This beauty first came on our radars when “Deadpool” premiered. Although she may have featured in some sci-fi shows that didn’t exactly take off, she got to represent marvel on the big screen. She also earned an Emmy nom for playing Jessica Brody in “Homeland” back in 2011. In an interview, the actor opened up about following her gut with projects she accepts and being aware of how much time she spends away from her kids and family. Both her career and personal life have been a rollercoaster over the years, and they’ve all led her to become the popular actress she is today.
From Brazil to NYC
Born in 1979, Morena Baccarin grew up in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The daughter of a Brazilian actress and a Venetian TV reporter, Morena immigrated to New York with her family at the young age of seven due to her dad’s work. She revealed in an interview that she has a very Brazilian side when it comes to her food and culture, but she’s very American in the sense that she enjoys a sense of “structure and predictability.”
It was there that she attended Fiorello La Guardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts and later on, the coveted Juilliard School’s theatrical program, which is notoriously hard to get into. After graduating, she was cast in “Way Off Broadway”, a 2001 film directed by Dan Kay. She also got cast in the film “Perfume” with heavy-hitters like Leslie Mann and Jeff Goldblum.
A role in “Firefly”
Playing the role of Inara Serra in space-drama “Firefly,” Morena finally landed her first major role. The show took place in the year 2517 and revolved around a group of humans arriving in a new solar system after fighting in a civil war. It was canceled after just one season but still had a cult following, and Baccarin herself thought the show was canceled because it was ahead of its time.
An evil beauty in Stargate SG-1 Season 10
Sci-Fi fans everywhere rejoiced when Morena Baccarin showed the cast of “Stargate SG-1” for its final season. She played Adria, the daughter of Vala and leader of an ancient evil alien race known as the Ari. She wreaks havoc with a religious crusade against the galaxy, and Morena admitted that she loved the role for getting to play an evil role and wearing cool contact lenses, even if she couldn’t see out of them.
A reptilian alien in V
Once again, Morena Baccarin played an alien in “V”, a reboot of the famous 1983 miniseries. Hiding her real reptilian nature under human skin, she uses her charisma to dominate planet Earth and its naive humans. Inspired by a range of political figures, this was an empowered female role with some real complexity behind it. Alas, it was canceled after only 22 episodes.
A difficult custody battle in real life
After TMZ reported that Baccarn cheated on her husband with Ben McKenzie of the O.C, who was playing her husband in the Fox show “Gotham.” While she’s now married to McKenzie, it led to a bitter custody battle due to these events, with a long custody battle ensuing over their son Julius. Today, they have joint custody support, but it took years.
Facing her fears in “Deadpool 2”
Many of us fell in love with Morena in “Deadpool”, which she described as “one of the best times” of her life, calling it a creative experience that was personally fulfilling. However, the sequel led to one hilarious problem – she admitted that kissing her co-star was like “kissing a giant latex condom” due to the prosthetics her co-star wore in the film. She also had to be in a dream sequence that was ultimately cut from the movie but required her to be weighted down underwater. Since she has a fear of being underwater, she has to conquer her phobia first.
Married on her birthday and happy with three kids
The custody battle had a happy ending when she married her co-star Ben Mckenzie. They wed on Baccarin’s birthday. It was written in the stars for these two, who crossed paths on the 2003 drama “The OC” back in the day. The choice to wed on her birthday wasn’t intentional – it was the only date available at their venue of choice: the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. Still, Morena made it clear that she wants separate presents for both occasions! They had their second child, Arthur, in March 2021, but Morena also has a child from her previous marriage. She has openly spoken about how her partner Ben is an amazing father and husband and has still managed to keep the romance alive.
An advocate for Venezuelan refugees
In 2019, this actress met with Venezuelan refugees crossing a bridge into Colombia, where they were trying to access food and medical care. In Colombia, she worked with an emergency response clinic that provided resources and care to these refugees forced to flee their countries. Her mother was an activist for women’s rights back in Brazil, and Baccarin has followed in her footsteps. She’s a member of the IRC, or International Rescue Committee, which works to improve urgent humanitarian crises.
A role in “The End Game” but it’s just the beginning
Starring as Elenora Federova as an arms dealer and criminal in NBC drama “The End Game,” this was an exciting role for Morena, who was looking forward to a series focused on and written by women with two female leads. Although it was canceled after a season, we can look forward to a possible “Deadpool 3” – while it’s not confirmed yet, she has her hopes up, and so do we!
