Michael Garrett Shanks (born December 15, 1970) is a Canadian actor. He is best known for his role as Daniel Jackson in the long-running military science fiction television series Stargate SG-1 and as Dr. Charles Harris in the Canadian medical drama Saving Hope. He is also known for his work on low budget genre work filmed in Canada.
Early life Shanks was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, and grew up in Kamloops. After witnessing Richard Dean Anderson prepare for a scene of MacGyver, Shanks "decided to pursue [acting] a little further", opting to attend the University of British Columbia's fine arts program until 1994. He later appeared in several stage productions while serving a two-year apprenticeship with the prestigious Stratford Festival in Ontario. His television career began with guest appearances on shows including Highlander and The Commish. Parts in the television movies A Family Divided and The Call of the Wild preceded his casting in his breakthrough role as Daniel Jackson in Stargate SG-1.
Career
Stargate franchise Shanks played archaeologist Dr Daniel Jackson throughout the first five seasons of Stargate SG-1 before leaving the show at the end of its fifth season, citing creative differences concerning the under-use of his character and the direction of the show as a whole. He made several guest appearances throughout the sixth season playing his own character, as well as voicing the Asgard character Thor. Shanks returned for the seventh and subsequent seasons, winning the Leo Award for Best Lead Performance By A Male in a Dramatic Series in 2004 for the seventh season episode "Lifeboat". During the series' tenth and final season, he signed up for 16 of the 20 episodes, taking some time off in March 2006 for the birth of his third child (second with wife and occasional co-star Lexa Doig).
He appeared in both direct-to-DVD Stargate films released in 2008, Stargate: The Ark of Truth and Stargate: Continuum, and won the 2009 Leo Award for Lead Performance by a Male in a Feature Length Drama for Continuum.Leo Awards, 2009 Winners
In 2004, Shanks made a crossover appearance (as Daniel Jackson) in the Stargate Atlantis pilot, "Rising". He also appeared in the tenth and eleventh episodes of Atlantis fifth and final season, and made a cameo appearance in the pilot of the third Stargate series Stargate Universe. He also appeared in the episodes "Human" and "Subversion".
Other appearances In 2001, Shanks guest starred in the episode "Star-Crossed" in the Sci-Fi series Andromeda, during which he met his future wife, Lexa Doig. Coincidentally, they played two androids who fell in love with each other. In 2002, Shanks starred in the German/UK/South African co-production Sumuru, a science fiction B-movie, as astronaut Adam Wade. He also auditioned for the role of Shinzon in Star Trek: Nemesis.
In 2007, Shanks joined the Fox Network series 24, guest-starring as lobbyist Mark Bishop in a three-episode arc for season 6. In 2008–2009, Shanks had a recurring role on the second season of the USA Network spy series Burn Notice, playing Victor Stecker-Epps, a fellow burned spy and maniacal counterpoint to series lead Jeffrey Donovan's character. In 2008, Shanks had a guest starring role in one episode of the SciFi Channel series Eureka, as an alchemist somewhat responsible for the near destruction of the town due to a student's mixing chemicals in his lab and thereby creating the "Alchemist curse". He appeared in the episode "All That Glitters...", with a mention of his character in the episode "A Night At Global Dynamics".
Shanks was featured in a lead role in the SciFi Channel's adventure film, The Lost Treasure of the Grand Canyon as Jacob Thain opposite Beverly Hills, 90210 and Charmed alumna Shannen Doherty. The film premiered on the cable network on December 20, 2008. In 2010, Shanks appeared in an episode of Sanctuary, which stars fellow Stargate actor Amanda Tapping. In the same year he starred in the film Arctic Blast, a disaster film, as physicist Jack Tate.
Shanks' had a guest role as archaeologist Carter Hall, DC Comics' superhero Hawkman, in the Smallville episode "Absolute Justice". He later reprised the role in the final episode of the ninth season.
Shanks then appeared in guest spots during the Smallville tenth season episodes "Shield" and "Icarus" as well as appearing in Supernatural season 5 episode "99 Problems".
Shanks stars in the Canadian thriller Faces in the Crowd.
Shanks has also starred in the Fox comedy The Good Guys as the pompous leader of the Strike Force. In 2011, Shanks was the guest star in the third episode of the Showcase show Endgame, where he plays an amnesiac.
In 2012, Shanks returned to primetime as Charles "Charlie" Harris on Saving Hope, reuniting with Stargate SG-1 and Smallville co-star Erica Durance.
In 2019, Shanks played the role of Horace Axley on the second season of the Netflix science-fiction series Altered Carbon.
Personal life Shanks has a daughter from his relationship with model and actress Vaitiare Bandera, who portrayed Sha're, his character's wife on Stargate SG-1."Sha're Shares: Interview with Vaitiare Bandera", Stargate SG1 Official Magazine No. 8, Jan/Feb 2006, Titan Magazines publishers.
On August 2, 2003, Shanks married actress Lexa Doig, whom he met in 2001 while guest-starring on the series Andromeda. (They would also work together on Stargate SG-1, when Doig was cast as Dr Carolyn Lam, a recurring character in seasons nine and ten). They have two children.
Shanks enjoys playing ice hockey and once considered playing professionally. He was on the Stargate SG-1 hockey team, competing against the teams of other Vancouver-based productions such as Smallville, and also displayed his aptitude for the sport in the 2006 television film Under the Mistletoe, in which he played the part of a school hockey coach. This aptitude was also highlighted in his 2013 role as the title character in the television film Mr. Hockey: The Gordie Howe Story.
Filmography Film
Year Title Role Notes2000 Suspicious River Ball cap man Mr Fortune's Smile James 2001 The Artist's Circle Artist Short film Suddenly Naked Danny Blair/Donny Blitzer 2002 SF Seeks Not released2003 Sumuru Adam Wade Dismiss Yourself Jonny Label 2007 Mega Snake Les Judicial Indiscretion Jack Sullivan 2010 Arctic Blast Jack Tate Red Riding Hood Adrien Lazar 2011 Tactical Force Demetrius Direct-to-video film; originally titled Hangar 14 Faces in the Crowd Bryce Elysium Technician #3 13 Eerie Professor Tomkins 2013 The Bouquet Sam 2024 Time Cut Gil Field Hook Short film Filming
Television Year Title Role Notes1993Highlander: The SeriesJesse Episode: "The Zone" 1995 A Family Divided Todd Television film 1997 The Call Of The Wild: Dog Of The Yukon A gambler 1997–2007 Stargate SG-1 Daniel Jackson Main role Thor Voice Ma'chello 2 episodes 1998, 2000 The Outer Limits Melburn Ross Episode: "Mary 25"Dr. Will Olsten Episode: "Manifest Destiny" 1999 Escape from Mars Bill Malone, Mission Architect Television film 2001 Andromeda Balance of Judgment Episode: "Star-Crossed" Gabriel "Day of judgement, Day of Wrath"2002 All Around the Town Justin Donnelly Television film Door to Door John Brady 2004, 2008 Stargate Atlantis Daniel Jackson 3 episodes 2005 Swarmed Kent Horvath Television film 2006 Under the Mistletoe Kevin Harrison 2007 Mega Snake Les Daniels 24 Mark Bishop 3 episodes Eureka Christopher Dactylos Episode: "All That Glitters..."2008 The Lost Treasure of The Grand Canyon Jacob Thain Television film Stargate: The Ark of Truth Daniel Jackson Stargate: Continuum Desperate Escape Michael Coleman Burn Notice Victor 4 episodes Living Out Loud Brad Marshall Television film2009SanctuaryJimmyEpisode: "Penance"2009–2010 Stargate Universe Daniel Jackson 3 episodes2010 Tower Prep Dr. Literature Episode: "Book Report" Smallville Hawkman / Carter Hall 4 episodes Supernatural Rob Episode: "99 Problems"2011 Flashpoint David Fleming Episode: "Blue on Blue" Christmas Lodge Jack Rand Television film The Pastor's Wife Matthew Winkler 2012–2017 Saving Hope Charlie Harris Main role 2013 Mr. Hockey: The Gordie Howe Story Gordie Howe Television film 2016 Hearts of Spring Andy 2017 Christmas Homecoming Sgt. Jim Mullins 2018 The Detectives Det. Doug Morrison Episode: "The Last Fare"2019 Unspeakable Will Sanders 8 episodes Virgin River Paul/Wes 2 episodes The College Admissions Scandal Rick Singer Television filmHeritage Minutes: D-DayMajor Archie MacNaughtonCanadian history short film2020 Altered Carbon Horace Axley Recurring role Project Blue Book Air vice-marshal Christopher Thomas Episode: "Broken Arrow" 2022 The Good Doctor Paul Episode: "A Big Sign"
Director Year Title Notes 2001 Stargate SG-1 Episode 4.21: "Double Jeopardy" 2014 Saving Hope Episode 3.04: "Stand By Me" 2016 Episode 4.14: "You Can't Always Get What You Want" 2017 Episode 5.14: "We need to talk about Charlie Harris"
Writer Year Title Notes 2003 Stargate SG-1 Episode 7.11 "Evolution: Part 1" 2004 Episode 7.19: "Resurrection"
Video games Year Title Role Notes 2005 Stargate SG-1: The Alliance Dr. Daniel Jackson (voice) Cancelled
Theatre
Stratford Festival Year Title Character Production1995 & 1996The merchant of VeniceLorenzoStratford Festival, Stratford, OntarioKing Lear CastThe merry wives of WindsorAmadeusMacbethMentieth
University of British Columbia Play Role LocationLove's Labours LostDon ArmadoFrederic Wood TheatreDombey & SonWalter GrayLeonce & LenaLeonceLove of the NightingaleTereusTranslationsLt. YollandYou're A Good Man, Charlie BrownSchroederSummer Players, Dorothy Somerset StudioWait Until DarkRoatLootDennisSure ThingClarkeVancouver Men's FestivalHopscotchWillThe Lion in Winter
Arts Club
Year Title Character Production1998HamletHamletStanley Theatre Arts Club, Vancouver, B.C.
References
External links
Michael Shanks Online – The Official Michael Shanks Website
Michael Shanks TV Guide Blog