Michael Shanks facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michael Shanks
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Shanks in 2023
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| Born |
Michael Garrett Shanks
December 15, 1970 Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1993–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Lexa Doig
(m. 2003) |
| Children | 3 |
Michael Garrett Shanks (born December 15, 1970) is a Canadian actor. He is famous for playing Dr. Daniel Jackson in the popular science fiction TV series Stargate SG-1.
He also starred as Dr. Charles Harris in the Canadian medical show Saving Hope. Shanks has appeared in many other movies and TV shows filmed in Canada.
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Early Life and First Steps in Acting
Shanks was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, and grew up in the city of Kamloops. His interest in acting sparked when he saw Richard Dean Anderson filming a scene for the show MacGyver.
This inspired him to study acting at the University of British Columbia, where he graduated in 1994. After college, he gained experience by performing in plays. He spent two years with the famous Stratford Festival in Ontario.
His first TV roles were small parts in shows like Highlander. Soon after, he landed his most famous role as Dr. Daniel Jackson in Stargate SG-1.
Career Highlights
The Stargate Universe
For five years, Shanks played Dr. Daniel Jackson, an archaeologist who explores the galaxy. At the end of the fifth season, he left the show because he felt his character was not being used enough.
Even though he left, he returned for guest appearances in the sixth season. He also provided the voice for the alien character Thor. Fans were happy when he returned as a main character for season seven and stayed until the show ended.
In 2004, his performance in the episode "Lifeboat" won him a Leo Award. This award celebrates the best in British Columbia's film and television.
After Stargate SG-1 ended, Shanks starred in two movies based on the series: Stargate: The Ark of Truth and Stargate: Continuum. He also appeared as Daniel Jackson in the spin-off shows Stargate Atlantis and Stargate Universe.
Other TV and Movie Roles
Besides Stargate, Michael Shanks has acted in many other projects. In 2001, he guest-starred on the science fiction series Andromeda, where he met his future wife, Lexa Doig.
He has appeared in several popular TV shows, including:
- 24, where he played a lobbyist named Mark Bishop.
- Burn Notice, where he played a spy named Victor.
- Eureka, where he played an alchemist.
- Smallville, where he took on the role of the superhero Hawkman.
- Supernatural, appearing in one episode.
In 2012, he began starring in the medical drama Saving Hope as Dr. Charlie Harris. He worked alongside Erica Durance, who was also in Smallville. More recently, he had a role in the Netflix science-fiction series Altered Carbon.
Shanks has also directed and written episodes for some of the shows he has worked on, including Stargate SG-1 and Saving Hope.
Personal Life
Michael Shanks has a daughter with actress Vaitiare Bandera. On Stargate SG-1, Bandera played Sha're, the wife of Shanks's character, Daniel Jackson.
In 2003, Shanks married actress Lexa Doig. They have two children together. The couple worked together on Andromeda and later on Stargate SG-1, where Doig played Dr. Carolyn Lam.
Shanks is a big fan of ice hockey and even thought about playing it for a living. He played on the Stargate SG-1 hockey team, which competed against teams from other TV shows filmed in Vancouver, like Smallville. He showed off his hockey skills in the 2013 TV movie Mr. Hockey: The Gordie Howe Story, where he played the famous hockey player Gordie Howe.
See also
In Spanish: Michael Shanks para niños
