Canadian actress Rachel Luttrell was born in Tanzania, Africa. She studied ballet at the Russian Academy Ballet School, and she marked the start of her professional stage career by appearing in a Toronto production of Miss Saigon. Since then, Luttrell has garnered numerous TV and film roles such as Veronica Beck in Street Legal. Her film appearances include Impostor and So Mean to Josephine. She also performed in the supernatural radio play The Famished Road.

Teyla Emmagan is played by Rachel Luttrell on the Sci-Fi Channel series Stargate Atlantis. Emmagan serves as the alien liaison of the Stargate Atlantis team.