Morgana O'Reilly

Morgana O'Reilly
Born Morgana Le Fay Naomi Jane O'Reilly[1]
(1985-08-19) 19 August 1985[2]
New Zealand
Occupation Actress
Years active 2003–present
Spouse(s) Peter Salmon
Children 1

Morgana O'Reilly (born 19 August 1985) is a New Zealand film, television and theatre actress. She has appeared in several theatre productions and created the one-woman play The Height of the Eiffel Tower. O'Reilly played Lynn Matthews in the biographical television film Billy and guested in Nothing Trivial. She has also appeared in the comedy series' Sunny Skies and This is Littleton. O'Reilly joined the cast of Neighbours as Naomi Canning in December 2013, and starred as Kylie Bucknell in the horror-comedy Housebound.

Early life

O'Reilly was born in New Zealand, to Mary-Jane, a dancer and choreographer, and Phil O'Reilly, a graphic designer.[3] She grew up in the Ponsonby/Grey Lynn area.[4] O'Reilly said she got her love of performing from her mother and that she wanted to be an actor since she was 15.[3] O'Reilly attended Unitec Institute of Technology and graduated in 2006.[5]

Career

After graduating from Unitec, O'Reilly appeared in several theatre productions, including Three Sisters, Marat/Sade and Coram Boy.[3][6] She also undertook some bar work at The Basement Theatre in Auckland.[3] After a stint in the comedy show A Thousand Apologies, O'Reilly was cast in a new production of Toa Fraser's play Bare.[3] The director, Oliver Driver, said O'Reilly was cast because of her ability to play several different characters.[3]

In 2009, O'Reilly created a one-woman play called The Height of the Eiffel Tower. The play focuses on Terri Hulme, a mother of four, who takes a closer look at her life when she goes on a coffee date with an old university friend.[7] O'Reilly approached her friend Abigail Greenwood to direct and act as dramaturge. Her mother Mary-Jane O'Reilly danced a solo piece on stage for the first time in years, before O'Reilly premiered The Height of the Eiffel Tower.[7] The play was well-received and O'Reilly went on to perform it at the New York Fringe Festival.[7]

After O'Reilly was cast as Amber in Thomas Sainsbury's black comedy Dance Troupe Supreme, she turned to her mother for help researching the role due to her background in dance.[8] In 2011, O'Reilly appeared in the biographical television film Billy, where she played Lynn Matthews, the wife of comedian, musician and actor Billy T. James.[9] She also starred as Desdemona in Jesse Peach's production of Othello and made a guest appearance in the comedy-drama series Nothing Trivial, as lead character Mac's love interest, Alison.[5][10]

O'Reilly went on to star in the television film Safe House, which aired during TV One's Sunday Night Theatre.[11] She was also cast in TV3's comedy series Sunny Skies as Nicky, an "independent, organised campground owner".[12] On 30 December 2013, it was announced O'Reilly had joined the cast of Neighbours as Naomi Canning.[13] O'Reilly attended two rounds of auditions before she won the role. O'Reilly and her husband filmed her first audition in their garden in Sydney, before O'Reilly flew to Melbourne to audition in the studio, with cast members Colette Mann and Stefan Dennis.[14] She made her first appearance as Naomi on 25 March 2014.[15]

O'Reilly appeared in This is Littleton in February 2014. She also wrote for the series.[16] O'Reilly stars as Kylie Bucknell in Gerard Johnstone's horror-comedy Housebound, which had its world premiere at SXSW.[17] For her performance as Kylie, O'Reilly earned a nomination for Best Actress at the 2014 Rialto Channel New Zealand Film Awards.[18] O'Reilly performed The Height of the Eiffel Tower at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August 2014.[19] O'Reilly departed Neighbours in mid-2015 to pursue new acting roles.[20] The following year, she was cast as the female lead, Vanda, in the Auckland Theatre Company's production of Venus in Fur.[1]

Personal life

O'Reilly is married to filmmaker Peter Salmon.[19] O'Reilly announced her pregnancy on 6 June 2015,[21] and she gave birth to their daughter on 25 August.[22]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
2008 The Jaquie Brown Diaries Alt girl
2008 A Thousand Apologies Various
2009 Piece of My Heart June Watt TV film
2011 Billy T James Lynn Matthews TV film
2011 Rebecca 2 Vixen Misfit
2011 Nothing Trivial Alison
2012 Safe House Carol Taylor TV film
2012 We Feel Fine Kelly
2013 Sunny Skies Nicky
2014 Housebound Kylie Bucknell Nominated – Rialto Channel New Zealand Film Award for Best Actress
2014 This is Littleton Various characters Also writer
2014–15 Neighbours Naomi Canning Main cast

References

  1. 1 2 Hewitson, Michele (6 September 2016). "Morgana O’Reilly interview: "I let people lick my toes for money"". New Zealand Listener. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  2. ↑ "Mary Jane O'Reilly Curriculum Vitae October 2001" (PDF). Flagrant Productions. October 2001. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Huse, Shannon (5 October 2008). "Life of O'Reilly". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  4. ↑ "TBI Q&A: Morgana O'Reilly". The Big Idea. 9 October 2008. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  5. 1 2 Barry Hill, Rebecca (23 February 2012). "Scene stealers: Young actors following their famous parents' lead". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  6. ↑ "Morgana O'Reilly – Actor Biography" (PDF). Johnson & Laird. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  7. 1 2 3 Scott, Owen (30 April 2010). "New York, New York". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  8. ↑ Delilkan, Sharu (18 March 2010). "Super troupers". The Aucklander. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  9. ↑ Hill Cone, Deborah (21 August 2011). "TV Preview: Billy". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  10. ↑ Simpson, Roz (15 August 2011). "Review: Othello". Gayexpress.co.nz. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  11. ↑ "Morgana O'Reilly". Johnson & Laird. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  12. ↑ "Morgana O'Reilly as Nicki". TV3. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  13. ↑ Earp, Catherine (30 December 2013). "Neighbours: Morgana O'Reilly to play Sheila Canning's daughter Naomi". Digital Spy. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  14. ↑ Kilkelly, Daniel (31 March 2014). "Exclusive: Neighbours: Morgana O'Reilly reveals Naomi Canning role gossip". Digital Spy. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  15. ↑ "Soap Diary". TV Week (12): 38. 21–28 March 2014.
  16. ↑ Knox, David (10 February 2014). "Airdate: This is Littleton". TV Tonight. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  17. ↑ Whittaker, Richard (11 March 2014). "SXSW gets 'Housebound'". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  18. ↑ "Interview with Ant Timpson for Rialto Channel New Zealand Film Awards". Rialto Channel. 11 December 2014. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  19. 1 2 "Morgana’s blood sweat & fear!". Yahoo! Lifestyle. 24 July 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
  20. ↑ Kilkelly, Daniel (3 October 2015). "Exclusive: Neighbours star Morgana O'Reilly has left Naomi Canning role permanently". Digital Spy. Retrieved 3 October 2015.
  21. ↑ Finbow, Katy (6 June 2015). "Neighbours star Morgana O'Reilly reveals she's expecting her first baby". Digital Spy. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  22. ↑ Dainty, Sophie (25 August 2015). "Neighbours star Morgana O'Reilly welcomes baby girl with husband Peter Salmon". Digital Spy. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
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