You’ve probably seen Morgana O'Reilly and thought, "Wait, I know her from that one thing." Maybe it was the Australian soap opera you binged in 2014, or perhaps a gritty New Zealand horror flick that became a cult classic. Honestly, it’s hard to pin her down. She is one of those rare "chameleon" actors who can go from a foul-mouthed delinquent under house arrest to a high-strung corporate mistress without breaking a sweat.
With her recent splash in huge international productions like The White Lotus, everyone is suddenly Googling Morgana O'Reilly movies and TV shows to figure out where she’s been hiding. She hasn’t been hiding, though. She’s been working—hard.
If you're just catching up, here is the real deal on her career, from the early Kiwi indies to the big-budget HBO sets.
The Housebound Breakthrough and "The White Lotus" Effect
Most people first got a taste of O’Reilly’s specific brand of chaos in the 2014 film Housebound. If you haven't seen it, stop reading and go find it. She plays Kylie Bucknell, a petty criminal forced to live with her eccentric mother in a house that might be haunted. It’s funny, it’s scary, and it’s basically the reason Gerard Johnstone (the director of M3GAN) became a household name in horror.
Fast forward to 2025, and she’s the talk of the town again because of The White Lotus Season 3. Set in Thailand, she plays Pam, a resort employee who basically has to tell rich people to put their phones away. It’s a masterclass in the "customer service mask." You can see the internal screaming behind her polite smile.
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"I wanted to give her the layers of somebody who was fighting her own demons underneath, and had a firmly placed mask of civility over the top," O’Reilly said in a recent interview about playing Pam.
Working with Mike White is a major level-up. It’s the kind of role that takes a respected Australasian actor and turns them into a global entity. Suddenly, the industry is looking at her filmography through a much wider lens.
A Career Built on Range: From "Neighbours" to "Wentworth"
It is kinda wild how different her most famous roles are. In Australia, she is forever Naomi Canning from Neighbours. She joined the cast in 2014 and shook things up in Erinsborough as Sheila's daughter. Naomi was sassy, stylish, and a bit of a home-wrecker. O’Reilly actually helped style the character, making sure she looked "just the right amount of trashy-meets-trophy."
Then you have Wentworth.
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If you know the show, you know it’s the polar opposite of a sunny soap opera. She played Narelle Stang in 2019, a "volatile" prisoner who was nothing like the polished Naomi Canning. This is why fans keep searching for Morgana O'Reilly movies and TV shows—they can't believe it's the same person.
Notable Television Highlights
- Mean Mums (2018–2022): She stars as Jess, a role that perfectly captures the nightmare and comedy of suburban parenting.
- INSiDE (2020): This one is special. She and her husband, director Peter Salmon, created this thriller during the COVID lockdowns. It actually won an International Emmy for Best Short-Form Series.
- Playing Gracie Darling (2025): A psychological thriller where she plays Joni, a psychologist dealing with a decades-old disappearance.
- Bust Up (2026): Her latest big project, a queer "buddy cop" series set in New Zealand where she plays a police officer forced to work with an ex-lover.
The Film Side: Beyond Horror
While Housebound is the crown jewel, her movie credits are growing fast. She recently appeared in Bookworm (2024) alongside Elijah Wood. It’s a family adventure film shot in the rugged Canterbury landscapes of New Zealand. Seeing her go from a prestige HBO drama to a scrappy adventure movie shows she hasn't lost that "indie" spirit.
Then there is Nude Tuesday (2022). This movie is... brave. It’s a comedy filmed entirely in a gibberish language, with subtitles written later by different comedians. It’s about a couple trying to save their marriage at a New Age retreat. O'Reilly plays Shan, and yes, the title is literal. It’s a weird, bold, and incredibly funny film that most actors would have been too scared to touch.
Why She’s Trending in 2026
Right now, 2026 is looking like the "Year of Morgana." With Bust Up hitting screens on Sky and Neon, she’s cementing her place as a leading lady who can carry a procedural drama. It’s not just about guest spots anymore.
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She’s also been touring a one-woman show called Stories About My Body. It’s a raw, hilarious look at her relationship with her own physical self, pulling directly from her personal diaries. This kind of vulnerability is what makes her different. She isn't trying to be a "perfect" Hollywood star; she’s remarkably human.
How to Watch Her Best Work
If you want to dive into her work, don't just stick to the new stuff. Basically, if you want the full experience, follow this path:
- Watch "Housebound" first. It’s the essential starting point for understanding her timing and physicality.
- Check out "INSiDE." It’s short, punchy, and shows what she can do when she has total creative control.
- Catch "The White Lotus" Season 3. This is her at the peak of her "prestige TV" game.
- Look for "Small Town Scandal" (2026). It’s a new murder mystery comedy based on Tom Sainsbury’s podcast—very "Kiwi" humor.
Morgana O'Reilly has spent years being the "secret weapon" of New Zealand and Australian television. Now that the rest of the world has noticed her, it’s only a matter of time before she’s headlining even bigger projects. Keep an eye on her—she's just getting started.
Your next move: If you’re a fan of dark humor and haven't seen her early work, track down Housebound on your local streaming service (usually available on Shudder or AMC+ depending on your region) to see the performance that originally put her on the map.