American actress Katee Sackhoff was born on April 8, 1980 in Portland, Oregon. During her high school years, she participated in swimming and ballet, but was forced to stop after suffering a knee injury. She got her start by appearing in television commercials, as well as in minor roles in television movies and programs. Her first recurring role came in 2000, when she snagged a role in the MTV series Undressed. She then appeared in a supporting role in the short-lived drama The Education of Max Bickford, where she played the title character’s (Richard Dreyfuss) daughter Nell.
Sackhoff’s first major television role was in the remake of the science fiction series Battlestar Galactica. She first appeared in the miniseries, which aired in 2003, and later in the television series that resulted the following year. She played the role of Kara Thrace, a lieutenant (and later captain) at the Galactica, and is considered one of its best pilots. The writers developed the character in line with Sackhoff’s personality, turning it into a more complex character than originally intended. This led to her winning a Saturn Award in 2005.
Sackhoff’s next regular television role was in another remake, Bionic Woman. The series saw her play the role of the lead Jamie Sommers’ (Michelle Ryan) nemesis Sarah Corvus, considered the “first Bionic Woman,” who believes that Jamie’s newer parts may help in repairing her malfunctioning bionics. The show tumbled in the ratings and was also panned by critics; it was cancelled after eight episodes. Although it was widely panned, Katee received almost universal acclaim for her portrayal of Corvus, with
a large number of reviewers claiming she should have been the star.
Sackhoff has also appeared in several movies, her first being the 2001 romantic comedy My First Mister. She has since moved on to play roles in other films such as The Last Sentinel and White Noise 2: The Light. She also provided her voice to the video game Halo 3.