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The son of a rancher, Mal fought in the Civil War for the Independents, a sergeant who wound up commanding 5,000 soldiers in one of the war's bloodiest battles. After the war, Mal got as far away from the Alliance as possible, heading for the border worlds to scratch out a living. And for the captain of Serenity (named for that battle), no job is too big, too small, or too illegal, as long as it keeps his crew together and his ship flying.
Born March 27, 1971, the son of two high-school English teachers, Canadian Nathan Fillion got his start with Theatresports Workshops Rapidfire Theatre, an Edmonton improve group. After an agent saw him perform there, he won the role of Joey Buchanan on "One Life to Live" when one semester short of his degree at the University of Alberta. After three years and two Emmy nominations, he moved on to feature films; his first role was, impressively, as the wrong Pte. James Ryan, in Saving Private Ryan. He also appeared as a regular on the series "Two Guys and a Girl" as guest shots on "The Outer Limits" and "Spin City", and in the movies Blast from the Past, Dracula 2000 and the upcoming The Wicked Season, as well as several television movies. His hobbies including roller blading, riding a unicycle, beach volleyball, and drawing and writing children's literature.
Bio information taken from OLTL Online and WCHS-TV
Inara is a highly regarded registered companion (read: courtesan), and the most respectable person aboard Serenity. Graceful, kind and lovely, with a spine of pure steel, Inara's presence is a sore point with the captain, although it's a good business arrangement for both of them; she keeps to her own shuttle and has been known to save the day.
Born in Brazil, Morena Baccarin grew up in New York City where she attended the renowned LaGuardia High School of Performing Arts, before going on to study at the prestigious Juilliard School. At school, she stared in numerous stage productions, including The Importance of Being Earnest, Love’s Labours Lost, The Marriage of Bette and Boo and Macbeth, spending summers on stage as part of the Guthrie Theater Lab, participating in stage productions of Jack and Jill and The Long Walk. After graduating from Juilliard Morena began a career in film, participating in director Michael Rymer’s largely improvisational film Perfume. She then went on to the role of Rebecca in Dan Kay’s Way Off-Broadway, which won her awards including best actress at the Wine Country Film Festival.. Most recently Morena has returned to the Guthrie Theater, to star as the bride in director Marcela Lorca’s play Blood Wedding.
Bio information taken from the Way Off Broadway site.
A mercenary who didn't fight for either side in the war, Jayne works for whomever pays him. At the moment, that's Mal, so that's where Jayne's loyalty lies -- until something better comes along. He's a lean, mean fighting machine -- unfortunately, his skill with weapons doesn't translate well to situations not involving money or violence.
Adam Baldwin isn't related to those Baldwins, and he doesn't need to be. Born in Chicago on February 27, 1962, the 6'4" Adam has been professional screen actor for more than 20 years, since winning the lead role in the feature film My Bodyguard in 1980, immediately followed by a part in Robert Redford's Ordinary People. He moved to New York and began acting studies, before moving to Los Angeles in 1984, where he currently resides with his wife and children. Probably most recognizable for his roles in Independence Day ( as Major Mitchell) and Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket (as Animal Mother), his filmography also includes How to Make An American Quilt, Wyatt Earp, Radio Days, Where the Day Takes You. and The Patriot, among many others. His television roles are include guest appearances on "The Cape," "The Visitor," "Outer Limits," "The X-Files", and "VR.5", as well as the HBO miniseries "From the Earth to the Moon", and several TV movies. He has also been heavily involved with celebrity hockey and golf.
Bio information taken from Pursuit of Happiness and the Adam Baldwin Fan Page
A wandering priest -- or 'shepherd', as the crew calls him -- Book came abroad Serenity as a passenger and shows no inclination to leave. No one minds, since Book is cool-headed and compassionate, and a good man to have around in a crisis. Even though no one on board is really interested in getting help from God, Book believes that doesn't mean they don't need all the help they can get.
Born July 10, 1945, in Evansville, IN, veteran actor Ron Glass is probably best known for his role as Detective Ron Harris on the comedy series "Barney Miller". His television career spans more than three decades, including guest appearances on other classic shows such as "Sanford and Son", "All in the Family", "Maude", "Good Times", "Hawaii 5-0", "Hart to Hart", "The Bob Newhart Show" and "Murder, She Wrote", and more recent shows, including "The Practice", "Rugrats", "Friends", "Jack & Jill", "Star Trek: Voyager" and "The Education of Max Bickford" -- to name only a very few. Ron studied acting and literature at the University of Evansville, leaving after graduation for acting work at Minneapolis' famed Guthrie Theatre. He spent four years there, and then worked in several repertory companies before arriving in Los Angeles in 1972.
Some bio information taken from the Indianapolis Star.
A hyper-intelligent child of priviledge, River found the Academy she was sent to to be more of a torture center than a school. No one knows yet what the Academy did to her before her brother, Simon, stole her back, because she's still too traumatized to tell them. But she and Simon need to keep running -- because the Academy wants their experiment back.
A prima ballerina (also training in flemenco and tango) born and trained in San Antonio, Texas, Summer Glau made her television debut as the ballerina in the "Angel" episode "Waiting in the Wings", as well as appearances in several commercials. No other information is currently available.
Bio information taken from the Internet Movie Database.
Simon was a doctor in the Central Planets, wealthy, respected and happy -- until he gave it all up to rescue his sister, River. He found them a haven aboard Serenity, trading his medical skills for passage and safety (read: blackmailing Mal into hiding them); now he has to try to heal River, and keep them both alive and free in a very different kind of world.
Born in 1975 in Pleasantville, New York, Sean Maher graduated from NYU with a degree in film (although he acted in several stage productions, including Into the Woods and Suddenly Last Summer) and wasted no time; he won the starring role in "Ryan Caulfield, Year One" less than two years later. Although the series died after only two episodes, he went on to a recurring role on "Party of Five", then starred in the 2001 remake of Brian's Song, as well as the Wall Street drama "The $treet" and "HRT".
Some bio information taken from TV Tome.
Cheerful, energetic Kaylee (full name, Kaywinnit Lee) is Serenity's ace mechanic, a tomboy who accepts anything the universe throws at her with a smile and a bounce. Trained by her father, she's a natural mechanic, which got her the job on Serenity despite her total lack of experience with ships. The crew's occasional forays into crime don't bother her, and she doesn't seem to be afraid of much of anything.
Born June 2, 1982 in White Rock, British Columbia, 5'6" Jewel Staite spent the first three years of life living in Maui, before her family (she's the youngest of four sisters and two brothers) relocated to Vancouver. She began modeling and acting at age 6, making her first appearance in a Safeway commercial; she won Best Actors awards at the Houston and Yorkton Festivals for her role in Meeting Dad at age 10; and had the enviable job of getting mouth-to-mouth from David Duchovny at age 14 during a guest appearance on The X-Files. Actively involved in the Vancouver Youth Theatre at the beginning of her career, she began winning a devoted fan base as Catalina on the first season of Nickelodeon's "Space Cases", before moving to Toronto to star in the Disney production of "Flash Forward". Her other television appearances include roles on "Just Deal", "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids", "DaVinci's Inquest" and "Higher Ground"; she also appeared in the HBO original movie Cheaters.
Some bio information taken from Jewels of the Heart and Jewel Staite.com
The only other survivor of Mal Reynolds' platoon, Zoe joined him as Serenity's first mate, to kick a little ass around the universe. And after a hard day committing mayhem wherever possible/necessary, she gets to come home to her husband Wash, Serenity's gifted pilot.
Born in 1969 in New York City, the incredibly cool Gina Torres studied at the now-La Guardia High School of Music and Art. The youngest of three children in a Cuban-American family, Gina got her start on and off-Broadway, starring in plays and musicals (she sings mezzo-soprano opera and jazz). Like co-star Nathan Fillion, she made her television debut on "One Life to Live" and played several different characters there before winning the lead role in the television movie "MANTIS". That role marked start of her relationship with Renaissance Pictures, leading her to her two best-known roles -- the recurring role of Nebula on "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" and the starring role of Hel on "Cleopatra 2025" (for which she won a 2001 ALMA Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Syndicated Drama). Currently, Gina has recurring roles on the series' "Alias" and "Any Day Now"; she has also made guest appearances on "NYPD Blue," "Law & Order," "Profiler," and "La Femme Nikita," among others. Gina is engaged to actor Lawrence Fishburne (with whom she will be co-starring in the upcoming sequels to The Matrix).
Some bio information taken from The Unofficial Hel Site: A Gina Torres Fan Site
Raised on a world so polluted he couldn't see the stars, Wash entered pilot's training to get a look at them. But he got more than a job when he applied to be Serenity's pilot -- he got a wife in the ship's first mate. A laid-back guy with an active sense of humor, Wash just wants a ship to fly, and his wife alive and at his side. And if he's backed into a corner, he'll do what he has to accomplish those goals.
Born March 16, 1971, in El Paso, TX, Alan Tudyk began acting early in life. He went pro at the Dallas Shakespeare Festival, founding the city's Rubber Chicken Standup Improv Troupe before moving on to Los Angeles, then New York, where he got his start on and off-Broadway (are we sensing a trend?), and later founded the Court Jesters improv theatre group. Although he studied at Julliard from 1993 to 1996, he left before earning degree. He made his big screen debut in 35 Miles From Normal, and went on to work in Patch Adams and The Wonder Boys before making a big splash as Gerhardt in 28 Days (with Sandra Bullock). Alan also appeared in A Knight's Tale and Hearts in Atlantis, as well as voicing several parts in the animated feature Ice Age. His television appearances include "Frasier" and "Strangers with Candy".
Some bio information taken from the All Movie Guide, via BlockBuster.com
