British actor and musician Mark Sheppard was born on May 30, 1964 in London, England. He began his career as a professional musician, performing since he was 15 years old as a session musician for different groups across Europe, and eventually as part of the touring band for artists such as Robyn Hitch!$#!#, Television Personalities and Light a Big Fire. He eventually decided to follow the footsteps of his father, noted actor W. Morgan Sheppard, and started appearing on stage productions, the first being the American production of !$#!# and Bull Story, for which his performance earned several acting awards.
Sheppard immediately jumped to the screen, taking on roles in films and television series. His first screen role was in 1992, when he became a guest on an episode of Silk Stalkings. The following year, he made his film debut, snagging a supporting role in the biopic In the Name of the Father. His first regular television role came in 1997, when he signed on for the cast of Soldier of Fortune, Inc. He played the role of Christopher Yates, a former British soldier and intelligence agent whose role was primarily for comic relief. He left the show after the first season, after which the show took a widely-criticized change in direction.
Sheppard has gone on to guest star in other television shows, such as The Practice, Star Trek: Voyager, JAG, Special Unit 2, UC: Undercover, CSI, Charmed, Fastlane and Without a Trace. He also had a recurring role in the fifth season of 24, playing the role of terrorist Ivan Erwich. He appeared in the first three episodes of Bionic Woman, the short-lived series which aired in 2007; he played the role of Anthony Anthros, one of the original developers of bionic implants who was imprisoned and later escaped. His most recent regular television role was in Battlestar Galactica, where he played the role of Romo Lampkin, the kleptomaniac Public Defender for Gaius Baltar (James Callis).