Joe Flanigan Stargate Atlantis

Gifted pilot Lt. Colonel John Sheppard is the military leader of the Atlantis Expedition. A cunning soldier with a wry wit and wicked golf swing, he leads the team through both on-base and off-world missions. His leadership and bravery will be put to the test as the Atlantis team works to stay one step ahead of their longtime nemeses, the Wraith, as well as newly emerging enemies. Sheppard`s talents aren`t the only thing that makes him special; he posseses the rare ATA gene, which enables him to activate and mentally direct many amazing devices created by the Ancients - the makers of the stargates and builders of Atlantis.

Born in Los Angeles, Joe Flanigan moved with his family to a small ranch on the outskirts of Reno, Nev., when he was 6 years old. He attended boarding school in Ojai, Calif., and later received a degree in history from the University of Colorado, where he was a world-class skier. Following a year abroad in Paris, Flanigan wrote for various national print publications and worked on Capitol Hill. After moving to New York to study acting, he joined The Neighborhood Playhouse, and it wasn`t long before his acting career was launched in earnest.

Flanigan moved to Los Angeles in 1994. His television debut was an auspicious one, starring opposite Jacqueline Smith in the NBC miniseries Family Album. He was a series regular on Sisters and First Monday, and has guest-starred on CSI: Miami, Birds of Prey, Tru Calling and Judging Amy, as well as Murphy Brown, in which he was cast as Murphy`s love interest, Scott. Flanigan made regular appearances on the series Profiler, Providence, Cupid and Dawson`s Creek, and he had leading roles in a number of television pilots, including The Precinct, Sherman`s March, The Force, Man-Made, Club Paradise and 111 Gramercy Park. He co-starred in the made-for-television movies Edna Buchanon, Tell Me No Secrets and the USA original movie Thoughtcrimes, a crime drama directed by Breck Eisner.

Among his feature-film credits is Gary Marshall`s romantic comedy The Other Sister, starring Diane Keaton and Juliette Lewis. Flanigan also starred in Silent Men and Farewell to Harry, and co-starred in A Reason to Believe and The First to Go.

An outdoors enthusiast, Flanigan enjoys skiing, rock climbing, surfing and mountain biking. He resides near a great surfing spot in Malibu, Calif., with his wife and three young sons.