Morena Baccarin is a Brazilian-American actress known for her television and film work. Born in Rio de Janeiro, she moved to New York City as a child and later trained at the Juilliard School. She is best known for roles in the science-fiction series Firefly, the drama Homeland, the superhero series Gotham, and the Deadpool films. Her performance in Homeland earned her a Primetime Emmy Award nomination.
Early life and training
Baccarin was born in Rio de Janeiro to an actress mother and a journalist father, and she has partial Italian ancestry through her father. She moved with her family to New York City at the age of ten and attended schools there. She later entered the theater program at the Juilliard School, where she studied in the drama division's Group 29 from 1996 to 2000. She is a naturalized United States citizen.
Film and television work
Baccarin began her screen career with small film roles before playing Inara Serra in the science-fiction series Firefly and its follow-up film Serenity. She later appeared in Stargate SG-1, played the lead in the series V, and joined the cast of Homeland, where she received her Emmy nomination. Her roles in the Deadpool films and the series Gotham brought her wider recognition.
Activism and personal life
Baccarin has spoken publicly about refugees, having interviewed Venezuelan refugees in Colombia for the International Rescue Committee, and she advocates for women and girls. She has been married twice, first to filmmaker Austin Chick and later to actor Ben McKenzie, with whom she has children.