Enlarge photo

You Might Like

All Saints

Desperate Housewives

Grey's Anantomy

After graduating from Drake University with a major in Theater and a minor in Art, Michael Emerson moved to New York, forgot about acting and landed a job in magazine illustration. He later followed a romance to Florida, where he began acting again and supported himself with a variety of occupations, including directing and teaching. He acted professionally in the south for many years before entering the MFA Program at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival (University of Alabama). After graduating, he once again moved to New York as a struggling actor and found a break in Moises Kaufman's Off-Broadway production of "Gross Indecency.”

On Broadway, Emerson appeared in "Hedda Gabler" and "The Iceman Cometh." His television credits include guest starring roles on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," "Without a Trace," "The X-Files" and "The Inside," among many others. For his performance as William Hinks on "The Practice," he was awarded the 2001 Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Dramatic Series. In 2007 he was nominated for an Emmy for his role on "Lost.”

On the big screen he appeared in such films as "Saw," "The Legend of Zorro," "Playing by Heart," "The Imposters," "Jumping Off Bridges" and "Straight-Jacket.”

Emerson is keen on Shakespeare and the classical theater, drawing and ghost stories. He supports off-off-Broadway theater and theater-community charities (BC/EFA and GMHC), as well as publicly-supported radio stations.

Emerson is married to actress Carrie Preston.

PERSONAL INFORMATION HOMETOWN Toledo, IA