Michael Shanks

A dashing Canadian leading man, this square-jawed, blue-eyed hunk donned wire-rimmed glasses for his seminal role as a no-nonsense PhD on the cult sci-fi series Stargate SG-1. After being accepted into the apprenticeship program with the prestigious Stratford Festival, Shanks cut his acting chops on the classics before segueing to TV guest spots in the early '90s. Reminiscent of James Spader both in looks and charm, he was a shoo-in to take over that actor's Stargate role when the 1994 blockbuster was translated to the small screen. Although Shanks' 10-year stint on the series kept him busy, he still found time to pursue outside projects, including numerous TV-movies and guest appearances, notably on another sci-fi series, Andromeda, which introduced him to his wife, Lexa Doig. While he left Stargate SG-1 after its fifth season to pursue other avenues, the fan outcry was so overwhelming he returned as a series regular in Season 7. In 2007, he crossed the northern border and signed on for a high-profile arc as the boyfriend of a key government advisor on 24.