Karyn Lucy O'Bryan
Actor. Speaker. Host.
Radical single mom, actress, artist, and human rights crusader Lucy O’Bryan journeys to some of the least visited regions on the planet seeking a greater understanding of humanity. She attempts to uncover the struggles of everyday survival in some of the world’s harshest countries, while exposing the most basic truth of humanity - the love and the laughter that exists in us all.
Lost With Lucy, an unscripted show about a human rights photographer/single mom who travels the world with her children while seeking a greater understanding of human nature. Although the show was ultimately not produced, it was picked up by OWN. This project was my greatest passion so it was a thrill to be creator, host and executive producer.
I’m gasping for breath in this video because it opens in Tibet at the Drigung Til monastery, which is situated at an altitude of 15,400 feet.
Excited to return...
After over two decades in front of the camera as an actress, I went behind the camera to dedicate myself to the defense of human rights as a photojournalist. My journey began during the Kosovo war amidst the refugee camps in Albania. Armed with nothing but a fake press pass, and an old broken camera, I embarked on a daring (some might say crazy) mission to cover the conflict alongside my eleven-year-old son. This transformative experience launched a personal crusade to use the storytelling skills I had learned in the film industry to document human rights abuses around the globe. Since then, my humanitarian photography (https://www.lucyobryan.com/) has led me to some of the world’s most dangerous places - Haiti, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Myanmar, Niger, Sudan and Ukraine.
My familiarity with the camera began with a successful career in front of it. As a young ingenue, I moved to LA from Kansas to pursue a career in politics but fell into acting at my first audition when I landed a lead role opposite
Johnny Depp in Private Resort. I quickly landed co-starring roles on
The A Team, Family Ties, and Josie & the Pussycats. As a single mom, I decided to make the switch to being a commercial actress, enabling me to be more available to my kids. I then went on to do over 70 national spots for top brands, including Pepsi, Michelob, Nabisco, Black Angus, and Kellogg’s.
Signing a four-year spokesperson contract with Black Angus enabled me to temporarily set aside my acting career and follow my other passion: storytelling through photography of the world’s most disenfranchised people. Focusing my lens on the neglected, giving voice to the voiceless and telling the personal stories of those who are otherwise forgotten. The adventure never ended! What began as a brief hiatus evolved into an exhilarating 12-year odyssey spanning 90+ countries, uncovering the struggles of everyday survival in some of the world’s harshest places. Yet, amidst the challenges, I also discovered the universal threads of humanity-the love and laughter that connects us all.
Meanwhile my love for the film industry has only grown stronger. It’s true that absence makes the heart grow fonder. I’m older, wiser, and maybe even a little bit more fearless.
For more Lost With Lucy reels click here
Commercials
The Journey
