Morgan Saylor is an American actress who rose to fame as the emotionally complex teenager Dana Brody in Showtime’s acclaimed political thriller Homeland.
Since leaving the series, she has carved out a respected career in independent film, earning critical praise for roles in White Girl, Blow the Man Down, and Novitiate.
This biography covers Morgan Saylor’s early life, education, career, personal life, and net worth.
Profile Summary
| Full Name | Morgan Frances Saylor |
| Born | October 26, 1994 |
| Age | 31 years old |
| Birthplace | Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Height | 5 ft 5 in (approx.) |
| Education | Montessori schooling in Atlanta; University of Chicago (Mathematics and Art History) |
| Parents | Divorced; father worked in Starbucks store renovations, mother worked at REI |
| Partner | Ben Rosenfield (actor) |
| Known For | Homeland, White Girl, Blow the Man Down, McFarland USA |
Early Life
Morgan Frances Saylor was born on October 26, 1994, in Chicago, Illinois. She moved to Villa Rica, Georgia, at age two and later to Decatur, Georgia, at age ten, growing up primarily in the Atlanta area. Her parents divorced during her childhood; her father worked doing renovations for Starbucks while her mother worked in retail at REI. Saylor attended Montessori schools growing up and discovered acting early through community theater and summer camp programs. As a teenager, she was also a nationally ranked competitive rock climber. She was signed by a local talent agency at age 11 and began booking radio and television commercial work before transitioning into acting roles.
Education
Saylor attended Montessori schools through eighth grade in the Atlanta area before continuing her education through public high school while filming Homeland in Charlotte, North Carolina. After graduating high school in 2013 and moving to New York, she went on to study mathematics and art history at the University of Chicago, balancing her academic pursuits with an active acting career.
Career
Saylor’s earliest professional credit came in 2006, when at age 12 she voiced young Meadow Soprano in two episodes of HBO’s The Sopranos. She appeared in the Fox police drama K-Ville in 2007 and made her feature film debut in 2009 in the dark fantasy film Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant, playing Annie. She followed this with a supporting role in Father of Invention alongside Kevin Spacey.
Saylor’s breakthrough came in 2011 when she was cast as Dana Brody, the emotionally conflicted daughter of a returning Marine POW (played by Damian Lewis), in Showtime’s Homeland. The role earned her widespread recognition, and though the character drew mixed reactions from critics over the show’s three seasons (2011–2013), Saylor’s performance was praised for its raw authenticity. She departed the series as a regular after season three.
Following Homeland, Saylor made her stage debut in 2014 at the Manhattan Theatre Club, originating the role of Penny opposite Cherry Jones and Zoe Kazan in When We Were Young and Unafraid. That same year, she played Gracie Highsmith in the horror drama Jamie Marks Is Dead. In 2015, she starred as Kevin Costner’s on-screen daughter, Julie, in the Disney sports drama McFarland, USA.
Saylor earned major critical acclaim for her leading role as Leah in Elizabeth Wood’s White Girl (2016), which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and co-starred Timothée Chalamet. She continued building her independent film resume with Rob Reiner’s Being Charlie (2015) and Novitiate (2017). In 2019, she starred in the darkly comic thriller Blow the Man Down, shot on location in Harpswell, Maine, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and was released by Amazon Studios in 2020. She later starred opposite Ben Rosenfield in the 2021 independent drama You Mean Everything to Me, and continued with roles in Spoonful of Sugar (2023) and Funny Birds (2024).
Awards & Nominations
- Screen Actors Guild Award nomination – Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series, for Homeland (2013, shared with cast)
- Screen Actors Guild Award nomination – Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series, for Homeland (2014, shared with cast)
Social Media
Morgan Saylor keeps a relatively low-key presence on social media compared to many of her peers, preferring to let her film and stage work speak for her public profile.
Personal Life
Morgan Saylor moved to Brooklyn, New York, after graduating high school in 2013, where she has lived alongside her brother. She is known to be in a relationship with actor Ben Rosenfield, known for his role in Boardwalk Empire, and the two have appeared on screen together in You Mean Everything to Me. Saylor has spoken about the challenges of early fame, including missing typical teenage experiences due to her demanding Homeland filming schedule, and has emphasized the importance of privacy and family support throughout her career.
Net Worth
Morgan Saylor’s net worth is estimated to be around $1 million, derived primarily from her television and film acting career, including her long-running role on Homeland and a steady stream of independent film work.
Filmography
- The Sopranos (2006) – voice of young Meadow Soprano
- K-Ville (2007) as Lana Roberts
- Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant (2009) as Annie
- Father of Invention (2010)
- Homeland (2011–2013) as Dana Brody
- Jamie Marks Is Dead (2014) as Gracie Highsmith
- When We Were Young and Unafraid (2014, stage) as Penny
- McFarland, USA (2015) as Julie White
- Being Charlie (2015)
- White Girl (2016) as Leah
- Novitiate (2017)
- We the Coyotes
- Blow the Man Down (2019/2020)
- You Mean Everything to Me (2021)
- Spoonful of Sugar (2023) as Millicent
- Funny Birds (2024) as Charlie
FAQs
Who is Morgan Saylor?
Morgan Saylor is an American actress best known for playing Dana Brody in Showtime’s Homeland.
How old is Morgan Saylor?
Morgan Saylor was born on October 26, 1994, making her 31 years old as of 2026.
What movie is Morgan Saylor best known for besides Homeland?
She is widely praised for her leading role as Leah in the 2016 Sundance film White Girl.
Did Morgan Saylor attend college?
Yes, she studied mathematics and art history at the University of Chicago.
Conclusion
From a breakout teen role on Homeland to acclaimed performances in gritty independent cinema, Morgan Saylor has proven herself to be one of the more versatile actresses of her generation.
Balancing academic pursuits with a thoughtfully curated filmography, Saylor continues to choose challenging, character-driven projects that showcase her range far beyond her early television fame.