The Complete Transformation Of Morena Baccarin

Even though many may not have known who Morena Baccarin was until she landed the role of Vanessa in the movie "Deadpool," she's been busy building her acting career ever since she graduated from Juilliard in the early 2000s. Appearing primarily in sci-fi roles, Baccarin has always understood the importance of developing a work ethic. Speaking to Rose and Ivy in 2022, she said, "I feel the actors who continue and have longevity in their careers are people who are in it for the work. They aren't in it for the glitz and glam, the attitude, the free sandwiches, or the accolades ... They have an incredible work ethic and that was apparent to me very early on."

Along with growing as an actor, Brazilian-born Baccarin has also been frank about the challenges that Hollywood has long had with ethnic and racial diversity, as well as the struggles that come with balancing working and motherhood. That said, she seems to take it all in her stride. When asked by Rose and Ivy about what else she plans to tackle, she expressed the desire to keep working and broadening her horizons: "There is a lot out there I haven't done yet, I am interested in challenges and stretching myself ... " Along with challenging herself in her career, Baccarin has also stepped out of her comfort zone with her style and beauty choices, experimenting with bold makeup, edgy haircuts, and eye-catching silhouettes on the red carpet. Her look post-transformation is a far cry from the safer style she showed off in the early 2000s, featuring a range of outfit textures and dramatic makeup moves. 

In the early 2000s, Morena Baccarin was making her debut in the acting world in movies like "Perfume" and "Way Off Broadway." While she was getting work, Baccarin felt that she was limited in the roles she was able to play. In her Rose and Ivy interview, Baccarin said, "When I was coming out of school — I graduated in 2000 — it was a time when the industry was not hip to different ethnicities and that parts could be played by people of color. My name is very exotic sounding, even though I have no accent, it was difficult for me to get a job. I would audition a lot, my agents would try to pigeon-hole me into this fiery Latina character, which was never my jam, or where I felt I could do my best."

While she may have felt like there were some industry-imposed limitations at that time, she certainly wasn't limited when it came to her style. At a 2002 Fox press tour, she wore a trendy but casual outfit of low-rise jeans, a belt with a bold buckle, a simple black tee, and a cowboy hat. Baccarin showed off her ability to adapt to trends again in 2004 at the world premiere of "In Good Company," where she wore a long gray coat, light-pink top, black slacks, and accessorized with a small black neck scarf. There was also another notable difference in the looks; she'd cut her long, curly hair short.

In the mid-2000s, Morena Baccarin was continuing to take strides in acting and was opening up to trying new and different types of roles. In a 2005 interview with Zeta Minor, Baccarin spoke about taking action roles. "Anything with action in, personally I sort of shy away from, because I don't think I'm so good at it ..." she said.

Around this time, Baccarin was both relying on style staples and also finding ways to branch out. At a 2005 event for the movie "The Skeleton Key," she wore a simple but super-elegant jeans-and-top look, that featured a metal belt and a sophisticated white corset tank top with black spaghetti straps, making it clear she knew how to style a corset top for any occasion. Minimal jewelry and a sleek hairstyle kept the look pared-down and focused. In 2007, Baccarin was trying new things at an Awards Season Diamond Fashion Show where she wore a loose, flowing cream-colored dress with black detailing and buttons on the shoulders. Her hair also had a different feel, as she wore it in a fuller style, with bangs.

In the later 2000s, Morena Baccarin was truly coming into her own, not just when it came to taking on roles but also in the styles that she chose for red carpets. During this time, she appeared in multiple television shows like "Dirt," "Numb3rs," and "Medium."

On red carpets, Baccarin's looks were getting bolder and more polished. At the 2008 People's Choice Awards, she wore a sleek white jumpsuit with a bustier-shaped bodice and textured detailing. Wearing minimal jewelry kept the look simple and polished and put all the focus on her elegant jumpsuit. She completed the look by pinning her chin-length hair back and wearing a bold red lip. 

At a 2009 Charity Auction Gala, Baccarin looked incredibly elegant once again and showed off an Audrey Hepburn-esque pixie cut. Her outfit was also sophisticated but intriguing; the little black dress she wore featured a deep V-neck with an uneven hemline. By pairing the look with delicate earrings and a red lip, she exuded plenty of simple appeal, highlighting the psychology of why we love wearing black clothing.

In 2010, Morena Baccarin experienced a major life milestone: She got married to director and screenwriter Austin Chick. Even though big things were happening in her personal life, she was keeping busy when it came to her career, too. Not only did she appear in shows like "The Deep End" and "V," but she also did voice work for "Batman: The Brave and the Bold."

On red carpets, her style blossomed into something increasingly bright and playful. At a Disney press tour event in 2010, Baccarin not only rocked a tight, red minidress with a square neckline, but she also bleached her hair blond and proved she knew how to style a pixie cut for every occasion. By accessorizing with a gold clutch and nude heels, she kept the look sleek and impactful.

In 2011, Baccarin was getting playful with her style in a whole new way. At a Frye Flagship opening, she sported dark locks once again, as well as a short dress with an eye-catching coral-and-blue pattern, which was a notable departure from the solid colors she typically donned.

By 2012, Morena Baccarin was taking elegance to the next level on the red carpet. At the Golden Globes that year, she wore a Georges Chakra gown with a deeply plunging neckline and cutouts that truly caught attention. The long gown also featured a train, and she paired it with some bold, multi-colored earrings. At the Primetime Emmy Awards, she was looking incredibly put-together in yet another long gown with a train and deep V-neck. This time, however, it was a gray dress with a sheer panel and ruffle details. She also paired this look with large, circular earrings and a red lip. One notable change about her look, though, was that her usually short hair was now much longer, sitting about shoulder length.

As it turns out, the fact that Baccarin had longer hair was pretty significant. Speaking to Esquire, she opened up about her decision to change her hairstyle for a role. "But finally I said fine," she said. "I treated it almost like a dare. And that short hair was one of the best things I've ever done in my life. For myself, I mean. It was liberating and it was fun. And I kept it for four years. Now I'm growing it out for 'Homeland.'"

By 2013, the TV show "Homeland" turned out to be a success, and Morena Baccarin was talking about its popularity in interviews, as well as the dedication of her fans, telling the Independent, "Sci-fi fans are a different breed. They are so loyal, it's unbelievable. They've seen every sci-fi thing I've done and then they started watching 'Homeland' because I was in it."

In the interview, she also opened up about the challenges and the changes that had occurred in the entertainment industry, especially when it came to her ethnicity. "Ten years ago you would rarely see an ethnic person in any lead role, unless that role was explicitly ethnic — say, Jennifer Lopez playing a Hispanic character," she noted. "In fact, when Jennifer Lopez started to play regular women in romantic comedies, she really helped the industry to catch up with the rest of the world."

While Baccarin was still hitting major milestones in her career with shows like "Homeland," her personal life was full of developments, too. In 2013, Baccarin hit red carpets rocking a different kind of style: maternity looks. To events that year, she wore simply styled but brightly colored maternity gowns, maintaining many elements of her signature style.

During the mid-2010s, Morena Baccarin was busy with roles like that of Leslie Thompkins in "Gotham." Not only was this an exciting role to land, but she also met her future husband, fellow actor Ben Mckenzie of "The O.C." fame, while working on the show. Before long, Baccarin was expecting her second child — and her first with McKenzie. Talking to People, she opened up about the differences between her first and second pregnancy, saying, "It's more relaxed, you don't have time to sit there and obsess. With my first one, I felt like it was like, 'Oh, what's happening this week?' 'What developmental thing?' 'What should I be eating?' [Now] you're just focusing on your toddler, getting to work, and trying to make ends meet. And then it goes by."

On the red carpet, Baccarin was showing off a range of looks. At the Hollywood Brazilian Film Festival, she wore an edgy leather minidress with a sheer back, which she paired with metallic pointed-toe shoes and a gold-chain necklace (aka a great way to combine leather with feminine silhouettes). At the Gotham Independent Awards, she was rocking maternity wear again and looking completely polished in a fitted white dress with a black stripe going down the chest, which she accented with a black-and-white clutch and black-and-silver bangles.

In 2016, Morena Baccarin had a lot going on. Not only had she given birth to her second child, a daughter, but she was also busy promoting her latest movie, "Deadpool." Speaking to Direct Conversations, she opened up about her character Vanessa's personality and strength. "I feel like [the] character is strong, funny and no-hold-barred, and that's what's so great about her," she said. "It's really nice to see a character that is equally matched to her counterpart." While she may have appreciated her character's strength, she admitted that the focus was not on her, adding, "The fans of this particular project were more interested in Wade."

On red carpets that year, Baccarin rocked striking styles. At the San Diego Comic-Con, she wore an all-black ensemble featuring a high-low black tank top, black slacks, long hair partially pinned back, and her signature red lip. She typically kept her raven locks waved throughout the year, but at Comic-Con, she opted for a straight look.

Three years after meeting on the set of "Gotham," Morena Baccarin got married to her partner Ben McKenzie in a low-key event in New York. During an interview with Harry Connick Jr., McKenzie opened up about how the couple's wedding planning had unfolded. "We wanted to get married at the Botanic Gardens in Brooklyn, which was beautiful," he recalled. "When we wanted to book it, which was over a year in advance in our defense, the only date available was my wife's birthday." He continued, "It's sweet, and half of her loves that and half of her, I think, just wants me to be clear that she is going to get a birthday present and there is going to be an anniversary gift, and it's a whole week. She's Brazilian [and] birthdays are very special."

Even though Baccarin may have been settling down, she was only getting more explorational when it came to her sense of style. Taking a break from simple, solid-colored looks, Baccarin attended a Fox event in a sheer dress with crochet details that created a striped effect. Further breaking out of her style box, she wore a messy top knot and strappy metallic sandals to complete the look.

The late 2010s were all about enjoying family life for Morena Baccarin. "It's wonderful to watch [Ben McKenzie] every day with our kids," she told People in 2018. "I couldn't ask for a better partner." However, she was also frank about the difficulties that come with being a working mom, saying in an Instagram post, "I felt exhausted and scared to go back to work. I wanted to spend every second with [Julius, who was five weeks old at the time] ... This one goes out to all the moms out there who feel the constant pull between work and children. There are no right answers."

Baccarin wasn't just talking about her work-life balance, though; she also dished on what it was like to film "Deadpool 2." Talking to People, Baccarin discussed filming kissing scenes with co-star Ryan Reynolds. "I keep saying that kissing him in that mask is like kissing a giant latex condom," she said. "It basically just smells like rubber the entire time."

Around this time, Baccarin was continuing to play around with colors and textures. Not only was she pairing textures like velvet and leather, but she was introducing new and bold colors into her looks. At the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival, she donned a black dress with a mock neck that featured large pink and yellow shapes on the bottom half of the dress, striking a balance that was both lively and refined.

The theme of balancing career with family life was still a significant one for Morena Baccarin in the early 2020s, especially since she welcomed her third child in 2021. Speaking with Rose and Ivy, Baccarin opened up about how she approaches choosing roles: " ... I've tried to follow my gut with a lot of these things and when projects come my way. Since I have kids and have a family, a lot of it has been about the time away versus the time with my kids, which informs the jobs I do take. It's been an interesting journey, it ebbs and flows, and as you mature you have different interests. I've been very lucky until now."

This period also marked a return to simple styles and dark colors for Baccarin. At the Season 8 premiere of "Homeland," Baccarin wore a black velvet blazer suit with a crystal-encrusted top underneath. She let her shoulder-length hair flow and rocked a bright-red lip. At a screening of "The Good House," she wore another bold but dark style, this time going for a strapless gown with burgundy shapes on the skirt that added subtle interest. Unlike her usual hair and makeup looks, she tried something new with a slicked-back hairstyle, smokey siren eyes, and a nude lip.

While Morena Baccarin was making time to relax and sharing vacation photos on Instagram in 2024, she was also hard at work. She appeared as the character Vanessa, Deadpool's girlfriend, once again, in the movie "Deadpool & Wolverine." In conversation with the New York Post, she revealed that her character "is a survivor and someone that does not suffer fools."

Along with playing strong characters, Baccarin showcased her strong style on red carpets, too. At the 2023 Gotham Awards, she wore a black-satin dress with an oversized floral print and lace details that was both trendy and classic. At the "Deadpool & Wolverine" premiere, she wore one of her boldest looks of all: a full-length leather dress with a bustier-style bodice and a zipper that went down the full length of the dress. Minimal accessories put all the focus on the dress, and she paired the look with soft, chin-length hair and a burgundy lip.