To look at him, no one would ever suspect Joseph Morgan had an awkward moment in his life. He is boyishly handsome, a mischievous look in his eye, and a perfect physique. Despite his model-esque looks, Morgan says he often feel unnatural and awkward during photo shoots. “I hate when the cameraman says, ‘Ok, just do something really crazy and wild, and you don’t really know what to do,” Morgan says in his charming British accent. His fans would never notice these allegedly “awkward” moments, as his portrayal of villain, Niklaus “Klaus” Mikaelson, on “Vampire Diaries” and its spinoff, “The Originals” has provided him with a huge fan base.
It’s no secret that vampires have become this generation’s literary and cinematic obsession for reasons that remain as mysterious as the subjects themselves. The love story of Bella and Edward in the Twilight series sparked a frenzied interest in the folkloric creatures, making vampires alluring, arousing, and agitating all at once to their rabid fans. The series seemed to ignite an interest particularly in girls and women who found the tale of forbidden love to be an escape from the more mundane trivialities of real life.
As with most things in Hollywood, a “hot” idea will not be without its imitators, and indeed vampires began flooding the market. Books, products, and television shows tapped the genre in an attempt to capture the market hoping Twilight’s audience would jump at the next in a string of wannabes. But many of those attempts were poorly conceived and the fans knew it. There were a few, however, that found their footing and helped legitimize the genre and maintain the audience. “Vampire Diaries” on the CW is one of those success stories. The show premiered in 2009 and captured the attention of the tween demographic and beyond. The series also has the distinction of the highest rated premiere in the history of the CW.
Joseph Morgan’s character, Klaus, didn’t make an appearance on “Vampire Diaries” until its second season, but his presence was so enthusiastically received that he came back as a regular in the third season. He has since begun working on the spinoff, “The Originals,” which was recently picked up for more episodes, solidifying its position as a bonafide hit. Klaus is a villain, and indeed Morgan must be convincing as he won a TV Guide award and several Teen Choice Awards for best villain.
You would think in order to play a believable villain one would have to be somewhat devious or at least a trifle naughty, but Morgan is unequivocally sweet. If you don’t believe me ask his fans. At over a million Twitter followers, Morgan has struck a chord, not just with his dashing looks and smooth personality, but also with his enthusiasm for literature, commitment to his family, and love for his girlfriend. While they collectively mourn that Morgan is off the market, they love him all the same.
Despite his incredible and obvious popularity, Morgan is uncomfortable talking about the throngs of people who come to see him at ComicCon, the fans who gather near the set, or the lucky few who bump into him out and about. He says, “We were supposed to film a scene at a bar in New Orleans, and I had to tell production that it might be a bit of scene if I show up, but I felt like such a wanker even saying that!” He went on to say, “Sometimes I even feel like I’m imagining it.” I asked him whether his fame, and success more generally, had sunk in and he said there have been moments over the last few years when it really hit him. When he attends award shows and glitzy events he realizes how popular the shows are, and how lucky he feels to be a part of them.
Morgan says he is reminded of how much his life has changed when he is out with his mom. “Seeing her when she realizes that people know me and are so invested in me and my character is really amazing,” he says. While the fame is something that he has grown more comfortable with over time, his mom lives in Wales, far from Hollywood’s buzz, and doesn’t get to experience the way people connect with Morgan and his character.
Living in America after having grown up in London and Wales has been an adjustment for Morgan. He notes the little things he misses about being part of his hometown and being away from his family. “I really am living my dream, but there are definitely sacrifices that come along with it,” like helping his grandparents and “popping in” at friends’ houses. In the end, though, Morgan says it is all worth it. He grew up knowing he wanted to be an actor, and fantasized about moving to the United States to make it big in the industry. That dream seemed almost impossible when he was attending drama school across the pond. Winning the part of Klaus, however, made his dream a reality.
Regardless of his incredible rise to stardom, Morgan seems to take it all in stride and is committed to giving back to his fans. While he was initially shy about joining the gauntlet that is social media, he discovered someone was pretending to be him on Twitter. “Once I noticed the person was using poor grammar, I had to step in and establish my own account,” he says with a laugh.
His commitment to proper grammar probably comes from his lifelong love affair with the written word. As such, he connects with his fans by asking for their book recommendations. He says they have a dialogue with him about books he should read and he has received several great tips from them included a book called, The Passage. “I am a huge geek in the end,” he quips, “I love books, I’ve always loved books, and I love sharing recommendations with my fans.”
While Morgan remains unbelievably humble throughout our conversation he is proud of his body of work, and gets excited talking about the films he makes while the shows are on break. He has several films coming out including Open Grave and Amethyst, which he feels are both going to please his fans since they fall in the horror and psychological thriller genres respectively. “No matter what I’m working on, I just try to stay creative and innovative,” he says, and if his social media following is any indication, his fans will clamor to see all of his work.
Morgan still hasn’t gotten used to his new station as “star” yet, and says it is difficult saying no to projects during his off time. “I’m so used to saying yes to any work that comes up because for the last nine years work was good news,” Morgan admits. Now, though, he can afford to take a breather, and I’m sure his girlfriend, actress, Persia White, would agree.
White has had her share of fame as well through her work on the hit show, “Girlfriends,” and later “Vampire Diaries.” When I inquired about whether it is difficult for her to deal with his adoring fans, he said when they’re out she gets more attention than he does, and he happily takes pictures of Persia with her fans. Looks like he found his match.
It seems like his number one girl, though, will always be his beloved, “mum.” He says she is his source of inspiration and support throughout his life. Even with regard to his character, he says his mom has helped him. “When I think about Klaus doing these horrible things, I have to have empathy for him and think about what is motivating him to do these things,” he says, “I cannot think of him as evil. I must always care for him and like him.” He says this ability to empathize with people, to understand the reasons for their actions, serves him well as an actor and is all thanks to her.
This angelic actor plays a villain, but there must be something underneath that cherubic personality that helps Morgan play a character who breaks peoples necks and sucks their blood. Rumor has it that he is quite the poker expert and has a number of tattoos—this is what I hear from those fans I mentioned. Perhaps beneath the discipline, humility, and self-deprecation, is a bad boy just waiting to get out. Well, we can’t but hope.
