Michael Shanks

In 2005 Michael Shanks and his his Stargate: SG-1 co-star, Christopher Judge formed Slacktwaddle Productions and began working on a '2007 Women of Scifi Calendar'. The Calendar features photos of some of scifi's most beautiful women, including Michael Shanks' real life wife Lexa Doig.

Michael's best friend is also his Stargate SG-1 co-star Christopher Judge, who plays Teal'c on Stargate.

Many Stargate SG-1 fans were shocked by Michael's decision to leave the show after season 5. When the reasons for his departure became known, a global campaign was established to persuade the producers of the importance of the character Michael played and return him to the show. On November 8 th 2002, after more than a year of campaigning, the fans finally got their wish and it was announced that Michael would return as a full-time member of the Stargate SG-1 cast for season seven. Hank Cohen(President of MGM TV) said "We listened."

In 1997, Michael auditioned for the role of Dr. Daniel Jackson on Stargate SG-1. Michael auditioned with his spot-on impersonation of James Spader (who had played Daniel Jackson in the movie) and got the job. Brad Wright also said that he could "Do humor."

Michael welcomed his third child (Samuel David Shanks) with wife Lexa Doig on March 19.

Michael's natural hair color is blond.

Michael's natural eye color is blue.

Michael's astrological sign is Sagittarius.

Michael's Chinese sign is Dog.

Michael Shanks' parents have only two children, both boys, and Michael Shanks is the youngest son.

When Michael was a kid, he loved Star Wars, Star Trek, Space: 1999 and Battlestar Galactica.

The fact Michael looks like James Spader (who played Daniel Jackson in the movie, Stargate) helped get him the part.

Michael's ancestry is Italian and Scottish. His surname ("Shanks") is Scottish.

Vaitiare Bandera, who Michael lived with, played his character's wife on Stargate SG-1.

Michael was inspired to pursue an acting career while watching Richard Dean Anderson film an episode of MacGyver.

Michael has appeared in four different productions with Don S. Davis: A Family Divided , Stargate SG-1, The Artist's Circle and Suspicious River .

Michael's favorite hockey team is the Vancouver Canucks.

Michael played hockey (defense) and rugby (flyhalf then wing) in high school.

Michael's character, Remiel, killed Hector, played by Christopher Judge, in the Andromeda episode "Day of Judgement, Day of Wrath". In the Stargate SG-1 episode "Moebius Part 2", his character, Dr. Daniel Jackson, was killed by Judge's character, Teal'c.

Michael's character, Dr. Daniel Jackson (and various versions of him), was killed in three different episodes during the eighth season of Stargate SG-1 alone: "Avatar", "Reckoning Part 2" and "Moebius Part 2", He was also shot several times, severely injured and tortured during the season.

Michael met his wife ( Lexa Doig) when he guest starred in the Andromeda Season One episode "Star-Crossed".

Michael played three different characters in a single episode of Stargate SG-1: Dr. Daniel Jackson, Thor and Penegal in the second half of the Season Eight premiere "New Order Part II".

Michael turned 35 years old on December 15 th 2005.

Michael stars on Stargate SG-1 as Daniel Jackson, and also supplies the voice of Thor on the same show.

Michael has two daughters and a son. His older daughter, Tatiana, was with Vatiare Bandera. Tatiana was born around the same time as Michael Shanks' SG-1 co-star Richard Dean Anderson's daughter, Wylie.

His second daughter, Mia, was with his wife Lexa Doig. Mia Tabitha Shanks was born in September 13, 2004.

Samuel David Shanks was born on March 19 2006.

Michael married Lexa Doig (Andromeda / Rommie of Andromeda) on August 2nd 2003.

Michael has appeared in the following theatre productions:

Amadeus

Eye Level

King Lear

Love of the Nightingale

Lover's Labour Lost

Macbeth - Menteith

Merchant of Venice - Lorenzo

Translations

Wait Until Dark

Michael's height is 6' (1.83 m).

Michael originally was studying Commerce before deciding to study acting at the University of B.C. where he graduated in 1994 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.

After his graduation, he performed at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival for two seasons.