Rena Sofer

Rena Sofer

Rena Sofer (born December 2, 1968) is an American actress. She was born to an Orthodox Jewish rabbi father and a psychology teacher mother in Arcadia, California, but soon moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she was raised, upon her parents' divorce.

Sofer is probably best known for her role as Lois Cerullo on General Hospital from 1994 to 1996. She won a Daytime Emmy Award in 1995 for "Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series." That same year, she married GH co-star Wally Kurth. In the fall of 1996, she asked the producers of the soap opera to leave the show to be with Kurth; her character left Port Charles for San Francisco. In 1997, Sofer and Kurth divorced after having some arguments while Sofer left General Hospital.

Sofer was also featured on five primetime series: Melrose Place, Just Shoot Me!, Ed, Coupling, and Blind Justice. She appeared as an involuntary love interest of Ben Stiller in the film Keeping the Faith, starring Jenna Elfman, Stiller, and Edward Norton (who also directed). She played a guest role in the Seinfeld episode entitled "The Muffin Tops". She was also featured in the Friends episode "The One with the Cooking Class."

Rena Sofer has landed recurring roles on the Fox network's Emmy-winning action drama 24 and on NBC's sci-fi drama Heroes. On 24, Sofer plays Graham's (Paul McCrane) wife. On Heroes, Sofer plays Heidi Petrelli, wife of aspiring politician Nathan Petrelli (Adrian Pasdar).

In August 2005, Sofer gave birth to her second child, another daughter. Her older daughter is eight years older and from a previous marriage. Sofer is married to TV director/producer Sanford Bookstaver.