Morena Baccarin

Morena Baccarin, born on June 2, 1979, is an American actress known for her diverse roles in television and film. She gained recognition for portraying Inara Serra in the cult sci-fi series "Firefly" and its subsequent film "Serenity." Baccarin also gained prominence for her role as Vanessa in the popular superhero comedy franchise "Deadpool."


In addition to her work in "Firefly" and "Deadpool," Baccarin has delivered notable performances in various television series. She portrayed Jessica Brody in the acclaimed series "Homeland," for which she received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2013. Her portrayal of Dr. Leslie "Lee" Thompkins in the series "Gotham" further showcased her versatility as an actress. Baccarin also appeared as Elena Federova in the series "The Endgame."


Throughout her career, Morena Baccarin has demonstrated her ability to portray a wide range of characters across different genres, earning her a dedicated fan base and critical acclaim for her performances.

Morena Baccarin was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to parents Vera Setta, an actress, and Fernando Baccarin, a journalist. Her ancestry includes Italian roots from her father's side, with connections to the Veneto region.
During her upbringing, Baccarin attended Public School 41 and New York City Lab School for Collaborative Studies. Interestingly, she was classmates with her future "Homeland" co-star Claire Danes during her time at these schools. Later, she pursued her passion for acting by enrolling in the theater program at the prestigious Juilliard School. Baccarin was part of Group 29 in the drama division at Juilliard, where she honed her acting skills from 1996 to 2000.

Morena Baccarin's acting career took off with her first film role in the improvised fashion-world comedy "Perfume" (2001), followed by a lead role in "Way Off Broadway" (2001).
She then served as Natalie Portman's understudy in the Central Park production of "The Seagull" before landing her breakthrough role as Inara Serra in the science-fiction drama "Firefly" (2002). Baccarin reprised this role in the 2005 film "Serenity."


Baccarin also ventured into voice acting, providing the voice for Black Canary in multiple episodes of the animated series "Justice League Unlimited" in February 2005. She made guest appearances in several television series, including "How I Met Your Mother," "The O.C.," and the unaired pilot episode of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," where she portrayed a transgender woman named Carmen.


In April 2006, Baccarin was cast as the adult version of recurring villain Adria in the 10th season of "Stargate SG-1." She made her off-Broadway debut in May 2009 in Theresa Rebeck's television satire "Our House."
Baccarin landed the lead role of Anna, the leader of the alien Visitors, in ABC's series "V" from 2009 to 2011. Shortly after the show's cancellation, she joined the cast of the Showtime drama "Homeland" in May 2011, receiving critical acclaim for her performance as the conflicted wife of a former prisoner of war.


In 2015, Baccarin appeared in the action-comedy "Spy" alongside Melissa McCarthy and in the hit film "Deadpool" alongside Ryan Reynolds, where she portrayed Vanessa Carlysle. She reprised her role in the 2018 sequel "Deadpool 2."
Baccarin also played Dr. Leslie Thompkins in the Fox show "Gotham" from 2015 to 2019. Additionally, she took on a role as a psychologist in the Brazilian TV series "Sessão de Terapia" in 2019, marking her first production in her native country.
In 2020, Baccarin co-starred alongside Gerard Butler in the apocalyptic thriller "Greenland."

In January 2019, Morena Baccarin penned an opinion piece for Newsweek magazine detailing her experiences working with the International Rescue Committee on behalf of refugees. During a trip to Colombia, she interviewed refugees from Venezuela and expressed concerns about the evolving situation, warning of a potential increase in refugees seeking asylum in the United States. Inspired by her mother's advocacy for women's rights in Brazil, Baccarin became an advocate herself for women and girls.


In 2019, she participated in the Flores Exhibits project alongside other artists, lawyers, advocates, and refugees. As part of this project, she read the sworn testimony of a migrant child who was held in detention at the U.S.-Mexico border.


In November 2011, Morena Baccarin married American film producer and director Austin Chick. They welcomed their son in October 2013. However, their marriage ended when Chick filed for divorce in July 2015, citing irreconcilable differences. Shortly thereafter, Baccarin began a relationship with her Gotham co-star Ben McKenzie. In March 2016, Baccarin and McKenzie welcomed a daughter. Their marriage became official on March 18, 2016, following Baccarin's divorce from Chick. In November 2016, Baccarin and McKenzie announced their engagement and were married on June 2, 2017, which coincided with Baccarin's 38th birthday. In March 2021, the couple announced the birth of their son.

References

1.  M., C. (January 9, 2018). "Quanto conosci Morena Baccarin, l'attrice brasiliana dal sangue italiano e dallo sguardo magnetico". Elle (in Italian). Milan: Hearst Magazine Italia. Retrieved March 27, 2018.
2. a b Rodriguez, Karla (September 20, 2017). "Ben McKenzie: Why Morena and I Married on Her Birthday". Us Weekly. Retrieved May 27, 2018. [Morena and Ben McKenzie] got married on June 2, which also happens to be the Deadpool star's birthday. 'I just got hitched,' the actor revealed, showing off his wedding ring. 'We wanted to get married at the Botanic Gardens in Brooklyn.... When we wanted to book it, which was over a year in advance in our defense, the only date available was my wife's birthday.'
3. a b "Morena Baccarin"Actress (1979–)". Biography.com. Archived from the original on May 16, 2018. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
4. ^ Britto, Thaís (January 19, 2013). "No ar em 'Homeland', Morena Baccarin diz que tem orgulho de ser brasileira / On the air in 'Homeland', Morena Baccarin says she is proud to be Brazilian". O Globo. Archived from the original on October 27, 2017. Retrieved February 17, 2016. Aos 7 anos, Morena saiu do Rio de Janeiro rumo a Nova York com os irmãos, a mãe, a atriz Vera Setta, e o pai, o jornalista Fernando Baccarin, que havia sido transferido para lá. / At age seven, Morena left Rio de Janeiro for New York with her brothers, mother (actress Vera Setta), and father, journalist Fernando Baccarin, who had been transferred there.
5. ^ "Quanto conosci Morena Baccarin, l'attrice brasiliana dal sangue italiano e dallo sguardo magnetico". Elle Italy (in Italian). January 9, 2018. Retrieved May 29, 2023. Morena Baccarin, attrice brasiliana naturalizzata statunitense ma di origini italiane: suo padre Fernando, infatti, è un giornalista dalle origini venete.
6. ^ "Morena Baccarin Leaving 'V' & Her Short Haircut Behind For 'Homeland'". Access Hollywood. August 4, 2011. Archived from the original on December 24, 2015. Retrieved March 13, 2012.
7. ^ "It's Evening in America". Vanity Fair. May 1, 2012. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
8. ^ "Alumni News". Juilliard School. September 2007. Archived from the original on November 11, 2011. Retrieved April 13, 2012.
9. ^ Kuhn, Sarah (March 26, 2005). "Morena Baccarin - 'Way Off Broadway' Movie - Reuters.com Interview". Retrieved June 5, 2013.
10. a b c "Morena Baccarin Biography". TV Guide. Archived from the original on March 22, 2009. Retrieved September 24, 2015.
11. ^ Hernandez, Lee (July 15, 2012). "'Firefly' Alum Morena Baccarin on the Show's 10th Anniversary, Comic-Con and Diversity (EXCLUSIVE)". The Huffington Post. Retrieved February 12, 2013.
12. ^ Jackson, Matthew (December 17, 2012). "Morena Baccarin reveals her fave Firefly character (It's not Inara)". Syfy Wire. Retrieved February 12, 2013.
13. ^ Sumner, Darren (April 1, 2008). "Myth Maker (Part 1): An Interview With Robert C. Cooper". GateWorld. Retrieved April 8, 2008.
14. ^ Eramo, Steven (January 2007). "Actress Morena Baccarin - Child's Play". TV Zone. No. Special #74. pp. 48–49.