JM: That’s amazing. I feel the same way about him. He’s an inspiring individual as well. When I joined The Vampire Diaries he had just set up ISF [Ian Somerhalder Foundation], which is amazing. He does more and more. Persia, when she met him, they immediately hit it off because he’s so passionate like that. I don’t know if you know Persia did this PETA ad . . . .
MP: She's in my magazine right now! She's in THRIVE right now.
JM: There you go.
MP: She's been in two issues of THRIVE.
JM: Yeah, I know, I read the pieces.
MP: She's really into animals, the magazine is vegan. We're all vegetarian.
JM: We're both vegetarians. She's vegan, I'm vegetarian.
MP: I didn't know you're vegetarian! And you were all on The Vampire Diaries.
JM: That’s how I got to do my show, because it’s a spin-off of The Vampire Diaries. I was on that with Ian for two years and that’s where Persia and I met.
MP: Oh, my God. It's hard to trip me out but I'm really tripped out. Let me jump back into the questions. What is one truth you know for sure?
JM: Any experience you have in life is made so much richer by sharing it with someone else. All of the memories that you have, the ones that you treasure, are always the ones that are shared.
MP: That is really...you're just wonderful. What has been one of your biggest lessons in your life so far? Or one of the biggest struggles you've overcome?
If you’ve seen The Originals,
the last thing you’d expect is for Joseph Morgan to be the kindest, coolest, most compassionate human being with an unrivaled passion for social good. Along with his wisdom for enjoying the present, his spark for positive impact has us all aspiring to be more mindful
Interview: Maranda Pleasant
Maranda Pleasant: Thank you so much for taking time with us today. I’m just going to jump in.
Joseph Morgan: Good!
MP: What are some things in your life that really make you feel alive, that really make you come alive, that you’re passionate about?
JM: There’s a lot, so you can stop me if I’m talking too much, okay?
MP: Okay.
JM: One of the things that really makes me come alive and excites me is witnessing bold creativity. I’d like to think I’m an appreciator and a dabbler in a lot of forms of creativity.
I paint. My dad was a painter, but I at least dabble. The same goes for acting, witnessing performances—especially performances where I’ll say to myself, “How did they do that?” And I’m an avid reader. I find the stories of the charities I work with tremendously inspiring. Also, they’re a great source of perspective, especially when you live in something of a bubble like I do. We shoot nine months out of the year here and . . . The things that are complained about are not worth complaining about—high-class problems, you really have to remind yourself sometimes.
MP: We used to want these problems. We dreamed of having these problems.
JM: Oh, my God. I spent the first ten years of my career dreaming of having the problems I have now. “Oh, wow, what I wouldn’t give for that,” tearing my hair out, like, “How can I call my parents and ask for more money?” or “How do I explain to the welfare office that the kind of jobs I want are acting jobs but I should still be collecting welfare when I do them?” But yeah, it’s a new sense of perspective.