American actor Michael Reilly Burke was supposed to play the role of Rex Van de Kamp in the hit television series Desperate Housewives , but he was replaced by Steven Culp before the show hit the air. Born on November 30, 1969, he is a graduate of Marin Catholic High School in California. His acting career has been filled with numerous guest roles, beginning with an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. He followed this up with a performance in the series Melrose Place and in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. In 1994, he was cast in the drama Foreign Student, and was next seen on other TV productions like Bermuda Triangle and Terror in the Shadows. Two years later, he was given the role of a reporter for the sci-fi film Mars Attacks! directed by Tim Burton.
Michael Reilly Burke also became known for many of his roles in prominent television shows. He was in Beverly Hills, 90210, in Ally McBeal, and Party of Five. Since 1995, he portrayed the character James Carlin in NYPD Blue. He soon played Cupid in an episode of The WB series Charmed, and had a recurring role in the series The Beast. In 2002, he gained fame by portraying the title character in the film Ted Bundy. This allowed him to play a serial killer, alongside celebrities like Boti Bliss, Julianna McCarthy, and Jennifer Tisdale. Burke has had roles in Cold Case and The O.C. as well, and has made appearances on The Practice and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. He continued to be featured in the Star Trek universe, accepting the role of Koss on three episodes of Star Trek: Enterprise. He followed this up with shows like JAG, Crossing Jordan and The West Wing. In 2006, he played a detective in Tim Kring’s Heroes, and has had roles in CSI: Miami, 24, Shark and Ghost Whisperer. Burke became known for playing the police officer Kevin Lund, on the series Lincoln Heights.