Morena Baccarin was born in Rio de Janeiro and educated in New York City at the LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts and the prestigious Juilliard School. At Juilliard, she starred in a number of plays, including Mary Stuart, The Seagull, The Importance of Being Ernest and Love?s Labours Lost. She also starred in the independent features Perfume, with Sonia Braga, and Way Off Broadway.

Prior to moving to Los Angeles, Baccarin landed a small part in the independent feature Roger Dodger. The experience of working on a film with such actors as Campbell Scott and Isabella Rossellini prompted her to move to Los Angeles, where she came to the attention of writer/director Joss Whedon, who cast her as a series regular on the FOX television series Firefly. Baccarin then starred in Serenity, the big-screen extension of Firefly.

Baccarin has recurred on such TV shows as Stargate SG-1 as Adria, The O.C., Kitchen Confidential, How I Met Your Mother, Justice and Las Vegas.

In addition, she last starred opposite Treat Williams in TNT's 'Heartland' and she just wrapped the independent feature 'Death In Love' opposite Josh Lucas.