Joseph Morgan

Joseph Morgan was born in London, England, on May 16, 1981, and spent his early childhood in Swansea, Wales. After returning to London in his late teens, he pursued formal acting training at the Central School of Speech and Drama. His career began with notable supporting roles in critically acclaimed films such as ‘Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World’ (2003), where he co-starred with Russell Crowe, and Oliver Stone’s ‘Alexander’ (2004). Concurrent with his film work, Morgan also established a presence in British television, appearing in various dramas including the BBC miniseries ‘The Line of Beauty,’ ‘Henry VIII’ alongside Emily Blunt, ‘Doc Martin,’ and ‘Mansfield Park.’ He also played a James Dean impersonator in Harmony Korine’s film ‘Mister Lonely.’

His career saw a significant turning point in 2009 when he was cast in the prominent role of Judah Ben-Hur in the miniseries ‘Ben Hur.’ This was followed by a pivotal role as Klaus Mikaelson in The CW’s hit series ‘The Vampire Diaries’ starting in 2011. His portrayal of the character was well-received, leading to a spin-off series, ‘The Originals,’ which centered around his character and ran for five seasons from 2013 to 2018. During this period, he also ventured into directing, helming three episodes of ‘The Originals’ and two short films, ‘Revelation’ (2013) and ‘Carousel’ (2017), the latter of which won Best Drama Short at the London Independent Film Awards. Morgan continued to expand his acting portfolio with roles in independent films like ‘Open Grave’ (2013) and ‘Desiree’ (2014).

In recent years, Morgan has continued to maintain a strong presence in television, taking on series regular roles in high-profile productions. He portrayed CJack60/Elliot in “Brave New World” (2020) and Sebastian Sanger/Brother Blood in “Titans” (2022–2023). In 2024, he joined the cast of the Paramount+ series “Halo” as James Ackerson. His work has earned him various accolades, including a People’s Choice Award for Favorite Actor in a New TV Series.