<Tr> <Th> Years active </Th> <Td> 2002--present </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Spouse (s) </Th> <Td> Persia White (m . 2014) </Td> </Tr> <P> Joseph Morgan (born Joseph Martin) is an English actor and director . He is best known for his role as Niklaus "Klaus" Mikaelson in The CW show The Vampire Diaries and its spin - off The Originals . </P> <P> Morgan was born in London, but lived in Swansea for 11 years . 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 in his late teens . </P>

Who is the actor that plays klaus on the originals