Brenda Deiss, Texas Woman Who Became Unlikely Movie Star in ‘Red Rocket,’ Dies at 60
variety.comBrent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaBrenda Deiss, a former NASA secretary who became an unexpected movie star with her role as a tough-talking matriarch in “Red Rocket,” died Monday in Clear Lake, Tex., from complications following a stroke she suffered in January.
She was 60. A spokesperson for “Red Rocket” confirmed Deiss’ death to Variety.Deiss came to acting late in life. In 2020, writer-director Sean Baker was scouting locations for a new film about a downtrodden porn star that would be shot in the area of Texas City, when he had a chance encounter with Deiss.
After meeting her, Baker, who often casts first-time actors in movies such as “Tangerine” and “The Florida Project,” was convinced that she was perfect to play a pivotal supporting role in his new film. “We found our Lil!,” Baker declared to his team, and Deiss was soon cast as a Texas woman who allows Simon Rex’s Mikey Saber to live in the modest house she shares with Saber’s estranged wife, Lexi (Bree Elrod).
Lil and Lexi remain mistrustful of Mikey, a deeply selfish man has run out on them before, but needs their help now that he’s fallen on hard times. “In the short time we spent together, she created with us, laughed with us and shared her stories with us, some of them heartbreaking and others insightful and fascinating,” Baker said in a statement. “We all have people in our lives that change it for the better and Brenda was one of those people for me.
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