Joe Flanigan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Joe Flanigan
Joe Flanigan at the 2007 Comic Con International
Born	Joseph Dunnigan III (1967-01-05) January 5, 1967 (age 58) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actor, writer
Years active	1994–present
Spouse(s)	Katherine Kousi ​ ​ (m. 1996; div. 2014)​
Children	3

Joe Flanigan (born January 5, 1967) is an American writer and actor. He is most famous for playing Lt. Colonel John Sheppard in the TV show Stargate Atlantis.

Early Life and Education

Joe Flanigan was born Joseph Dunnigan III in Los Angeles. His mother changed his last name to Flanigan after he was adopted by his stepfather, John Flanigan. When Joe was six years old, his family moved to a ranch near Reno, Nevada.

When he was 14, Joe went to a boarding school in Ojai, California. There, he acted in a school play called A Streetcar Named Desire. He later studied history at the University of Colorado. He also acted in another play, Coriolanus, while in college. A friend suggested he take acting classes to help with his shyness. Joe spent a year studying in Paris at the Sorbonne, where he learned French.

Acting Career

After college, Joe Flanigan first wanted to be a writer. He worked for a short time on Capitol Hill, helping President George H. W. Bush's team. He also worked for magazines in New York City.

Friends then encouraged him to try acting. He studied at the Neighborhood Playhouse and moved back to Los Angeles in 1994 to start his acting career. Joe had guest roles in many TV shows like Profiler and Sisters.

His big break came when he was cast as Lt. Colonel John Sheppard in Stargate Atlantis. The show was filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Joe lived there during the week and flew to Los Angeles on weekends to be with his wife and children. He also helped write stories for two episodes of Stargate Atlantis: "Epiphany" and "Outcast".

In 2019, Joe Flanigan joined the cast of the TV show General Hospital. He played a character named Dr. Neil Byrne. He also appeared in a book called About Face by photographer John A. Russo.

In Contemporary Art

Joe Flanigan in Metascifi, a public artwork from 2015

Joe Flanigan is part of a public art project called Metascifi (2015) by artist Martin Firrell. This artwork shares ideas and advice about living well. It uses observations from popular American science fiction TV shows. The project features actors and characters from shows like Stargate, Star Trek, and Firefly.

In Metascifi, Joe Flanigan talks about the meaning of his Stargate Atlantis character, John Sheppard. The artwork explores how these fictional stories can teach us about life.

Personal Life

Joe Flanigan married Katherine Kousi, who is an actress and painter, in 1996. They have three sons together. They separated in early 2014.

Joe enjoys skiing. In January 2006, he won two awards at a downhill skiing competition in Lake Louise. He lives in Malibu, California. In November 2018, the home he was renting was lost in the Woolsey Fire.

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Joe Flanigan para niños