Character Info
nara Serra was played by Morena Baccarin. Born in the late 25th century on Sihnon, Inara is a Companion, a high-society courtesan licensed by the Union of Allied Planets (the "Alliance"). In Alliance society, Companions are part of the social elite, often accompanying the wealthy and powerful. There is considerable ritual and ceremony surrounding their services, which appear to extend beyond sex to nurturing psychological and emotional well-being. Actress Rebecca Gayheart was initially hired to play the part of Inara but was fired after only one day of filming. Joss Whedon said that there was a lack of chemistry between her and the rest of the cast. Morena Baccarin filmed her first scene the very day she was accepted for the role. As of the end of the original Firefly series, most of what is known about Companions is derived from Inara herself and incidental discussions with and about other Companions and Companion-trained individuals. These sources suggest that Companion training includes social and physical grace, at least some performing arts, and psychology. Companions choose their own customers, and can have ungracious customers banned from any Companionship. Inara has a number of frequent clients throughout the Allied worlds, and takes both male and female clients, although most of her clients are male. Inara, a Buddhist, was a rising member of Companion House Madrassa when she suddenly and inexplicably left to travel the outer rim. She has suggested that she "wanted to see the universe", although it is strongly hinted that she has other reasons. Less than a year before the events of the pilot episode, she leased one of Serenity's shuttles for transportation, living space, and workspace, providing her with some mobility. Though earning Mal's disfavor initially by stating that she supported unification of the Alliance and the Independents (in flashback in the episode "Out of Gas"), she and Mal have developed an unacknowledged attraction to each other which they resist, ostensibly for business reasons, which is expressed in the form of jesting and sometimes hurtful bickering. Mal constantly insults her career, but strangely takes offense when others do so, going so far as to punch a client who did so; when questioned by Inara, Mal simply replies, "I may not respect your job, but he didn't respect you. That's the difference." Inara appears to be at least somewhat adept at swordplay ("Shindig"). In the movie Serenity, it is shown that she also may have been trained somewhat in the martial arts, and is skilled with a bow and arrow, apparently preferring them over firearms. In a proposed extended version of a scene from Serenity, in Inara's Companion montage, she was to be seen teaching the girls how to use the bow, but this idea was dropped, claiming that she appeared too much like "Wonder Woman". A subplot for Inara was hinted at throughout the series. First, Joss Whedon explained in the DVD audio commentary for the pilot episode that the syringe Inara takes out during the Reaver encounter is not for suicide. Second, when the ship is disabled in the episode "Out of Gas," Simon said, "I don't want to die [on this ship]," to which Inara replied, "I don't want to die at all." In "Heart of Gold", Nandi mentions that she did not age at all. During a panel at 2008's DragonCon, Morena Baccarin confirmed that Inara was indeed dying of a terminal illness.