Morgan Obenreder is an American actress. While studying theater at high school in DuBois, Pennsylvania, she was encouraged to pursue a professional career, and eventually moved to Los Angeles. Upon being signed by a casting agent, she gradually won a number of guest parts in TV shows, including the top-rated primetime and daytime dramas on American television. After gaining the attention of producers at the Lifetime network, Obenreder secured lead roles in a succession of televised films.
Early life
Morgan Obenreder was born in Yardley, Pennsylvania in 1995, one of two daughters raised by Paul and Mary. Upon moving with her family to DuBois, she began acting at the local Reitz theater at the age of 7. She went on to perform in school plays during her teenage years.
Career
2012–2015: Early career
After impressing audiences at DuBois Area High School, Obenreder received encouragement to attend an acting camp in Los Angeles. During her visit, she met a professional casting agent who convinced her to relocate to the West Coast so that they could pursue opportunities. Because her parents had professional commitments in DuBois, Obenreder moved with her uncle, who was able to begin a new career. "It was almost like the stars aligned," she noted. After signing with the agency, Obenreder began winning screen roles at age 16 in 2012. Initially appearing in independent short films, she gained greater recognition after landing guest parts in television shows, including the Fox series Bones and Nickelodeon's See Dad Run. While pursuing auditions, she secured a modeling shoot with professional photographer Daniel Scherl, who created a set of publicity photos. In 2015, she played Charisma Carpenter's sassy daughter in the erotic drama Bound. Though the film received a generally lukewarm response, Through The Shattered Lens praised Obenreder's performance, and her work was also spotlighted by Fandango Movieclips. She appears in the sci-fimilitary thrillerRZ-9, which follows a resistance effort in a dystopian America. For her work in the film, Obenreder was nominated for the Best Actress accolade at the 2015 Northeast Film Festival.
2016–2018: Breakthrough roles
In 2016, Obenreder guest-starred as a naval officer on the CBS drama NCIS, television's highest rated show at the time. Following her exposure in the series, she appeared in the lead role of the Lifetimedramatic filmDouble Mommy, which became one of the network's most watched features. "I feel so lucky," she said of the studio's decision to base a film around her. "It's really amazing what kind of traction these films get. There are just so many people out there that love them, and it's really cool." In the feature, she plays a teenager named Jess, who learns that she is pregnant with twins fathered by different boys, one of whom date-raped her. Jess gradually seeks to expose her rapist while building a life with her boyfriend. In a review of Obenreder's performance, Allen Foster of Entertaining Options declared that "a great deal of that film's appeal was due to Morgan's compelling work. Obenreder is remarkably good at what she does. She infuses her characters with a sense of purpose and adds a depth that draws viewers in, making them really care about what happens next." While discussing the film, Obenreder noted, "I'm from Western Pennsylvania, and I know a lot of people in my hometown who have loved Lifetime movies forever. I feel like it's a little homage to everyone at home when I do them." Throughout the rest of 2016, she appeared in the Netflix comedy film Mascots and the go90 show Mr. Student Body President, in which she played a snobby cheerleader. In 2017, Obenreder was cast in CBS's long-running soap operaThe Young and the Restless. Along with her earlier work on NCIS, this role gave her appearances in both the top-rated primetime and top-rated daytime dramas on American television. She portrayed Crystal Porter, a captive in a sex-trafficking ring who rebels and enters a witness-protection program. SoapHub.com declared her performance "sensational." SoapCentral.com called the story a "horrifying and yet hopeful arc of an enslaved girl finally finding freedom and her family." While commenting on her experience in the soap-opera medium, Obenreder noted, "It was such a great time, and it's such a unique experience. There's nothing that shoots like that, with the fast pace." She resumed occasional modeling amidst her acting schedule, including a shoot for Paul Smith Photography, and was praised as "lovely" by SoapHub.com. In 2018, she won her second lead role in a Lifetime-original film, portraying Kate Jordan, a suspicious nanny, in the drama Nanny Killer. She revealed that she was largely drawn to the project due to its mystery element, and stated, "What's kind of cool about it is that it explores the good and bad in everybody, and nothing is really black or white." When asked what other roles she would prefer to play, she labeled herself "a hopeless romantic," noting, "I love period pieces. That's my dream. I love costumes and stuff."
2019–present
Following repeated airings on Lifetime, Double Mommy and Nanny Killer were made available on Amazon Prime, Google Play, and other platforms. Obenreder was later cast as co-lead in the Lifetime-distributed film My Daughter's Been Kidnapped. Principal photography was completed in February 2019, while Obenreder was called back for final edits in May. The film was released in early 2020 and received promotion from the Los Angeles Times. In the tale, Obenreder plays a missing suburban high-school student whose mother begins a search for her.
