Biografia
Rene Raymond Rivera was born on January 9th in San Antonio, Texas, during the mid-third quarter of the 20th century. The youngest of six children, he grew up with parents Andres Aguilar Rivera and Eva Perez Rivera, who worked in Texas fields harvesting cotton, fruits, and vegetables early in their marriage. Rene is deeply thankful to his parents for teaching the value of hard, honest work and unwavering loyalty to love and family, regardless of sacrifice.
He also credits much of his artistic purpose to his siblings—Ray Rivera, Janie Aguirre, Dora Morales, Joe Rivera, and Rose Chang—whose support and guidance throughout his childhood showed him that love and friendship within family mirror the dedication and integrity needed in life’s work and purpose beyond family. They taught him to be authentic to himself and to everyone he meets every day.
Rene fondly recalls his schooling in San Antonio. At Stonewall Elementary, he learned that friendship and respect coexist and that loyalty embodies a soul’s integrity that endures forever. At Southcross (Leal) Middle School, he discovered that respecting girls is essential to living with gentility and a loving heart’s stillness. At Harlandale High School, he realized his soul’s core purpose: to be an actor, an artist who embraces the beauty of life through art. He is grateful to his teacher Mark Blakeney for recognizing his talent and encouraging him to pursue theater studies at Incarnate Word College (now University).
At Incarnate Word College, Rene learned the most vital lesson of his artistic journey—the love of self as an artist. Regardless of theme, plot, character personality, or workload, the essence was always love, fearlessness, and pure soul excitement. For this profound gift, he thanks Ronald Ibbs and Maureen Halligan, two extraordinary actors, teachers, and artists. He also expresses gratitude to their remarkable creative team—George Burnett, Karen Jones, and Richard Jones—whose grace, theatrical love, and boundless imagination were both awe-inspiring and inspirational. Bless Incarnate Word.
Rene later auditioned for The Juilliard School in New York City and was accepted on a full scholarship on April 1, 1982. His time at Juilliard and life in NYC shaped his transition into adulthood, filled with beauty and raw experiences—both light and dark—that sculpted his life and work. He deeply thanks Harold Stone, Michael Langham, Tim Monich, Marian Seldes, Moni Yakim, Robert Williams, Eve Shapiro, and Kevin Kline, stalwarts of The Juilliard School’s Drama Department, whose professionalism was always accompanied by childlike wonder, curiosity, and loving support.
Rene offers profound thanks to Joe Papp, founder of The Public Theater in New York City, as well as Rosemarie Tichler and JoAnne Akalaitis, who cast him in significant productions after his graduation from Juilliard’s Drama Group 15. Rosemarie and JoAnne remain two great heroines of theater and life to him. Working across Broadway, Off Broadway, Off Off Broadway, and regional theaters in the U.S. and Europe, as well as in film and television, Rene was able to engage with increasingly complex and high-stakes roles. He is eternally grateful to all his collaborators in New York City, which he will always cherish as the birthplace of his manhood and personal maturity.
Rene Rivera is a lifetime member of The Actors Studio in Los Angeles and New York City. He is deeply thankful to Jaime Sanchez, Al Pacino, Estelle Parsons, James Eric, Harry Cohn, Mark Rydell, Martin Landau, Barbara Bain, Joanne Linville, Charlie Dierkop, Salome Jens, Allan Miller, and Helen Sanders for their visionary leadership, unwavering artistic integrity, and soulful guidance. They are his stalwarts. The Actors Studio has been a life-changing, powerful institution filled with beautiful and gifted artists, and he embraces it wholeheartedly forever.
Now residing in Los Angeles, CA, Rene cherishes the rare and beautiful gift of life—Vida—and all its people and experiences. He looks forward to the present moment with gratitude. Gracias a Dios.
