Like Mother, Like Daughter
by Jill Duff-Hoppes
When Denise Gossett and Riley Beeson auditioned to play mother and daughter in the movie Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries: Blessings in Disguise, they had a definite advantage over much of their competition. The Lake Mary residents really are mother and daughter, with a genuinely strong, loving bond and mirror-image looks.
Denise and Riley nailed their auditions and were ecstatic to be cast as their Amish counterparts, Naomi and Esther Miller. This isn’t the first time the two have portrayed mother and daughter on screen, but to date, it has become their highest-profile project together. Riley and Denise spent three weeks in the fall of 2024 shooting the movie in the very real Sugarcreek, Ohio, a town in the heart of Amish country. The family-friendly film, based on the first two books in the Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries book series, premiered this past spring during Easter on UPtv and recently began streaming on UP Faith & Family.
“This was a huge thing for both of us,” says 16-year-old Riley, a rising high-school senior who is dual-enrolled at Seminole State College. “This was one of the best experiences, and it was amazing to do this with my mom. Having her on set and working together was great.”
Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries is a fish-out-of-water story about Cheryl, a big-city dweller who leaves Chicago, Illinois, for the small town of Sugarcreek, where she meets Denise’s character, Naomi. Cheryl and Denise become friends and join forces to solve mysteries that pop up around town, starting with a missing baby. The Sugarcreek books are published by Guideposts, a spiritual nonprofit organization that publishes inspirational books, magazines, and online content.
“The vibe is Little House on the Prairie mixed with Nancy Drew,” says Riley of the Sugarcreek movie.
Adds Denise, “It’s entertainment we need in this day and age.”
As it turns out, the movie was just the beginning of the pair’s Sugarcreek journey, because the film has spawned a television series – with Riley and Denise reprising their roles. In late June, they returned to Ohio to film eight episodes of the TV show. The movie and TV experience has been exciting for both Riley, an up-and-coming talent, and Denise, an acting veteran of 30 years. So far, their highlights have included riding in a horse and buggy, which Denise learned to drive; wearing authentic Amish bonnets and dresses; and having plenty of bonding time on set and off.
“It’s like a dream, really,” says Denise. “Sugarcreek is the cutest little town; we just love it. It’s beautiful, and the Amish people are so kind and down to earth and real. It’s the coolest thing; we’re so lucky.”
There and Back Again
A Lake Brantley High School graduate, Denise attended Seminole State College and Rollins College, where she earned a degree in theater. Her first big break was playing Lex Luther’s sister in the TV show Superboy, after which she moved to Los Angeles, California, to further her career. Denise has appeared in many commercials, TV shows, and feature films, working with stars such as Mel Gibson, Tom Hiddleston, Morris Chestnut, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Kristen Bell, and Steve Carell, to name a few. She also founded Shriekfest, a popular horror/sci-fi film festival that ran from 2001 to 2021 in Los Angeles (and in Orlando for a couple of years), until she put the event on hiatus to focus on her acting career.
When Riley was three years old, Denise and husband Todd Beeson decided to leave L.A. to raise their daughter in the more family-friendly environs of Lake Mary. Riley was a student at Heathrow Elementary, where she did her first plays, and then she attended a private Christian school in Longwood until the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020. Since then, she has been homeschooled, which gives her more flexibility as an actress.
Riley, who became keenly interested in acting after visiting a set with her mom, has been cast in a few independent and short films, TV shows, and commercials – with much more to come.
“Acting is definitely going to be my career,” says Riley. “I enjoy it more than anything. And my mom is like my personal acting coach, which is great. I’m very lucky to have her.”
Denise’s résumé is a long one, filled with acting credits that span the genres of comedy, drama, and horror. Recently, Denise added a brand-new role to her CV when Riley booked a commercial and Denise accompanied her to the set.
“It was the first time I’ve ever been a momager on set – it was so weird,” says Denise with a laugh. “I’ve never been on a set and not acted. I was like, ‘What do I do with myself?’”