Like many of his “Battlestar” co-stars, Penikett hails from Canada. The son of former Yukon Premier Anthony David John Penikett, Tahmoh was named by his mother, who descended from the Upper Tanana Native American tribe in Alaska. He graduated from the Victoria Motion Picture School and studied at the Lyric School of Acting in Vancouver.
He first screen appearance was a bit part in the 1996 made-for-television movie “Murder on the Iditarod Trail,” starring Kate Jackson. Soon afterward, he began making his mark on sci-fi TV favorites like “Dark Angel” (Fox, 2000-02), “Stargate SG-1” (Sci-Fi Channel, 1997- ) and Steven Spielberg's miniseries "Taken” (Sci-Fi Channel, 2002).
Following these appearances, Penikett was cast in the original 2003 miniseries version of “Battlestar Galactica.” The show was a success, paving the way for it to become a weekly series. Unfortunately for Penikett, his character, Helo, had made the noblest of sacrifices by giving up his seat on a rescue ship to a civilian scientist. Luckily for the actor, the show’s producers elected to bring his character back for the series. Devoted “Battlestar” fans followed Helo as he struggled to survive on a dangerous planet and watched as his eventual love affair with a woman-turned-robot-in-disguise provided one of the cornerstone storylines of the critically lauded series.
Penikett parlayed his growing popularity with minor roles on “Smallville” (WB, 2001- ) and “The L Word” (Showtime, 2004- ). In the fall of 2004, he also landed a regular role in the final season of the popular Canadian police drama, “Cold Squad,” for which he earned a LEO Award nomination.
On the big screen, Penikett appeared in the indie film, “Sandra Goes to Whistler” (2005) and “Trapped in Ashes” (lensing 2006).