Canadian actor Michael Garrett Shanks was born in Vancouver, British Columbia on December 15, 1970. He earned his Fine Arts degree from the University of British Columbia in 1994. He first started on stage, then made guest appearances on shows such as Highlander and The Outer Limits. He is married to actress Lexa Doig, and they have two children.

Daniel Jackson is played by Michael Shanks on the Sci-Fi Channel original series Stargate SG-1. Jackson is an expert of many cultures, an anthropologist and a linguist who can speak many languages, including those of ancient Egypt. He is a member of the SG-1.