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IMDbPro

René Lavan

  • Actor
  • Producer
  • Director
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
René Lavan
An unemployed actress tries to run away from Christmas but is offered a commercial by a lonely ad executive if she can convince his Christmas-obsessed staff to finish an ad campaign on Christmas Eve.
Play trailer2:04
Christmas Overtime (2024)
1 Video
7 Photos
Originally from Artemisa, Cuba, Rene Lavan debuted on Broadway in 2005 with the critically acclaimed play "Latinologues", a comedy about life in America. Early this year he worked with Benicio Del Toro on the feature film "Guerrilla" directed by Steven Soderbergh. Rene plays the young lead in Revolution Studio's "Christmas With The Kranks" starring opposite Tim Allen, Jaime Lee Curtis, Dan Aykroyd and Cheech Marin. This film is directed by Joe Roth. Lavan plays the role of the Revolutionary, Carlos Suarez, on LGF/Miramax's "Havana Nights, Dirty Dancing". He has been a guest-star on CBS's "CSI Miami" and on NBC's "Las Vegas". He co-stars in "El Nominado", an independent film shot in Chile in October 2003, now playing at many international film festivals. Rene was chosen as one of The Top Ten To Watch In 2004 by the San Diego Latino Film Festival.

American audiences first knew Lavan when he played the role of Javier on "One Life to Live" for the ABC network. It was while working as a cast member on this series that he was offered the role of a lifetime as the lead in the critically acclaimed feature film "Bitter Sugar", directed by Leon Ichaso (Pinero). The film was inspired by true events of the oppressive Cuban regime governed by Fidel Castro. It chronicles the character of Gustavo (Lavan), an honor student and Castro supporter who could no longer tolerate the decay and repression in his beloved Cuba. Lavan received rave reviews and the film was very well received, both domestically and internationally.

Rene first gained recognition as an actor co-starring in one of the most popular Spanish telenovelas ever "Morelia". He has since starred in the very popular telenovelas (TV series) "Maria Belen" and "Enamorada". He has become an internationally re-known actor and is a household name in Spanish speaking homes around the world. His soaps and films have been seen in over one hundred countries. Fluent in both English and Spanish Rene has been working steadily in both the General and Spanish markets since receiving his education at the prestigious New World school of the arts, Performance and Visual Arts Center and with Uta Hagen.

Lavan co-starred in the half-hour sitcom pilot "Macio" for UPN and starred in the independent film "The Emerald Cut."

Rene has appeared in hundreds of television and radio commercials and has hosted the following TV shows: The Billboard Music Awards, Fox Sports and Suenos de Fama (Star Search) to name a few.

Lavan has graced the pages of American publications such as "Vanity Fair", "Harper's Bazaar", "Details", "W" and hundreds of Spanish publications such as "Vanidades", "Cosmopolitan", "Cristina" and recently was named "one of the 25 most Beautiful" of " People en Espanol Magazine".

Rene Lavan is a true crossover actor in every sense of the word, from film to television, from drama to comedy. He is one of the few actors that have successfully made a name in both the General and Spanish Markets. His latest challenge is starring and producing Latino theme television shows and films for his newly formed production company
BornNovember 5, 1968
  • More at IMDbPro
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    • Agent info
    • Resume
BornNovember 5, 1968
IMDbProStarmeterSee rank
  • View contact info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination total

    Photos6

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    Known for

    Romola Garai and Diego Luna in Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004)
    Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights
    5.9
    • Carlos Suarez
    • 2004
    Dan Aykroyd, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tim Allen, and Erik Per Sullivan in Christmas with the Kranks (2004)
    Christmas with the Kranks
    5.6
    • Enrique Decardenal
    • 2004
    Every Witch Way (2014)
    Every Witch Way
    5.2
    TV Series
    • Francisco Alonso
    Startup Love
    Startup Love
    • Producer

      Credits

      IMDbPro

      Actor



      • René Lavan, Edelweiss Saz, Daniel Nunez, Christopher Diaz, and Diana Garle in The Magnificent Mendez (2026)
        The Magnificent Mendez
        6.9
        • Rey
        • 2026
      • René Lavan, Ruben Rabasa, Isabella Bobadilla, Serafin Falcon, Gabriel de Varona, and Kevin Ondarza in The Old Man and the Parrot (2026)
        The Old Man and the Parrot
        7.1
        • Yoelvis Prieto
        • 2026
      • Red Light (2025)
        Red Light
        5.3
        • Alex’s Father
        • 2025
      • Jadon Cal Fitzpatrick, Adam Brudnicki, and Meghan Carrasquillo in Christmas Overtime (2024)
        Christmas Overtime
        5.3
        • 2024
      • 90 Miles (2022)
        90 Miles
        Short
        • Thomas
        • 2022
      • The Last Rafter (2020)
        The Last Rafter
        7.6
        • Thomas
        • 2020
      • El Final del Paraíso (2019)
        El Final del Paraíso
        5.1
        TV Series
        • Osman Mesa
        • 2019
      • La Fuerza de Creer 2 (2019)
        La Fuerza de Creer 2
        TV Mini Series
        • (2019)
        • 2019
      • Your Secret Admirer (2018)
        Your Secret Admirer
        Short
        • Fernando
        • 2018
      • Hialeah (2018)
        Hialeah
        TV Series
        • Raul Sanchez
        • 2018
      • Every Witch Way (2014)
        Every Witch Way
        5.2
        TV Series
        • Francisco Alonso
        • 2014–2015
      • Daniela Nieves, Paola Andino, Nick Merico, and Rahart Adams in Every Witch Way: Spellbound (2014)
        Every Witch Way: Spellbound
        6.1
        TV Movie
        • Francisco Alonso
        • 2014
      • Daniel Sunjata and Aaron Tveit in Graceland (2013)
        Graceland
        7.6
        TV Series
        • Immigration Officer (as Rene Lavan)
        • 2014
      • Gabrielle Anwar, Bruce Campbell, and Jeffrey Donovan in Burn Notice (2007)
        Burn Notice
        8.0
        TV Series
        • Alejandro Lopez (as Rene Lavan)
        • 2012
      • The Glades (2010)
        The Glades
        7.4
        TV Series
        • City Beach Worker
        • 2012

      Producer



      • Startup Love
        • co-producer
        • Post-production



      • René Lavan, Edelweiss Saz, Daniel Nunez, Christopher Diaz, and Diana Garle in The Magnificent Mendez (2026)
        The Magnificent Mendez
        6.9
        • producer
        • 2026
      • Red Light (2025)
        Red Light
        5.3
        • producer
        • 2025

      Director



      • Startup Love
        • Director
        • Post-production



      • Red Light (2025)
        Red Light
        5.3
        • Director
        • 2025

      Videos1

      Official Trailer
      Trailer 2:04
      Official Trailer

      Personal details

      • Official site
        • Official Instagram
      • Alternative names
        • Rene Lavan
      • Height
        • 5′ 10″ (1.78 m)
      • Born
        • November 5, 1968
        • Artemisa, Cuba
      • Other works
        Performs in "Latinologues" play by Rick Najera (Helen Hayes Theatre, New York City, New York, USA).

      Did you know

      • Quotes
        Translated from Spanish--When I was in tenth grade, I wanted to play sports; however, I did not have very good grades, so I was told that in order to raise my GPA, I should take drama. I enjoyed the class so much that I started paying more attention in class and sports became less of a priority.

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