Joseph Morgan (né Martin;^[1] 16 May 1981^[2]) is an English actor. He is known for playing Niklaus "Klaus" Mikaelson on The CW's The Vampire Diaries and its spinoff The Originals in which he is the lead. He has portrayed CJack60/Elliot in the Peacock series Brave New World, and Brother Blood in the HBO Max series Titans. He currently stars as James Ackerson in the Paramount+ series Halo (2024).

Morgan was born in London, but lived in Swansea for 11 years.^[3] He is the oldest child in his family. He was a student at Morriston Comprehensive School and then studied a BTEC Performing Arts course at Gorseinon College (now Gower College Swansea), before moving back to London to study at the Central School of Speech and Drama.^[4]

Morgan's first ever acting audition was for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets for Tom Riddle.^[5] Morgan starred in the first series of the Sky One television series Hex, as Troy and has appeared in supporting roles in films such as Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003) and Alexander (2004) and the BBC Two television series The Line of Beauty.^[6] He has also appeared in the television series Doc Martin and Casualty and co-starred in Mansfield Park (2007) alongside Billie Piper. In 2010 he played the title role in the mini-series Ben Hur which first aired on CBC television in Canada and ABC TV in America, on 4 April 2010.^[7][8]

Morgan played Niklaus Mikaelson in The CW's supernatural drama The Vampire Diaries, a television adaptation of the book series of the same name as well as in its spin-off The Originals.^[9][10][11] His work garnered him several nominations for Teen Choice Awards and a People's Choice Award. He also appeared as Lysander in the 2011 film Immortals, alongside Henry Cavill. BuddyTV ranked him number 84 on its list of "TV's Sexiest Men of 2011".^[12]

In 2020, Morgan starred in Peacock's science fiction drama Brave New World as CJack60/Elliot.^[13][14] In 2022, Morgan was cast as Brother Blood in the fourth season of the HBO Max series Titans.^[15] He also reprised the role of Klaus in the final season of Legacies, a spin-off series of The Originals.^[16]

Morgan joined the cast for season 2 of Halo, which aired in February 2024, alongside fellow newcomer Cristina Rodlo.^[17] He plays James Ackerson, an operative of the secretive Office of Naval Intelligence, of the United Nations Space Command (UNSC).^[18]

Morgan met actress Persia White on the set of The Vampire Diaries. They began dating in 2011 and became engaged in 2014.^[19] They married on 5 July 2014 in Ocho Rios, Jamaica.^[20] He is stepfather to White's daughter.^[21]

He has been a vegan since 2014.^[22][23]

Morgan is a supporter of the charity Positive Women.^[24]