Maren Jensen

Maren Jensen
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Portrays:	Athena
Date of Birth:	September 23, 1956
Date of Death:	Missing required parameter 1=month! ,
Age:	69
Nationality:	USA
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Maren Kawehilani Jensen, who played Athena in the Original Series, was born in Arcadia, California on September 23, 1956.

Acting Career

Jensen's acting career was modest, comprised mostly of guest starring roles in TV shows and made-for-TV movies. Its main highlight was her role as Athena in the Original Series, but Jensen initially had little confidence or experience.

"I got the part by showing up at the casting director's office. It was sent by my agent and I read and screen tested in November [1977] and again in February [1978]. I got the part. My first professional experience came right after my first screen test for the role."

Jensen found the experience of working on Battlestar Galactica challenging as a newcomer to professional acting.

"As with any new series, they come in with certain ideas and they see how the performer does and what traits they like about them. They then stress those facets of their personality."

Jensen also performed in The Hardy Boys and did some on-air theatrical experience before being cast in Galactica. She found Galactica to be a significant departure from her previous work:

"I really didn't come into contact with any of the special effects. What set I work on is a big sound stage with some sets constructed in the middle. They're very realistic; the bridge is certainly phenomenal. But the scope of the show really didn't hit me until I saw the first bit of the film with the special effects."

Character Development

Jensen worked closely with the show's writers and producers to develop Athena's character.

"The show is still establishing itself. [...] the series is going to have to appeal to viewers because of both its special effects and its characterizations. I know right now that it's the special effects that dominate it and people are watching primarily for that great look. Eventually, I feel that the accent will have to be put on human relationships."

Regarding her character's portrayal, Jensen was particularly conscious of avoiding stereotypical female roles in science fiction.

"Athena is about my age and very much like me in certain ways. She's smart, courageous, emotional, sensitive but still young. Athena today isn't that dissimilar to the way I first thought about her months ago. I do think that she's a little more sassy now. I first thought of her as being a bit straight, but as the show got going and she interacted with some of the other characters, she got spunkier. She's more willing to take chances now. And if someone does something nasty to her, she's willing to pay them back."

Jensen was particularly interested in ensuring that Athena represented a strong female character in the traditionally male-dominated science fiction genre. Starlog interviewer and columnist Ed Naha explains:

"The actress realizes that science fiction has long been considered a man's domain and that, in TV and movies at any rate, most women have been viewed as nothing more than an extension of the male space hero. Jensen is determined to place Athena above all that but finds that she has her hands full. She must strike a balance between areas that could be explored in that."

Pursuits Outside of Acting

Before her acting career, Jensen was a notable fashion model, appearing on the covers of major publications including Vogue and Mademoiselle. During this period, she was the live-in partner of musician Don Henley for several years, aiding him in environmental causes such as The Walden Woods project. Henley dedicated his 1982 solo album I Can't Stand Still to Jensen, and she contributed harmony vocals to "Johnny Can't Read" and composed the piano intro and interlude for "A Month of Sundays" on his 1984 album Building the Perfect Beast.

Health Challenges

Not long after the Original Series ended, Jensen was struck with the Epstein-Barr virus, fighting the disease throughout the 1980s. The illness developed into chronic fatigue syndrome, which she described as similar to long COVID, a post-viral syndrome. Jensen explained that "by the time I got better, I couldn't withstand the stress of a performing career. So, I retired in my 20s."

Her recovery involved integrative medicine combining "acupuncture, homeopathy, herbs, supplements, different diets, and allopathic medicine combined with an experimental, daring mindset." She eventually recovered but had left the world of show business.

Post-Acting Career

Business Ventures

In 1993, Jensen co-founded the cosmetics brand Stila with celebrity makeup artist Jeanine Lobell, which became one of the best-selling makeup brands in retailers like Sephora. The brand was innovative in several areas, including being "the first to have the package that was also a brush simultaneously" and using "recycled paper packaging for lipstick and eyeshadows." After five years of building the brand, they sold Stila to Estée Lauder.

In 2020, Jensen co-founded Glow Beauty Fuel with Laura Shoemaker, a company that manufactures beauty protein bars. Their vision was to "innovate the protein bar market, notorious for its inedible products," focusing on bars with "10 to 12 grams of protein, under 200 calories, and less than 6 grams of sugar" while incorporating "functional ingredients like grass-fed collagen and hibiscus flower extract."

Current Life

As of 2024, Jensen lives in Manhattan and remains active in wellness and cultural pursuits. She has an adult daughter and stepson, and her daily routine includes meditation, which she describes as "the bedrock of my emotional and physical health." Jensen reflected on her current perspective, noting that "happiness now is success" and emphasizing the importance of "healthy relationships, uplifting and positive contributions."

In a 2023 interview celebrating the 45th anniversary of Battlestar Galactica, Jensen reflected on her time working with "these phenomenal actors; Lorne Greene as my daddy, Richard Hatch, and Dirk Benedict."

References