He was born in Vancouver and grew up in Kamloops, BC, Canada.
Michael was studying for a Business Degree at the University of British Columbia when he failed calculus. This was one of the reasons Michael left college with a BA in Fine Arts, which included several acting classes.
When Michael was nineteen, MacGyver (which starred Richard Dean Anderson - Michael's co-star and boss in Stargate SG-1) was shooting on location on a nearby beach. Michael took the opportunity to watch the production. It was one of the factors that influenced Michael's decision to become an actor.
After Graduation, Michael spent two years with the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, where he appeared in a variety of stage productions. He also gained a number of television movie and series credits before accepting the role of Dr. Daniel Jackson in Stargate SG-1, the television spin-off of the 1994 Kurt Russell movie Stargate, in 1997. He completed his fifth and final season as a regular cast member on the show in 2001. He later returned to the show until its end.
Since joining Stargate SG-1, Michael has continued to guest on other television shows, as well as appearing in a number of television/independent films. He also returned to the stage in a production of Hamlet in 1999.
Michael's main hobby is spending time with his daughter (Tatiana (born late 1998). He also likes ice hockey and is interested in cultures and mythologies.
During Stargate SG-1's fourth season, Michael also made his directorial debut with the episode Double Jeopardy .
His second daughter, Mia Tabitha Shanks, with actress Lexa Doig, was born 13 September 2004.
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He was born in Vancouver and grew up in Kamloops, BC, Canada.
Michael was studying for a Business Degree at the University of British Columbia when he failed calculus. This was one of the reasons Michael left college with a BA in Fine Arts, which included several acting classes.
When Michael was nineteen, MacGyver (which starred Richard Dean Anderson - Michael's co-star and boss in Stargate SG-1) was shooting on location on a nearby beach. Michael took the opportunity to watch the production. It was one of the factors that influenced Michael's decision to become an actor.
After Graduation, Michael spent two years with the Stratford Shakespeare Festival, where he appeared in a variety of stage productions. He also gained a number of television movie and series credits before accepting the role of Dr. Daniel Jackson in Stargate SG-1, the television spin-off of the 1994 Kurt Russell movie Stargate, in 1997. He completed his fifth and final season as a regular cast member on
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