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Morena Baccarin© James Devaney

Meet Morena Baccarin, the Brazilian star of 'Deadpool & Wolverine'

Baccarin has starred in all of the 'Deadpool' films.


Maria Loreto
Senior Writer
AUGUST 2, 2024 1:14 PM EDT

"Deadpool & Wolverine" is one of this year's biggest films. The project is the third "Deadpool" film and is an ambitious attempt at blending the Marvel Universe with the X-Men mutants, a moment that's been eagerly anticipated by comic book fans from all over the world. Morena Baccarin is one of the film's stars, reprising her role of Vanessa Carlysle, Ryan Reynold's love interest. Here's all you should know about her: 

She's of Brazilian heritage

Morena Baccarin at the premiere of "Deadpool & Wolverine"© Taylor Hill
Morena Baccarin at the premiere of "Deadpool & Wolverine"

Baccarin is of Italian, Lebanese, Portuguese, and Brazilian descent. She was born in Rio de Janeiro and has been interested in acting from a young age, drawing inspiration from her mother, Vera Setta, who was also an actress. Their family moved to the US when she was 7 years old, living most of her youth in New York. She went to LaGuardia High School, which boasts graduates like Timothee Chalamet and Suri Cruise

She has an extensive list of credits

Baccarin has been acting from a young age, graduating from Julliard School’s Drama Division. She's been involved in beloved projects throughout her career, including "The O.C.", Joss Whedon's "Firefly," "The Good Wife," "Homeland," "How I Met Your Mother," and more. 

She's married to Ben McKenzie

Baccarin is currently married to actor Ben McKenzie, known for his roles in "The O.C." and "Gotham." The two worked together in "Gotham," in 2015, where they played each other's love interests. They got married two years later.  "I met her on the first series I did, The O.C.," said McKenzie on Live with Kelly and Ryan in 2017. "Apparently, I created quite the impression on her in a bad way… I didn't remember. We briefly met. She wasn't really in my plotline." 

 She was previously married to Austin Chick. 

She has three children

Ben McKenzie and Morena Baccarin© Dimitrios Kambouris
Ben McKenzie and Morena Baccarin

Baccarin has three kids: Julius, 10, from her first marriage, and Frances, 8, and Arthur, 3, from her current marriage. 

The couple has discussed parenting at length, sharing some of the most special moments they've lived through. “She’s talking quite a bit, and it’s very sweet,” said Baccarin of her daughter to People in 2018. “She sounds a little like a caveman at the moment. Everything is me, like ‘me want that too’ or ‘me take that.’ It’s very sweet and it’s so amazing to watch language spark in a little 2-year-old.”