Lene Pedersen

The Norwegian-born actress has had leading and supporting roles on stage, in films and TV, in Europe and USA. Lene started modeling at the age of 16, but got her international recognition after placing 11th in Miss Universe as Miss Norway. Starmaker and manager Jay Bernstein offered Lene an opportunity to come to Los Angeles, but Lene waited 6 years before she packed her bags and came to Hollywood. By then, Lene had made a name for herself as a beauty icon, model, and TV hostess. Lene's interest in people and cultures brought her to study Social Anthropology at the University of Tromso. She also hosted and produced a series of documentaries for regional radio (NRK Troms). Soon after arriving in Los Angeles, Lene found the Stella Adler Academy, where she studied between 1998 and 2001 (she graduated in Spring of 2001). Lene's Hollywood stage debut was as "Nora" in Henrik Ibsen's "A Doll's House", performed at the Stella Adler Theatre in 2001. Her screen debut was in Vibeke Ringen' short, "Celebrate The Princess" (2000), filmed in Pasadena soon after college. Her film credits include "Tucked In His Knuckles" (2000), A Pig's Tale (2005), Crazy Animal (2007), Extra Ordinary Barry (2008), Knock Knock (2007), A Pig's Tale (2005). Stage credits include Tennessee Williams' "Talk To Me Like The Rain" and "Let Me Listen", Henrik Ibsen's "Peer Gynt", "Join and Split", which she produced and starred in. Lene produced her first feature film in Los Angeles called L.A. Ricochet (2009), a psychological thriller, written and directed by Janne Halleskov Kindberg. The film was inspired by a series of true events that were threatening the luxurious community of the Hollywood Hills in the early 2000s. The film is scheduled for release in the spring of 2010. Her performance as "Woman in Winter", by contemporary Norwegian playwright Jon Fosse, staged at The Culver Studios in Los Angeles, was ranked "Best Of 2008" by LA Times. Lene was the play's producer and leading actress. Lene has come a long way from her home on Andorja, a small island community of 800 people, located above the Arctic Circle, in the far north of Norway.