Katy, Texas, Renee O'Connor began studying acting at the age of 12 at Houston's Alley Theatre, and later attended Houston's High School of the Performing and Visual Arts. She made her professional acting debut in l989 starring in the Teen Angel serial, which was featured on The Disney Channel's Mickey Mouse Club, and went on to star in Match Point, another serial for the popular children's show. That same year, O'Connor moved to Los Angeles. O'Connor went on to portray Cheryl Ladd's daughter in Danielle Steel's Changes. Later, she starred as one of a group of students whose lives are suddenly endangered in the NBC movie The Flood.

Her most recent theatrical film role was that of Julia Wilkes in Disney's The Adventures of Huck Finn, starring Elijah Wood. She also guest-starred as the daughter of a murdered couple in an episode of the acclaimed ABC television series NYPD Blue.

Renee enjoys horseback riding, rock climbing and kickboxing. She jogs and lifts weights to keep in shape for her work on the show, which has become increasingly more physical as her character has evolved.

Renee has been married to Kiwi Steve Muir since October of 2000 and they are expecting their first child in Septmeber of 2001. Renee owns a home in Auckland, New Zealand, where the series is filmed. When not in Auckland, she makes her home in Austin, Texas.