Michael Easton (born February 15, 1967) is an American-Irish film, television and voice actor, writer, and director. Although the Emmy-nominated actor may be best known for his work on the series Ally McBeal, VR.5, Total Recall 2070, One Life to Live and General Hospital, he is also the author of several critically-acclaimed novels, including the trilogy Soul Stealer, and is an accomplished director whose films have earned multiple independent film awards. Acting career Born in Inglewood, California, Easton was raised and educated in the US and Ireland. He attended high school and then UCLA when he returned to the United States, and graduated with a double major in English and History. His first major series role was a two-year stint on NBC's Days of Our Lives, playing Tanner Scofield when he was just 25. While on the show, he was featured in People Magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful Issue” in 1992, and left the role when his mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1993. Easton returned to Los Angeles to care for her until her death in 1994. Easton returned to acting in 1995 with Fox's VR.5 as Duncan, co-starring with Fame alumni Lori Singer and Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s Anthony Head. This was followed up with a turn as the lead in showrunner Stephen J. Cannell's Two. He played the dual roles of a Seattle professor who is framed for murder by his previously unknown twin, and is forced to go on the run from the FBI in order to clear himself of his brother's crimes. Easton co-wrote the episode “A.D.”, and also penned the series finale, “The Reckoning”. In 1997 he landed a role on Damon Wayans’ 413 Hope Street with Jesse L. Martin and Richard Roundtree. Easton played Nick Carrington, a former drug addict and counselor at an inner-city crisis center. The show tackled topics including the struggles of drug addiction and recovery, homelessness, racism, hate crimes, HIV and AIDS, social justice, income inequality, and disproportionate Black conviction and incarceration. Easton later described the experience as one of the most creatively and personally rewarding of his career. In 1998, Easton was featured in a multi-episode arc of Ally McBeal as Glenn, for which one episode was awarded a Primetime Emmy. He went on to play the role in a short arc on the award-winning series The Practice. Both shows were the brainchildren of producer David E. Kelley.