CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. —
Eight-year-old Morgan Saunders has been making movies with her friends for a "very, very long time," but her professional acting career started earlier this year with a joke.
“What begins but has no end?
“Death.”
The Charlottetown resident told the joke as part of her audition for a new commercial for the P.E.I. Potato Board.
Though she had acted in some school plays and productions at the Guild through its theatre camps, the commercial was her first attempt on film and she loved it, she said.
“It was really fun because I got to try different things so they could pick out the perfect one. And I like that because it can make the commercial better if I try a different way.”
The role
The commercial was produced by Island production company Furrow and directed by Brent Foster. It was released online on Jan. 14
Morgan’s character is getting picked on by a boy with a slingshot. She meticulously plans her revenge, building a giant potato-launching slingshot, but just as she’s ready to fire decides on a better use for the veggie.
The commercial ends with her digging into a delicious-looking baked potato.
Morgan’s mother, Linda Saunders, was the one who first told her about the audition, Morgan said.
“My mom said that the thing had my name written all over it.”
When Saunders found out about the audition, she knew Morgan fit the bill, she said.
“A friend of mine sent me the audition posting and she said Morgan would be perfect for this and described a little girl with a big personality and didn’t take crap from anyone.”
The next day, the audition was booked.
Networking
Morgan made such an impression on set that Island filmmaker Kelly Caseley — who worked as assistant to the art department on the commercial — contacted her about a role in the five-episode TV series Aww, Shucks!, which Caseley directed.
“She’s just full of energy and joy. Her personality is just great for television and for the whole experience that goes into filming things and shooting things,” said Caseley.
The show is set to air mid- to late-March on Bell’s FibeTV and is about a small seaside village with a struggling economy due to the pandemic. The village decides to host a cooking contest to attract chefs with the prize being the restaurant on the village wharf.
Morgan plays one of the chefs.
Caseley knew Morgan was up to the task after seeing her work, diligently listening to the director and having no qualms redoing takes, she said.
“Luckily, we shot the potato commercial very close to when we were working on Aww, Shucks!, so she was sort of fresh in my mind. As soon as we thought of her, it was just like, yes, she’s perfect.”
Bright future
Caseley has no doubts people will see more of Morgan.
“If she wants to continue, I think we’ll definitely see her on screen again,” she said. “I wouldn’t hesitate to hire Morgan again in an instant.”
Saunders would love to see her daughter continue with her passion, she said.
“It was a long day, but seeing how much Morgan enjoyed it made it all worthwhile. She had an incredible experience and nothing makes you happier than seeing your kid happy, living her dream.”
In the meantime, Morgan just hopes to get enough credits to officially join the actors’ union.
There’s also a project, fueled by her love of Disney productions, she dreams of being a part of, she said.
“A musical. Like High School Musical, or Z-O-M-B-I-E-S or Descendants.”
