Ahna O'Reilly (born September 21, 1984[1]) is an American actress. She is best known for her role in the film The Help (2011).

Ahna O'Reilly
O'Reilly in 2016
Born (1984-09-21) September 21, 1984 (age 40)
OccupationActress
Years active2003–present
Spouse
Dave Andron
(m. 2020)

Early life and career

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O'Reilly graduated from Menlo School in 2003 and attended the University of Southern California for one year before dropping out.[2]

After graduating, O'Reilly began her acting career in 2003 in the film, Bill the Intern. She has appeared in several other movies like Dinocroc, Nancy Drew, Just Add Water and Forgetting Sarah Marshall. She also acted in television series like CSI: NY, Unhitched, The Vampire Diaries and Prime Suspect.

In 2011, she appeared in the movie The Help based on Kathryn Stockett's best-selling novel of the same name, a period piece set in Jackson, Mississippi, in the 1960s.[3] The film opened to positive reviews and became a box-office success with a worldwide gross of $211,608,112.[4] It also won several ensemble awards including National Board of Review Award, Screen Actors Guild Award and Satellite Award. O'Reilly co-starred in the 2013 film Jobs, alongside Ashton Kutcher and Josh Gad, about the life of technology pioneer Steve Jobs.[5]

In 2016, she appeared in the Roundabout Theatre Company off-Broadway production of The Robber Bridegroom.[6] A cast recording featuring O'Reilly in her role as Rosamund was released on September 9, 2016.[7]

In 2017, O’Reilly starred as Sarah Foster in the film Sleepwalker.

Personal life

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She dated actor James Franco for a time before the two broke up in 2011.[8][9] In December 2021 O'Reilly announced via Instagram that she married writer and producer Dave Andron a year earlier, in secret.[10][11]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2003 Bill the Intern Actress
2004 Dinocroc Beach-Goer
2007 Succubus: Hell-Bent Bikini Babe
2007 Good Time Max Girl Jumping on Bed
2007 Nancy Drew 'No' Woman
2008 Forgetting Sarah Marshall Leslie
2008 Just Add Water Tammy
2009 The Harsh Life of Veronica Lambert Maya also known as 5 Nights in Hollywood
2009 Herpes Boy Christeee
2010 House Under Siege Lana
2011 0s & 1s Caitlin
2011 Girls! Girls! Girls! N/A
2011 The Help Elizabeth Leefolt Black Film Critics Circle Award for Best Ensemble
Black Reel Award for Best Ensemble
Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Cast
Hollywood Film Festival Award for Ensemble of the Year
National Board of Review Award for Best Cast
Satellite Award for Best Cast – Motion Picture
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Southeastern Film Critics Association Award for Best Ensemble
Women Film Critics Circle Award for Best Ensemble
Nominated — Detroit Film Critics Society Award for Best Ensemble
Nominated — San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Performance by an Ensemble
Nominated — Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Ensemble
2011 From the Head Lily
2012 I Am Ben Max
2012 The Time Being Olivia
2013 Miss Dial Concerned Pet Owner
2013 CBGB Mary Harron
2013 The Big Ask Zoe
2013 Fruitvale Station Katie
2013 Jobs Chrisann Brennan
2013 As I Lay Dying Dewey Dell Bundren
2013 Lucky Them Charlotte
2014 Get On Up Reporter
2014 The Sound and the Fury Caddy Compson
2015 She's Funny That Way Former Prostitute
2015 No Way Jose Dusty Morrison
2015 I Am Michael Laura
2016 Elvis & Nixon Mary Anne Peterson
2016 In Dubious Battle Edith "Edie" Malone
2016 All I See Is You Carla
2017 Marshall Mrs. Richmond
2017 Sleepwalker Sarah
2017 Big Bear Jess
2017 Totem Robin
2018 Spivak Tammy Gordon
2019 Our Friend Gale
2019 Bombshell Julie Roginsky
2022 Where the Crawdads Sing Ma

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2008 CSI: NY Halie Episode: "Happily Never After"
2008 Unhitched Blind Hostess Episode: "Conjoined Twins Pitch No-Hitter"
2011 The Vampire Diaries Jessica Cohen Episode: "The Descent"
2011 Prime Suspect Emma Episode: "Shame"
2013 Call Me Crazy: A Five Film Bethany Television film
2014 How I Met Your Mother Kelly Episode: "How Your Mother Met Me"
2017 Kingdom Amy 4 episodes
2018 Reverie Rachel Kauffman Episode: "Bond. Jane Bond."
2019 The Morning Show Ashley Brown 2 episodes
2019 Bull Erin Flemming Episode: "Imminent Danger"
2023 Justified: City Primeval Officer Charlene Gerret Episode: "The Question"

References

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  1. ^ "Almanac: On This Day, September 21". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. September 21, 2023. p. A-2. ProQuest 2868533526. Todays birthdays: [...] Actor Maggie Grace is 40. Actor Joseph Mazzello is 40. Actor Ahna O'Reilly is 39. Rapper Wale (WAH'-lay) is 39. R&B singer Jason Derulo is 37. See also:
    • "This Day in History: Today's Birthdays". Boston Globe. September 21, 2014. p. B11. ProQuest 1563809053. Actress Maggie Grace is 31. Actor Joseph Mazzello is 31. Actress Ahna O'Reilly is 30. Rapper Wale is 30.
  2. ^ "Actress returns to Menlo to discuss her career". Palo Alto Online. Archived from the original on 2012-05-14. Retrieved 2013-08-01.
  3. ^ "About.com, Emma Stone, Ahna O'Reilly, Bryce Dallas Howard and Anna Camp in 'The Help'". Archived from the original on 2011-10-30. Retrieved 2012-10-11.
  4. ^ "Box Office Mojo - Movie Index, A-Z". www.boxofficemojo.com.
  5. ^ "Ahna O'Reilly Cast As Female Lead In Steve Jobs Biopic". CINEMABLEND. 28 May 2012.
  6. ^ "Roundabout Theatre Company, Show Listing". Archived from the original on 2016-09-19. Retrieved 2016-09-10.
  7. ^ "The Robber Bridegroom - 2016 Off-Broadway Cast" – via castalbums.org.
  8. ^ Dinh, Mai; Janet Murphy. "James Franco Biography". People.
  9. ^ Freydkin, Donna (August 3, 2008). "'Pineapple' star Franco digs deep, plays stoner and serious". USA Today. Retrieved April 22, 2009.
  10. ^ "Celebrity Couples Who Got Married in Secret". Us Weekly. May 7, 2022. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  11. ^ Semon, Sam Joseph (December 29, 2021). "Ahna O'Reilly secretly married husband Dave Andron A YEAR AGO". MSN.
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