Michael Emerson ( Ben Linus )

Biography for
Michael Emerson

Date of Birth
7 September 1954, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA


Height
5' 8" (1.73 m)


Spouse
Carrie Preston (September 1998 - present)


Trivia
Is a stage actor who makes occasional films.

Michael graduated from the prestigious Professional Actor Training M. F. A. program at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival in 1995.

Graduate of Drake University, where he earned a degree in Theater Arts.

Worked as a freelance illustrator for publications like The Boston Globe and The New York Times.

On "Lost" (2004), he played Ben Linus, the son of Roger Linus, played by Jon Gries, who is actually 3 years the junior of Emerson. The age difference is explicable because Roger is first seen in flashbacks to Ben's birth and childhood. Ben's mother was played by Carrie Preston, who in addition to being (like Gries) about the same age as Emerson, is also his real-life wife.



Personal Quotes
"I've had the blessing of doing classic plays on Broadway, which was one of my great dreams forever."

"It worries me a little bit the reach and power of TV. More people saw me in 'The Practice' than will ever see me in all the stage plays I ever do. Which is sort of humbling. Or troubling. Or both."

"You work four days, and then one line is left when you see it. Demoralizing." - about doing "Unfaithful"


Filmography

Actor:
In Production
2000s
1990s
Ready? OK! (2008) (post-production) .... Charlie New


"Lost" .... Ben Linus / ... (30 episodes, 2006-2007)
- Through the Looking Glass (2007) TV Episode .... Ben Linus
- Greatest Hits (2007) TV Episode .... Ben Linus
- The Man Behind the Curtain (2007) TV Episode .... Ben Linus
- The Brig (2007) TV Episode .... Ben Linus
- D.O.C. (2007) TV Episode (credit only) .... Ben Linus
(25 more)
Jumping Off Bridges (2006) .... Frank Nelson
The Legend of Zorro (2005) .... Harrigan
... aka Z (USA: poster title)
"The Inside" .... Marty Manning (1 episode, 2005)
- Pre-Filer (2005) TV Episode .... Marty Manning
29th and Gay (2005) .... Gorilla
Straight-Jacket (2004) .... Victor
"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" .... Allan Shaye (1 episode, 2004)
... aka Law & Order: SVU (USA: promotional abbreviation)
... aka Special Victims Unit (New Zealand: English title)
- Ritual (2004) TV Episode .... Allan Shaye
Saw (2004) .... Zep Hindle
"Whoopi" .... F. Thomas Erickson (1 episode, 2003)
- The Fat and the Frivolous (2003) TV Episode .... F. Thomas Erickson
"Skin" .... Scarpelli (1 episode, 2003)
- Secrets & Lies (2003) TV Episode .... Scarpelli
"Without a Trace" .... Stuart Wesmar (1 episode, 2003)
... aka W.A.T (USA: short title)
- Victory for Humanity (2003) TV Episode .... Stuart Wesmar
"The X Files" .... Oliver Martin (1 episode, 2002)
... aka The X-Files (USA)
- Sunshine Days (2002) TV Episode .... Oliver Martin
Unfaithful (2002) .... Josh
... aka Infidèle (France)
... aka Untreu (Germany)
"Law & Order: Criminal Intent" .... Gerald 'Gerry' Rankin (1 episode, 2002)
... aka Law & Order: CI (USA: promotional abbreviation)
- Phantom (2002) TV Episode .... Gerald 'Gerry' Rankin
The Laramie Project (2002) .... Reverend
Sounds from a Town I Love (2001) (TV)
"The Education of Max Bickford" (1 episode, 2001)
- Herding Cats (2001) TV Episode
"The Practice" .... William Hinks (6 episodes, 2000-2001)
- The Thin Line (2001) TV Episode (uncredited) .... William Hinks
- Payback (2001) TV Episode (voice) (uncredited) .... William Hinks
- An Early Frost (2001) TV Episode .... William Hinks
- Friends and Ex-Lovers (2000) TV Episode .... William Hinks
- The Deal (2000) TV Episode .... William Hinks
(1 more)
"The District" (1 episode, 2000)
- Pilot (2000) TV Episode


For Love of the Game (1999) .... Gallery Doorman
Playing by Heart (1998) .... Bosco
Grace & Glorie (1998) (TV) .... Arnold Dudley
The Impostors (1998) .... Burtom's Assistant
The Journey (1997) .... Michael
Orpheus Descending (1990) (TV) .... Clown
... aka Tennessee Williams' Orpheus Descending

Self:
Happy Birthday Oscar Wilde (2004) (TV) .... Himself

Archive Footage:
Lost: The Answers (2007) (TV) .... Ben Linus
The Lost Survival Guide (2006) (TV) .... Ben Linus