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Lisa Brenner

Lisa Brenner (born Lisa Dawn Goldstein; February 12, 1974) is an American actress, producer, and writer recognized for her early career in daytime soap operas and subsequent roles in film and television. Born in , , to Harry Goldstein, a dentist, and Gloria (née Brenner), a , she has siblings Richard and Karen. Brenner graduated from with majors in English and , which laid the foundation for her entry into the entertainment industry. Brenner's professional career began in 1994 with guest appearances on soap operas, including roles as Allison Sloan on All My Children and a part on Guiding Light. She gained prominence in 1995 as Maggie Cory on Another World, portraying the character until 1996 and earning recognition for her work in the genre. Transitioning to film and prime-time television, she appeared as Anne Howard in the historical drama The Patriot (2000), directed by , and as Helen Paloma in the sci-fi miniseries The Triangle (2005). Her television credits also include guest spots on shows such as (2015) as Greta Thomas and (2016) as Christine Reynolds. In addition to acting, Brenner has expanded into producing and writing, notably co-writing and starring in the comedy film One Big Happy Family (2025), inspired by personal experiences with DNA testing and family dynamics. Other recent projects include roles in The Ark (2023), (2018), and Bad Samaritan (2018), demonstrating her versatility across genres like thriller, drama, and horror. On a personal note, she married producer on July 4, 2003, with whom she has collaborated professionally.

Early life and education

Family background

Lisa Brenner was born Lisa Dawn Goldstein on February 12, 1974, in , . She grew up in a middle-class family of Jewish descent, immersed in a cultural environment that emphasized Jewish traditions, such as celebrating holidays together. Her parents were Harry Brenner, a , and Gloria Brenner, a , who provided a stable household for Brenner and her siblings, including brother Richard and sister Karen. This supportive family dynamic encouraged Brenner's early interest in the , shaping her path toward a career in from a young age.

Academic background

Lisa Brenner attended , part of in , where she majored in both English and . She graduated with a degree in 1997. As part of her drama major, Brenner engaged in theater productions and training at Barnard, which allowed her to refine her performance skills, explore character development, and gain practical experience on stage. This academic involvement built a strong foundation in acting techniques, voice work, and dramatic interpretation, preparing her for the demands of professional performance. Upon graduating in the mid-1990s, Brenner shifted from student productions to pursuing professional auditions in and beyond, leveraging her college-honed abilities to enter the competitive acting industry.

Acting career

Soap opera roles

Lisa Brenner's entry into daytime television came through a minor role as Young Vanessa on the soap opera in 1995. This brief appearance marked her debut in the scene, providing early exposure in a competitive industry. She followed this with the role of Allison Sloan on ABC's in 1994, portraying a in several episodes. Credited initially as Lisa D. Brenner, her performance as Sloan contributed to her growing presence in daytime drama, though specific details on the character's storyline remain limited in available records. Brenner's most notable role was as Maggie Cory on NBC's Another World from November 1995 to November 1996, succeeding as the fifth actress to portray the character. In this recurring role, Maggie was introduced amid family tensions at the Cory Mansion, navigating a strained relationship with her manipulative mother, Cecile DePoulignac, who orchestrated a plot against her in late 1995, leading to a for revenge. The storyline culminated in Maggie's off-screen marriage to Rafael Santiero in in November 1996, allowing her to access her trust fund, which heightened the dramatic stakes of her family dynamics and her distant bond with father Sandy Cory. This portrayal, described as "infamous" in industry profiles, elevated her visibility and established her as a familiar face in soap audiences during the mid-1990s. The rigorous demands of soap opera production, including rapid script turnaround and extensive on-set hours, challenged Brenner but solidified her resume for future opportunities in television and film.

Film roles

Brenner's entry into feature films came with a supporting role as in The Patriot (2000), directed by . In this historical drama set against the backdrop of the , she portrayed the childhood sweetheart and eventual wife of Gabriel Martin (), a farmer's son drawn into the conflict against British forces. The character underscores the war's toll on personal relationships and family life in colonial , providing emotional grounding amid the film's large-scale battle sequences. Principal filming occurred across rural locations in South Carolina, including plantations and forests, to evoke the period's authenticity, with Brenner contributing to scenes that highlighted civilian resilience during the 1780s historical events. Brenner took on Jackie Stringer in César Chávez (2014), a biographical drama directed by about the 1960s farmworkers' rights movement led by labor activist (). As a dedicated ally within the union, her character embodies the grassroots solidarity and interpersonal dynamics fueling the nonviolent campaign against exploitative agricultural practices in . The film, praised for its ensemble depiction of historical activism but critiqued for dramatic simplification, earned a 51% approval rating on , with Brenner's contribution adding depth to the collective struggle. In 2018, Brenner starred as Mary Page in the comedy Say My Name, directed by Jay Stern. The film follows a one-night stand interrupted by an all-night party, blending humor with themes of unexpected connections and personal revelations. Brenner portrayed Helen Leyton in the 2018 thriller Bad Samaritan, directed by her husband . In this story of moral reckoning, she plays a woman kidnapped and terrorized by a wealthy psychopath (), whose plight motivates a young burglar () to intervene after discovering her during a . The role demands vulnerability and intensity, underscoring the film's themes of privilege, guilt, and vigilante justice in a tense cat-and-mouse . Critics found the movie a , with awarding it three stars for its over-the-top thrills despite flaws, though it aggregated a 42% score on .

Television roles

Following her early career in daytime television, Lisa Brenner transitioned to roles in television movies and miniseries. In 2003, she starred as Ellen Rimbauer in The Diary of Ellen Rimbauer, a television movie produced with a feature-film aesthetic as a . Directed by , the narrative serves as a to Stephen King's Rose Red, chronicling Ellen's marriage to oil tycoon John Rimbauer () and their relocation to the newly built Rose Red mansion in early 20th-century . Brenner's lead performance depicts Ellen's transformation from a naive bride to a woman entangled in the house's eerie, otherworldly forces, including unexplained disappearances and architectural anomalies that consume her life. Her involvement drives the plot's exploration of obsession and the , emphasizing the mansion's role as a malevolent entity. She continued with Debra, the supportive girlfriend of librarian-adventurer Flynn Carsen (), in The Librarian: Quest for the Spear (2004). This television film, directed by Peter Winther, blends adventure-thriller elements with fantasy as Flynn pursues a stolen ancient artifact across global locales, facing mercenaries and mythical dangers reminiscent of . Debra's role offers a relatable anchor to Flynn's high-stakes journey, highlighting themes of self-discovery and protection of historical secrets. In 2005, Brenner appeared as Helen Paloma in the sci-fi miniseries The Triangle, directed by multiple filmmakers including . The three-part production explores global investigations into the Triangle's mysteries, with Brenner portraying a key figure in the unfolding involving phenomena and government cover-ups. Her role contributes to the ensemble's efforts to connect disappearances and eerie events across oceans. Brenner transitioned to guest appearances in prime-time procedural dramas during the , showcasing her versatility in supporting roles that often involved complex character dynamics. Notable examples include her portrayal of Jennifer Sands, a involved in a killing, on in 2008; Alena Maybrook, a suspect in a , on in 2010; Dr. Anne Hannity, a entangled in a heist plot, on in 2010; Christine Reynolds, a in a medical mystery, on in 2016; and Greta Thomas, a victim in a stalker case, on in 2015. These one-off roles in high-profile network series helped build her profile, paving the way for more extended engagements in serialized storytelling. Brenner's first significant recurring television role came in the TNT series , where she played Tasha Ogden across three episodes of the third season (2014–2015). Ogden, a cunning operative with ties to a shadowy , emerges as a hidden in the season's overarching arc involving neuroscientist Dr. Daniel Pierce () and his FBI partner Kate Moretti (). In "" (Season 3, Episode 8), Ogden is introduced as a seemingly innocuous contact but reveals manipulative tendencies during interrogations; her arc intensifies in "" (Episode 12), where she orchestrates a high-stakes deception amid Pierce's hallucinations, and culminates in "Run" (Episode 13), tying into the season's themes of and betrayal through tense confrontations with co-stars McCormack and Cook. This role highlighted Brenner's ability to layer subtlety with menace in ensemble-driven narratives. In 2023–2024, Brenner took on a recurring guest-star role as Susan Ingram in the sci-fi series The Ark, appearing in multiple episodes across the first two seasons. Ingram, a seasoned veteran and superior officer aboard the interstellar Ark One, navigates the crew's survival challenges during a mission to colonize a distant 100 years in the future, including resource shortages, interpersonal conflicts, and ethical dilemmas in zero-gravity environments. Her explores themes of under duress, with Ingram forming key alliances—such as a romantic history with engineer Baylor Trent (Miles Barrow)—while grappling with the mission's unforeseen perils, like system failures and crew mutinies. Co-starring with as Lt. Sharon Garnet and as Lt. James Brice, Brenner's performance added grounded intensity to the show's ensemble. The production, filmed primarily in , faced logistical challenges typical of international sci-fi shoots, including coordinating practical effects for simulations and adapting to remote locations amid global restrictions post-pandemic. That same year, Brenner made a as Claire Walker in the series , a U.S.- co-production set in the tropical islands. In the episode "Deus Ex-Wife Machina" (Season 2, Episode 5), Claire arrives as the ex-wife of protagonist Alex Walker (), complicating his undercover life when her fiancé is kidnapped by local criminals, blending personal drama with action-adventure elements. The role underscored the show's international scope, with filming split between , , and U.S. studios to capture authentic island locales and cultural nuances.

Writing and producing

Inspirations and projects

During the 2010s, Lisa Brenner began transitioning from her established career to roles as a and , utilizing her deep industry knowledge gained from decades on screen. This move enabled her to exert more influence over narrative development and production processes. Her early producing credits include the Say My Name (2018), which she co-produced and in which she starred as Mary Page, directed by Jay Stern, with a cast including . The film examines interpersonal relationships and personal choices with humor and warmth. Brenner further expanded into writing and directing with the absurdist comedy short The Good Guys (2022), an award-winning project she fully authored, produced, and helmed. Featuring her daughter Hannah Devlin in the cast alongside Noah Blake and Amy Motta, the short highlights collaborative family involvement in exploring quirky character dynamics through comedic lens. These initial endeavors reflect Brenner's growing focus on comedy projects that draw from real-life observations, emphasizing relational intricacies and humorous takes on everyday challenges.

One Big Happy Family

One Big Happy Family is a 2025 comedy film written, produced, and starring Lisa Brenner as , a woman whose life unravels after a DNA test reveals unexpected family secrets just as she plans her daughter's bat mitzvah, leading to chaotic self-discovery amid Jewish family dynamics. The story draws from Brenner's own autobiographical experiences with a surprising DNA revelation, blending humor with themes of identity, motherhood, and . Directed by Matt Sohn, the film features a strong ensemble including as Rachel's eccentric mother, emphasizing heartfelt comedic exploration of generational bonds and . Brenner took on the multifaceted role of writer, producer, and lead actress, collaborating closely with co-producer Grace Lay to bring the project to fruition. The film premiered at the 2025 Miami Jewish Film Festival, where Brenner and Lay introduced it to audiences, marking a significant milestone in Brenner's transition to creating personal narratives behind the camera. It received a limited theatrical release on October 3, 2025, distributed through nationwide. Critics and audiences praised the film for its witty take on Jewish family themes and Brenner's authentic performance, earning an 8.5/10 rating on from early viewers. As of November 2025, it maintains an 8.5/10 rating on based on over 1,000 user ratings. The film was also an official selection at the Phoenix Film Festival and Rehoboth Beach Jewish Film Festival. Reviews highlighted its heartwarming humor and relatable chaos, with outlets like Electric Entertainment calling it "fun, funny, and heartwarming" for its effortless storytelling. While some noted tonal inconsistencies, the film's festival buzz and positive reception underscored its impact in independent , generating interest for potential recognition in ensemble and writing categories.

Personal life

Marriage and family

Lisa Brenner met Dean on the set of the 2000 film The Patriot, where she appeared in a supporting role and he served as a . The couple married on July 4, 2003. Throughout their marriage, Brenner and Devlin have maintained a strong professional partnership in , collaborating on several projects that blend their respective talents in , writing, and producing. Brenner has starred in Devlin's Syfy series (2023–present) as Commander Susan Ingram, while Devlin produced her written and starring vehicle One Big Happy Family (2025), released through his company Electric Entertainment. Their mutual support extends to family involvement in the industry, with both encouraging creative pursuits amid demanding careers. Brenner and Devlin have two daughters, Hannah and , whom they have raised primarily in to balance family life with their entertainment commitments. The family has incorporated Jewish cultural traditions, including bat mitzvahs for both daughters. Devlin is the son of actress , making him Brenner's mother-in-law through marriage; Seurat, known for roles in and Adventures in Paradise, passed away in 2001.

Heritage discovery

In the 2010s, at the age of 40, Lisa Brenner took a consumer DNA test "just for fun" to trace her Jewish ancestry and connect with around the world. The results unexpectedly revealed a (NPE), showing that she was only half Jewish and conceived via an anonymous sperm donor at a , with her beloved father not being her biological parent—a secret her mother had kept for decades due to the era's privacy norms around infertility treatments in the 1970s. The discovery triggered intense emotional turmoil for Brenner, including shock, anger, betrayal, and profound grief as she processed the hidden aspects of her origins and mourned her father anew. Initially harboring resentment toward her mother, she undertook a collaborative six-year exploration to piece together the truth, marked by a failed private investigation and gradual revelations through that introduced unexpected biological connections. This journey allowed her to navigate complex family dynamics while blending her established Jewish cultural identity with newly uncovered familial elements, fostering a deeper reconciliation with her heritage. Ultimately, the experience reshaped Brenner's sense of self and family, shifting her perspective toward the primacy of nurture and upbringing over genetic ties, and enabling her to embrace a multifaceted without disrupting her core familial bonds. She has openly discussed this personal evolution in interviews, crediting it with building her resilience and informing her creative outlook. This revelation directly inspired her 2025 film One Big Happy Family, which she wrote and produced as a comedic reflection on such discoveries.

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