Meaghan Oppenheimer

American screenwriter

Meaghan Oppenheimer

Oppenheimer in 2022

Born| 1985 or 1986 (age 38–39)

Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S.

Occupation(s)| Screenwriter, producer
Years active| 2010–present
Known for| Tell Me Lies
Spouse|

Tom Ellis

(m. 2019)​

Children| 1

Meaghan Oppenheimer (born 1985 or 1986)[1] is an American television and movie screenwriter, producer and former child actor.

## Early life and education[edit]

Meaghan Oppenheimer grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma,[2] and was a former child actor, working in various regional theatre productions and television shows.[3] She graduated from Holland Hall, and then New York University—Tisch School of the Arts in 2009. Afterward, she relocated to Los Angeles to begin a screenwriting career.[4][5][6]

## Career[edit]

In 2010, Oppenheimer wrote and starred in Hot Mess, a film about two roommates that become friends-with-benefits. She has written screenplays for a number of projects, including Fear the Walking Dead[a] She co-wrote the screenplay for 2015's We Are Your Friends with film maker Max Joseph.[7][8]

In December of that year, ABC announced that Reese Witherspoon would be producing a new drama series for TV written by Oppenheimer, with the working title Please Don't Go, about the personal and professional life of a ruthless divorce attorney in Dallas whose past continues to haunt her.[9] In March 2016, ABC announced that Penelope Ann Miller had been cast opposite T. R. Knight in the project[b] that in 2016 was released as Broken—a series pilot that halted production after the first episode aired.[c]

In 2018, Oppenheimer penned the script for the Facebook Watch TV show, Queen America.[11]

She adapted Carola Lovering's Tell Me Lies for Hulu that was filmed and released in 2022.[12][11] She also served as co-executive producer and showrunner of the series, which starred Grace Van Patten and Jackson White.[13]

## Personal life[edit]

Oppenheimer has been married to actor Tom Ellis since June 1, 2019.[14][15][16] Oppenheimer is the stepmother to his two children that Ellis shares with his ex wife Tamzin Outhwaite and one from a previous relationship.[1][17] Ellis and Oppenheimer announced the birth of their daughter on November 8, 2023.[18] The couple opted for surrogacy and welcomed their daughter. Oppenheimer and Ellis named their daughter Dolly Ellis-Oppenheimer.[19]

## Screenwriting credits[edit]

Year  | Title  | Role  | Notes / Vehicle

|
|
|

2010  | Hot Mess | Screenwriter / actress  | short film
2015  | Fear the Walking Dead | Screenwriter  | S1 E4: "Not Fade Away"
2015  | We Are Your Friends[8] | Screenwriter  | TV film
2016  | Broken[10] | Screenwriter  | one episode (TV pilot)
2018  | Queen America[11] | Screenwriter  | one episode / series creator (10 episodes)
2022-present  | Tell Me Lies[12][13] | Screenwriter / Executive Producer and Showrunner | three episodes / series creator (10 episodes) / TV Film

## Acting credits[edit]

Year  | Title  | Role  | Notes / Vehicle

|
|
|

2010  | stalkTALK | Drew Walker  | TV series: 8 episodes
2010  | The Rock 'n' Roll Dreams of Duncan Christopher | Renee  | comedy film
2011  | LoveFinder | Lexi  | TV movie
2011  | How to Marry a Billionaire | Bree  | TV movie
2012  | LoveFinder: The Virals | Lexi  | short film

## Accolades and reception[edit]

Oppenheimer's un-filmed screenplay, The Remains, was selected for the 2013 Black List—a yearly list of "...best Screenplays not yet made into films..."[20] Dana Feldman of Forbes wrote while reviewing Tell Me Lies: "...[the production] received a straight-to-series order, and we definitely need another season..."[13] The Her Voice podcast hosts exclaimed: "From script to screen, she is clear in her purpose and powerful in her ability to manifest the right people and circumstances to be able to develop female driven stories about mental health, relationships, and generational trauma."[21] Keely Weiss of Elle Magazine writes: "...showrunner Meaghan Oppenheimer pulled [the adaptation] off with aplomb, turning Lovering's novel into a visually propulsive show populated by a rich cast of characters, all while preserving the core themes of the book.[22]

## Notes[edit]

1. ^ Season 1, Episode 4 ("Not Fade Away.")
2. ^ which was given the working title Meaghan Oppenheimer Pilot
3. ^ Miller's role was that of "Elizabeth Hamilton, the wife of a Texas oil billionaire who is seeking revenge after having been left for a woman 20 years younger than she".[10]

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b 'Lucifer' Star Tom Ellis Marries Longtime Girlfriend, Writer Meaghan Oppenheimer; Cher, staff writer; June 4, 2019; webpage; People; retrieved November 2022
2. ^ Giulia Sbaffi (May 8, 2019). "Tutto quello che non sai su Tom Ellis, l'attore di Lucifer". Donna Glamour (in Italian). Retrieved May 16, 2019.
3. ^ "Meaghan Oppenheimer – the Her Voice Podcast".
4. ^ "Broadway brightness". Tulsa World. November 3, 1999. Retrieved March 21, 2016.
5. ^ "Blacklisted". Retrieved March 21, 2016.
6. ^ "Up-and-coming Oklahoma stars: the next generation". Tulsa World. September 8, 2015. Retrieved March 21, 2016.
7. ^ Mannie Holmes (August 21, 2015). "Zac Efron: 'We Are Your Friends' Is Millennials' 'Saturday Night Fever' – Variety". Variety. Retrieved March 21, 2016.
8. ^ a b Frazer Harrison (August 21, 2015). "Premiere of Warner Bros. Pictures' "We Are Your Friends" – Arrivals". Getty Images. Retrieved March 21, 2016.
9. ^ Denise Petski (December 21, 2015). "Reese Witherspoon To Produce Drama 'Please Don't Go' In Works at ABC – Deadline". Deadline. Retrieved March 21, 2016.
10. ^ a b Penelope Ann Miller Joins ABC’s Meaghan Oppenheimer Pilot by Denise Petski, March 2, 2016
11. ^ a b c Andreeva, Nellie (August 3, 2021). "'Tell Me Lies' Drama Series Starring Grace Van Patten Ordered by Hulu With Emma Roberts Exec Producing". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
12. ^ a b Betancourt, Bianca (August 8, 2022). "Consider 'Tell Me Lies' Your Next Ultra-Sexy Binge Watch". Harper's Bazaar. Retrieved September 6, 2022.
13. ^ a b c 'Tell Me Lies’: Meaghan Oppenheimer Breaks Down The Finale; Feldman, Dana; article page; October 26, 2022; Forbes online; [Limited Access]; retrieved November 2022
14. ^ Lopez, Julyssa (September 24, 2019). "Lucifer Actor Tom Ellis Marries Meaghan Oppenheimer". Brides. Retrieved August 21, 2021.
15. ^ Heller, Corrine (June 3, 2019). "Lucifer Star Tom Ellis Marries Meaghan Oppenheimer in Star-Studded Ceremony". E! News.
16. ^ "Lucifer's Tom Ellis Shares Never-before-seen Wedding Photo with Wife Meaghan". HELLO!. June 2, 2021. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
17. ^ "Lucifer Star Tom Ellis Looks Almost Unrecognizable in First-ever Television Role". Hello Magazine. May 27, 2021. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
18. ^ Cook, Sam (November 10, 2023). "Actor Tom Ellis and wife welcome baby daughter via surrogate". Wales Online. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
19. ^ "'Lucifers Tom Ellis Welcomes Baby Girl with Wife Meaghan Oppenheimer, Jokes Birth 'Ended the SAG Strike'". Peoplemag. Retrieved January 10, 2024.
20. ^ Melissa Silverstein and Inkoo Kang (December 18, 2013). "Less Than 20% of Black List Scripts Are By Women Screenwriters – Women and Hollywood". Women and Hollywood. Retrieved March 21, 2016.
21. ^ Episode 33: Meaghan Oppenheimer; undated; Chando, Alex & Bomar, Blair; Her Voice podcast, in association with Mammoth Media Institute; retrieved November 2022
22. ^ Everyone Has a Stephen: Tell Me Lies Author and Showrunner Break Down the Hulu Adaptation; Weiss, Keely; October 27, 2022; interview; Elle; webpage; retrieved November 2022

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* France
* BnF data
* Poland

*[m.]: married