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->''"I've played villains on stage - you know, the Iagos and so on - but I think of myself as a funny person. I mostly did comedies before I did TV work."''
-->-- '''Michael Emerson'''

Michael Emerson (born September 7, 1954 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa) is best known for playing Benjamin Linus on the show ''Series/{{Lost}}''. He also portrayed [[BastardUnderstudy Zep Hindle]] in the ''Franchise/{{Saw}}'' movies, [[SerialKillerKiller Marty Manning]] in the short-lived Tim Minear show ''Series/TheInside'', and [[SerialKiller William Hinks]] in The Practice, for which he won an Emmy. He won a second Emmy for his role as Benjamin Linus. Others might recognize him from an earlier role as the mysterious narrator of Creator/NeilGaiman's ''Literature/MurderMysteries'' radio play. From 2011-2016, he starred as the enigmatic [[TechnoWizard Harold Finch]] on the CBS action-thriller ''Series/PersonOfInterest''. A well-respected character actor, Emerson is known for his [[ThousandYardStare piercing eyes]], [[CantUnhearIt distinctive voice]], [[DeadpanSnarker deadpan humor]] and [[CreepyMonotone quiet]] [[TranquilFury intensity]]. He's particularly renowned for his portrayals of complex, [[MysteriousPast enigmatic]] and [[TheChessmaster intelligent]] characters - meaning he often gets typecast as "the villain guy", although he's actually quite versatile.

Despite his tendency to play deeply scary characters, he's best known in theatre for his comedic talent. In real life, he's a sweet, funny guy with a great sense of humor who does plenty of charity work. He's married to actress Creator/CarriePreston, who has played his [[spoiler:short-lived]] [[RealLifeRelative mother]] on ''Lost'' and his [[ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies ex-fiancee]] in ''Person of Interest''.

!!Michael's Film Roles
* 2002 ''Theatre/TheLaramieProject'' as [[PoliticallyIncorrectVillain Reverend]]
* 2004 ''Film/SawI'' as [[RedHerring Zep Hindle]]
* 2004 ''Film/StraightJacket'' as [[DeadpanSnarker Victor]]
* 2005 ''Film/TheLegendOfZorro'' as Harrigan
* 2006 ''Film/JumpingOffBridges'' as [[TheWoobie Frank Nelson]]
* 2008 ''Film/ReadyOK'' as [[NiceGuy Charlie New]]
* 2012 ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns'' as ComicBook/TheJoker

!!Michael's Television Roles
* 2000–2001 ''Series/ThePractice'' as [[SerialKiller William Hinks]]
* 2002 ''Series/LawAndOrderCriminalIntent'' as [[ConsummateLiar Gerry Rankin]]
* 2002 ''Series/TheXFiles'' as [[WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds Oliver Martin]]
* 2004 ''Series/LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit'' as [[WouldHurtAChild Allan Shaye]]
* 2005 ''Series/TheInside'' as [[SerialKillerKiller Marty Manning]]
* 2006–2010 ''Series/{{Lost}}'' as [[StarMakingRole Ben Linus]]
* 2010 ''Series/FrontLine'' as [[HistoricalDomainCharacter John Winthrop]]
* 2011 ''Series/{{Parenthood}}'' as [[UsefulNotes/AspergerSyndrome Andy Fitzgerald]]
* 2011 ''WesternAnimation/GIJoeRenegades'' as Doctor Venom
* 2011 ''WesternAnimation/GeneratorRex'' as Alpha Nanite
* 2011–2016 ''Series/PersonOfInterest'' as [[MysteriousPast Harold]] [[TheHeart Finch]]
* 2017-2018 ''Series/{{Arrow}}'' as [[TheCracker Cayden]] [[OmnicidalManiac James]]
* 2019: The Name of the Rose as The Abbot
* 2019- ''Series/{{Evil|2019}}'' as [[FauxAffablyEvil Leland]] [[TheCorrupter Townsend]]
* 2023- ''WesternAnimation/MyAdventuresWithSuperman'' as [[Characters/SupermanBrainiacCharacter Brainiac]]
* 2024- ''Series/{{Fallout|2024}}'' as Dr. Siggi Wilzig

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!!This actor provides examples of:

* {{Bookworm}}: As evidenced by his interviews, he's very well-read.
* DeadpanSnarker: Perhaps the only thing he has in common with Ben is that they both fit this trope. And it's because of his humour and deadpan snarking that [[Series/PersonOfInterest Finch]] has become one and an epic one at that.
* CastIncest: His wife played his mother on ''Lost''.
* FramesOfReference: Wears several different styles of spectacles.
* HappilyMarried: To Carrie Preston.
* HeterosexualLifePartners: With Creator/TerryOQuinn, who he developed a friendship with on ''Lost''. They even thanked each other in their Emmy acceptance speeches and for a time hoped to develop a TV show for them to star on together. The same could also definitely be said for Creator/JimCaviezel.
* LargeHam: While he's typically known for playing more reserved/quietly sinister characters, Emerson has proven quite a proficient [[ChewingTheScenery scenery-chewer]] when he wants to be. Take his appropriately dramatic breakout role as Creator/OscarWilde for instance, or his gleefully unhinged Joker in ''WesternAnimation/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns''--his EvilLaugh is [[SugarWiki/MostWonderfulSound GLORIOUS.]] [[Series/MozartInTheJungle Morton Norton]] is also a good example.
** While [[Series/PersonOfInterest Finch]] is usually on the reserved end, he does get to ham it up a bit in the episode "A More Perfect Union", with his [[SoBadItsGood artfully bad]] performance of [[Music/TwistedSister "We're Not Gonna Take It." ]] "WE'RE NOT GONNA TAKE IT...AAANYYYMOOOOOOOORE! That's all I know."
* OlderThanTheyLook: Look at him. He'll be 61 later this year (2015). And he doesn't look a day older than most of his ''Lost'' co-stars. You would certainly never think he was twenty-five years older than Evangeline Lilly.
* PromotionToOpeningTitles: In ''Series/{{Lost}}''.
* RealisticDictionIsUnrealistic: Ben's (in ''Series/{{Lost}}'') dialogue has been accused of being too formal and filled with correct diction, until one watches an interview with Michael Emerson and realizes he ''really talks like that''.
* RealLifeRelative: Carrie Preston plays his character's fiancee in ''Series/PersonOfInterest''.
* RomanceOnTheSet: Met Carrie Preston when they were both in a production of Hamlet.
* SelfDeprecation: He's not shy about pointing out how often he gets beaten up on ''Lost''.
-->My mom used to tell me that I should be careful because I had a punchable face; LittleDidIKnow that she was predicting my television career.
* SharpDressedMan: He favours the WaistcoatOfStyle.
* VerbalJudo: Ever seen him in interviews or answering fan questions? He generally easily sidesteps deliberately embarrassing or offensive questions or comments with a quip or a comment on some part of what was said to make an effective change of subject that immediately restores polite and amicable conversation. Has also been seen to defend fellow cast members in this way in multi-actor interviews etc. when trolling questions or comments are directed at them.
* WaistcoatOfStyle: Often wears these in interviews.
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