Morena Silva de Vaz Setta Baccarin (born June 2, 1979) is an American actress. She is known for portraying Adria in season 10 of the TV series Stargate SG-1, Inara Serra in the sci-fi television series Firefly (2002–2003) and its follow-up film Serenity (2005), Vanessa in the superhero comedy films Deadpool (2016), Deadpool 2 (2018) and Deadpool & Wolverine (2024), Jessica Brody in the thriller series Homeland (2011–2013), and Leslie Thompkins in the superhero series Gotham (2015–2019). For Homeland, she was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2013.

Early life and education

Morena Silva de Vaz Setta Baccarin was born on June 2, 1979 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the daughter of actress Vera Setta and Fernando Baccarin, a journalist. Through her father, she is partially of Italian descent, with roots in Veneto. Baccarin attended Public School 41 and New York City Lab School for Collaborative Studies, where her future Homeland co-star Claire Danes and she were classmates. She later entered the theater program at the Juilliard School, where she was in the drama division's Group 29 (1996–2000).

Career

Baccarin landed her first film role in the improvised fashion-world comedy Perfume (2001). This was followed by a lead role in Way Off Broadway (2001). She served as Natalie Portman's understudy in the Central Park production of The Seagull. The science-fiction drama Firefly (2002) as Inara Serra was Baccarin's first television series, and she reprised her role in the 2005 film Serenity. In February 2005, Baccarin provided the voice for Black Canary in multiple episodes of the animated series Justice League Unlimited. She guest-starred in season two, episode seven of How I Met Your Mother as Chloe, which aired on November 6, 2006. She also guest-starred in three episodes of the television series The O.C. in 2006. Baccarin appeared in the unaired pilot episode of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, playing a transgender woman, Carmen. In April 2006 Baccarin was announced to be playing the adult version of recurring villain Adria in the 10th season of Stargate SG-1. She first appeared in season-10 episode "Counterstrike" as adult Adria (the younger versions of Adria were previously played by other actresses). Baccarin reprised her role in the film Stargate: The Ark of Truth. In May 2009, Baccarin made her off-Broadway debut in Theresa Rebeck's television satire Our House at Playwrights Horizons in New York City. She landed the lead role of Anna, the leader of the alien Visitors, in ABC's 2009–2011 series V, a remake of the 1984 series. In May 2011, shortly following the airing of the show's second-season finale, producers announced that the show would not return for a third season. That same month, Baccarin joined the cast of the Showtime television drama Homeland, for which she received praise for her role as the conflicted wife of a former prisoner of war. On July 18, 2013, she was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series at the 2013 Primetime Emmy awards for her performance. Baccarin appeared in the 2015 action-comedy Spy as agent Karen Walker. In 2016, Baccarin appeared in the film Deadpool as Vanessa Carlysle. She reprised her role in the 2018 sequel Deadpool 2. In 2015, Baccarin began a leading role as Dr. Leslie Thompkins in the Fox show Gotham. She portrayed the character in all five seasons of the show. She also played a recurring role as Erica Flynn, a woman who murdered her husband, and a romantic interest of Patrick Jane (Simon Baker) from The Mentalist, 2013 to 2015. In 2019, she played a psychologist on the Brazilian TV series Sessão de Terapia (Therapy Session), her first production role in her native country. In 2020, Baccarin co-starred in the apocalyptic thriller Greenland. In 2023, Bacarrin starred in the action film Fast Charlie.

Political views and activism

In January 2019, Baccarin wrote an opinion piece in Newsweek magazine describing her experiences working with the International Rescue Committee on behalf of refugees. She was interviewing refugees from Venezuela during a trip to Colombia. She warned of an evolving situation, which could lead to an increase of refugees asking for asylum in the United States. Baccarin became an advocate for women and girls, inspired by her mother's work for women’s rights in Brazil. In 2019, together with other artists, lawyers, advocates, and refugees, she took part in the Flores Exhibits project. She read the sworn testimony of a migrant child held in detention at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Personal life

In November 2011, Baccarin married American film producer and director Austin Chick, and in October 2013, their son was born. In July 2015, Chick filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. Around that time, Baccarin began dating her Gotham co-star Ben McKenzie, and their daughter was born In March 2016, around the same time that Baccarin's divorce became official. In November 2016, Baccarin and McKenzie announced their engagement, and they were married in Brooklyn, New York, on June 2, 2017, Baccarin's 38th birthday. In March 2021, they had a son.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video game

Awards and nominations