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Cast // Characters

Jack Coleman // H.R.G.

Jack Coleman stars in NBC’s Emmy Award-nominated ensemble drama series “Heroes” as the mysterious H.R.G. – so named after his “Horned Rimmed Glasses.” Seemingly an unassuming family man as Claire’s (Hayden Panettiere) father, H.R.G. is also a man of mystery who has a special interest in people with special abilities. “Heroes” follows the lives of ordinary people who discover they possess extraordinary abilities. Coleman has performed on Broadway, off-Broadway, in film and on television. Series roles include “Dynasty,” “Nightmare Café,” “Oh Baby,” and “Steven King’s Kingdom Hospital.” Recently, he has been featured on such programs as “Entourage,” “Nip/Tuck,” “Without a Trace” and “CSI Miami.” On stage, Coleman starred on Broadway in Bill Cain’s “Stand-Up Tragedy” in a part he originated at the Mark Taper Forum. He was nominated for a Los Angeles Drama Critics’ Circle Award for his performance. He reprised the role in San Francisco at the Marines Memorial Theater and in Connecticut at The Hartford Stage Company before opening in New York. Coleman won a Los Angeles Drama Critics’ Circle Award for his performance in John Godber’s “Bouncers” at the Tiffany Theater. He also starred off-Broadway in Simon Gray’s “The Common Pursuit.” Coleman has also appeared in regional theaters across the country, playing Danny Zuko in “Grease” from Long Island, New York, to Odessa, Texas (where his character in “Heroes” resides), and performing “Othello” and “Loves’ Labours Lost” at the Globe of the Great Southwest. Coleman wrote, produced, and starred in a short film entitled “Studio City,” an audience favorite at such film festivals as the Los Angeles International Short Film Festival and the New Orleans Media Experience. He has recently completed a screenplay entitled “Can’t Help Falling,” a comedic drama about a young man who falls in love with his uncle’s fiancée. Coleman is a graduate of Duke University, the National Theater Institute at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center in Connecticut, and the Writers’ Boot Camp in Santa Monica, California. His grandfather, Herbert Agar, won a Pulitzer Prize in history for “The People’s Choice,” about how Americans choose their president. Jack’s sixth generation grandfather is Benjamin Franklin. His birthday is January 21.

Dana Davis // Monica Dawson

Dana Davis stars in NBC’s Emmy nominated ensemble drama series “Heroes” as Monica, a young woman with newfound special abilities who would give up everything to help the people around her. “Heroes” follows the lives of ordinary people who discover they possess extraordinary abilities. On television, Davis was a series regular on the critically acclaimed series “The Nine.” She has also appeared in substantial guest star roles on hit series such as “CSI: Miami,” “Cold Case,” “Gilmore Girls” and a recurring role on “Boston Public” as Marie Ronning. Other television credits include recurring roles on “The O.C,” “Point Pleasant” and “Veronica Mars;” guest star roles on “Malcolm in the Middle” and “Joan of Arcadia.” An accomplished singer and musician, Davis’s talents are showcased in Disney's all musical episode of “That's So Raven” playing Raven’s archrival Jasmine, the Theater Queen. On film, Davis may be best known for her portrayal as Denise Gilmore in “Raise Your Voice,” playing a young, underprivileged, violin virtuoso vying for a much needed scholarship against her roommate Terri Fletcher (Hilary Duff). She also graced the big screen alongside Samuel L. Jackson in “Coach Carter.” She recently finished filming the lead in “Prom Night.” In addition, Davis is a classically trained musician, studying the viola for well over a decade. She also sang in the children’s choir as backup for Peabo Bryson and Roberta Flack, and with Barbra Streisand in her “Timeless Tour” in Los Angeles. Her theatre credits include Neil Simon’s “Fools,” “The Miracle Worker,” and many roles in musicals. One day, she dreams of reprising the role of Dorothy in “The Wiz” on Broadway. Davis is committed to aiding under-privileged children. As an expression of her dedication, she volunteers for the Kids’ Church and for Adopt-a-Block, sponsored by the Los Angeles Dream Center. Adopt-a-Block is a ministry that focuses on tasks as small and mundane as bringing food to families, helping families with yard work, and playing games (like hopscotch and jump rope) with kids on the street to larger community efforts including graffiti removal and physically cleaning up some of the most treacherous neighborhoods in Los Angeles. She also volunteers with Empowering Lives International (www.empoweringlives.org), whose mission is to end the cycle of poverty in Africa’s most needy regions, including Kenya, Tanzania, Sudan and parts of the Congo. Born in the south and raised in the Midwest, Davis considers Davenport, Iowa to be her hometown.

Noah Gray-Cabey // Micah Sanders

Eleven-year-old Noah Gray-Cabey stars in NBC’s Emmy Award-nominated ensemble drama series “Heroes” as Micah Sanders, a young genius who can interact with electronic machinery through touch. Micah and his parents, Niki (Ali Larter) and D.L. (Leonard Roberts) struggle to keep all of their abilities secret. “Heroes” follows the lives of ordinary people who discover they possess extraordinary abilities. Gray-Cabey was a series regular on “My Wife & Kids,” playing the precocious Franklin. Recently, he guest-starred on “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Ghost Whisperer.” He also has a supporting role in M. Night Shyamalan’s film “Lady in the Water.” A trained classical pianist by the age of 3, Gray-Cabey is the youngest person ever to perform at the Sydney Opera Hall. In 2001, he participated in fundraising concerts to benefit AIDS orphanages. After the events of September 11 Gray-Cabey, with the help of his father, Shawn, and his mother, Whitney, organized a concert in Portland, Maine, to raise money for Afghan children who were displaced by the Taliban’s civil unrest. As a result, “48 Hours” did a piece on Gray-Cabey’s altruistic nature and piano talents. Soon after, he was featured on NBC’s “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” “Dateline NBC,” “The Oprah Winfrey Show” and “Good Morning America,” which led to his being cast on "My Wife & Kids." Gray-Cabey is determined to use his talents to make a real influence in the world. He has formed a foundation called “Action in Music” that broadens the horizons of inner city children by bringing them to Africa to visit AIDS victims. His birthday is November 16.

Greg Grunberg // Matt Parkman

Greg Grunberg stars in NBC’s Emmy Award-nominated ensemble drama series “Heroes” as Matt Parkman, a police detective with the ability to hear the thoughts of others. “Heroes” follows the lives of ordinary people who discover they possess extraordinary abilities. Grunberg is best known as the lovable Eric Weiss on “Alias,” where he spent four seasons thwarting the menacing plans of the world’s most dubious villains. Audiences first fell in love with Grunberg when he starred as Sean in four seasons on “Felicity.” He has appeared in multiple episode arcs on “NYPD Blue” and “Melrose Place,” and has guest-starred on shows such as “Diagnosis Murder,” “Murphy Brown,” “Vengeance Unlimited,” “Oh Baby,” “Rescue 77,” “Jersey,” “Players,” “Alright Already,” “Ned and Stacey” and “Relativity.” In addition to his small-screen success, Grunberg has emerged as a thriving film actor. His feature-film credits include “Mission: Impossible 3” (directed by J.J. Abrams and starring Tom Cruise), “Malibu’s Most Wanted,” “Ladykillers,” “Hollow Man,” “Austin Powers: Goldmember,” “The Muse,” “BASEketball,” “Trigger Effect” and “Dinner & Driving.” He will next be seen in the independent action feature “Fast Glass,” opposite Andrew Keegan. Grunberg also worked for noted film producers Dino de Laurentiis and Joel Silver, and co-wrote and voiced the lead character in a computer-animated pilot for HBO. Recently, he has also helped to develop and star in a few pilots, including “The Catch” with creator-executive producer J.J. Abrams and “Grand Union.” A philanthropist by nature, Grunberg runs a charitable organization called “Hollywood Helping Hands,” which auctions off pieces of artwork that are finger-painted by celebrities to benefit the Pediatric Epilepsy Project at UCLA, since his eldest son suffers from pediatric epilepsy. He currently lives outside Los Angeles with his wife, Elizabeth, and their three young sons. His birthday is July 11.

Ali Larter // Niki Sanders

Ali Larter stars in NBC’s Emmy Award-nominated ensemble drama series “Heroes” as Niki Sanders, a single mother with astonishing strength. Niki struggles to support her exceptionally gifted son Micah while maintaining an inner balance with her volatile, amoral mirror image Jessica. “Heroes” follows the lives of ordinary people who discover they possess extraordinary abilities. Larter starred in the successful first and second installments of the “Final Destination” franchise and opposite Reese Witherspoon in the hit film “Legally Blonde.” In addition, Larter enjoyed a successful run on the New York stage in “The Vagina Monologues.” Making her feature-film debut in the blockbuster hit “Varsity Blues,” Larter’s credits include “A Lot Like Love,” “American Outlaws” (starring opposite Colin Farrell), “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back” (for writer-director-actor Kevin Smith), “The House on Haunted Hill,” (a remake of the original Vincent Price horror classic with Taye Diggs and Geoffrey Rush), and “Drive Me Crazy.” Larter will star this fall opposite Milla Jovovich in “Resident Evil 3: Extinction” as Claire Redfield, a new character to the film series who appears in the video game “Resident Evil 2.” Larter’s other film credits include the independent film “Crazy” and the soon-to-be released “Marigold.” A native of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, Larter began modeling at 13 and traveled the world before moving to New York. She currently lives in Los Angeles. Her birthday is February 28.

James Kyson Lee // Ando Masahashi

James Kyson Lee stars in NBC’s Emmy Award-nominated ensemble drama series “Heroes” as Ando Masahashi, a quiet Tokyo executive who embarks on wild adventures with his time-traveling friend Hiro Nakamura. “Heroes” follows the lives of ordinary people who discover they possess extraordinary abilities. At his first television audition, Lee landed a guest-starring role on “J.A.G.” He has since appeared on NBC's “Las Vegas,” “The West Wing” and “Heist,” as well as “Threat Matrix” and “All About the Andersons.” Lee will star in four feature films in 2008, including the highly anticipated “Shutter,” “Do Over” and “Sleeping Room Only,” directed by David Boyle. Born in Seoul, South Korea, Lee moved with his family to New York City at the age of 10. He graduated from Bronx High School of Science and continued his education at Boston University and New England Institute of the Arts, where he studied communications. It was at New England where Lee enrolled in music, dance, and improvisation courses. Inspired by his newly discovered passion for performing, he sold his used car for $1,800 in the summer of 2001 and purchased a one-way ticket to Los Angeles. Lee began training as a jazz singer, and eventually made the transition from music to acting. A student of improvisation & sketch comedy at I.O. West and the Upright Citizens Brigade, Lee also enjoys playing basketball and the piano, as well as reading and watching documentaries. Lee currently resides in Los Angeles. His birthday is December 13.

Masi Oka // Hiro Nakamura

Emmy and Golden Globe Award-nominated Masi Oka stars in NBC’s hit ensemble drama series “Heroes” as Hiro Nakamura, a Japanese nonconformist computer/anime geek. Hiro's ability to pierce the space-time continuum and manipulate time has empowered him with foresight into a dangerous future -- and what he must do to change it. “Heroes” follows the lives of ordinary people who discover they possess extraordinary abilities. No stranger to television, Oka has had recurring roles on NBC’s “Scrubs” as Franklyn and “Luis” as Deng Wu. He has also guest starred on “Without a Trace,” “Joey,” “Reba,” “The Loop,” “All of Us,” “Still Standing,” “Will & Grace,” “Yes, Dear” and “The Gilmore Girls.” Oka stars in the upcoming feature-film remake of the television classic “Get Smart” and its companion DVD release “Get Smarter” both slated for 2008 release. His additional film credits include memorable roles in “Along Came Polly” and “Austin Powers in Goldmember.” With a background in improvisation, Oka has graced the stages of the Groundlings, ImprovOlympics, Second City and TheatreSports. His improvisational expertise has been showcased with guest appearances as various characters on “Punk'd,” “Reno 911” and “The Jamie Kennedy Experiment.” After graduating from Brown University with degrees in mathematics and computer science and a theater arts minor, Oka pursued an acting career while taking his first job at George Lucas’ Oscar-winning special effects house Industrial Light & Magic (ILM). Today, despite his successful career as an actor, he continues to provide ILM with technology for groundbreaking effects for more than 30 films. Oka was born in Tokyo, Japan, and moved to Los Angeles at age 6, where he currently resides. He is fluent in Japanese and proficient in Spanish. His hobbies include kendo/Japanese sword fighting, fencing, playing table tennis, watching romantic comedies, playing the piano and singing. His birthday is December 27.

Hayden Panettiere // Claire Bennet

Hayden Panettiere stars in NBC’s Emmy Award-nominated ensemble drama series “Heroes” as Claire Bennet, an indestructible high school cheerleader, who must veil her abilities from her peers as well as keep other secrets from her mysterious father “H.R.G.” (Jack Coleman). “Heroes” follows the lives of ordinary people who discover they possess extraordinary abilities. Most recently, Panettiere starred in the independent film “The Architect,” opposite Anthony LaPaglia and Isabella Rosselini, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, and “Mr. Gibb” for Kevin Spacey’s company, Triggerstreet. She co-stars in the upcoming romantic dramedy “Shanghai Kiss,” and this past Fall, she starred as the lead in “Bring It On: All or Nothing,” the sequel to Universal’s box-office hit. Training rigorously and executing her own stunts, she dazzled audiences in her role as a competitive ice skater in “Ice Princess” and recorded “I Fly” for the film’s soundtrack. Her spitfire characters in both “Joe Somebody” as Tim Allen’s daughter and “Remember the Titans” with Denzel Washington helped to establish her talent. Her other film credits include “Raising Helen,” directed by Garry Marshall; “Message in a Bottle,” with Kevin Costner; “Object of My Affection,” with Jennifer Aniston; and “The Affair of the Necklace,” with Hilary Swank. Panettiere starred in the television movie “Lies My Mother Told Me,” opposite Joely Richardson, and in the acclaimed “Tiger Cruise,” based on the true events of September 11. Her HBO film “Normal,” opposite Jessica Lange and Tom Wilkinson and directed by Jane Anderson -- premiered at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival. Panettiere’s voice is as recognizable as her face. She embodied the challenging leading role as a jockey in “Racing Stripes,” opposite the voices of Dustin Hoffman and Whoopi Goldberg. She also starred in Disney’s animated features “A Bug’s Life” as Princess Dot and in “Dinosaurs” as Suri. Her work for “A Bug’s Life Read-A-Long” garnered her a Grammy nomination for Best Spoken Word Album, as well as a nomination for the Hollywood Reporter’s Young Star Award for Best Young Voiceover Talent. Adding to her accomplishments, Panettiere has been named the new face of Neutrogena. She recently received Movieline’s Hollywood Life Magazine’s Young Hollywood Exciting New Face/ Female Award for 2005. She also has been spending time in the recording studio working on her own debut CD through Hollywood Records. Panettiere is an ambassador, along with fellow ambassadors Nelson Mandela and Queen Noor, for the World Conservation Union’s (ICUN) Wildlife Foundation, an organization that helps raise funds to support and save endangered species. As of late, she has joined forces with Pierce Brosnan to save the whales through the Whaleman Foundation. Panettiere lives in New York with her parents and younger brother. Her birthday is August 21.

Adrian Pasdar // Nathan Petrelli

Adrian Pasdar stars in NBC’s Emmy Award-nominated ensemble drama series “Heroes” as Nathan Petrelli, a congressional hopeful with the ability to fly. His political dreams were dashed along with his happiness when he failed to stop his younger brother Peter (Milo Ventimiglia) from exploding over the New York City skyline. “Heroes” follows the lives of ordinary people who discover they possess extraordinary abilities. On the small screen, Pasdar starred for two seasons on both “Judging Amy” and “Mysterious Ways.” He also held starring roles on “Profit” and producer Dick Wolf’s “Feds.” He recently recurred on the hit series “Desperate Housewives” as David Bradley, as well as two productions of PBS’ “American Playhouse:” “The Mother,” starring with Anne Bancroft, and “Big Time,” starring opposite Mia Sara. Additionally, he starred in a variety of television movies, including “Crossing the Line,” “Mutiny,” “House of Frankenstein,” Showtime’s “Slave of Dreams,” “The Perfect Getaway,” “Love in Another Town,” “Touched by Evil,” “The Pompatus of Love,” “Shadows of Desire,” “A Mother’s Gift,” “The Lost Capone” and “Big Time.” Pasdar began his career in “Top Gun” when he was cast as Chipper alongside Tom Cruise, Anthony Edwards and Val Kilmer. Since then, he has starred in other feature films such as “Secondhand Lions” (with Michael Caine and Robert Duvall), Brian De Palma’s “Carlito’s Way,” (opposite Al Pacino and Sean Penn), “Solarbabies” (with Jami Gertz, Jason Patric and Lukas Haas), “Streets of Gold” (with Wesley Snipes), “Near Dark” (directed by Kathryn Bigelow) and “Vital Signs,” starring opposite Diane Lane. Behind the scenes, Pasdar has written and directed a short film, “Beyond Belief,” and directed the feature film “Cement,” starring Chris Penn and Jeffrey Wright. Before becoming an actor, he excelled in football and attended the University of Florida on a football scholarship. After suffering an injury, he turned to acting and eventually studied at the famed Lee Strasberg Theater Institute. Pasdar was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, but grew up in a suburb of Philadelphia. Pasdar currently resides in both Los Angeles and New York with his wife, Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks, and their two children. His birthday is April 30.

Zachary Quinto// Sylar

Zachary Quinto stars in NBC’s Emmy Award-nominated ensemble drama series, “Heroes” as Sylar, a manipulative serial killer dedicated to violently collecting the extraordinary talents of special people. Sylar’s fate is unknown after being stabbed by Hiro Nakamura (Masi Oka) in New York. “Heroes” follows the lives of ordinary people who discover they possess extraordinary abilities. The Pittsburgh native has been acting since age 11, and jumped right into theater and launched his acting career. He starred in such shows as “Side Man,” “Gross Indecency” (City Theatre Company), and “Oliver,” as well as “Intelligent Design of Jenny Chow” (Old Globe) “Endgame” (Odyssey), “Much Ado About Nothing” (L.A. Shakespeare Festival & Vineyard Playhouse), “The Bear” (Tintreach company, Galway Ireland), “Map of Doubt and Rescue,” “Laying on of Hands,” “Pro Bono Publico,” “Lonesome Hollow” (Ojai Playwrights conference), “Stone” (Taper New Works Festival), and “Lonely Impulse of Delight” (Vineyard Playhouse). Quinto has also been cast as Spock in J.J. Abrams’ upcoming installment of “Star Trek.” During high school, Quinto realized that acting was something more than a hobby. So he decided to further pursue his dream, and attended Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama, and graduated as a true triple threat. Quinto was honored with the university’s prestigious Gene Kelly Award for his role as the major general in “Pirates of Penzance.” Acting since 2000, Quinto’s first television job was “The Others” and he quickly gained guest-starring roles on “CSI,” “Touched by an Angel,” “Charmed,” “Six Feet Under,” “Crossing Jordan,” and “Dragnet” among others. In addition, his film credits include “Down with Love,” and “Psychic Murders.” Most recently, Quinto had a recurring role on “24” and co-starred in Tori Spelling's sitcom, “So NoTORIous.” Quinto currently resides in Los Angeles. He is learning how to play the banjo and is taking cooking classes. Quinto also enjoys hiking with his Irish Wolfhound/Airedale Terrier mix, Noah, and hanging out with his cat, Harold. He graduated from Carnegie Mellon University. His birthday is June 2.

Sendhil Ramamurthy // Mohinder Suresh

Sendhil Ramamurthy stars in NBC’s Emmy Award-nominated ensemble drama series “Heroes” as Dr. Mohinder Suresh, a genetics professor from India driven to confirm and champion his father's theory that there are people with extraordinary abilities living among us. Suresh’s father died at the hands of one these special people and he has adopted another, Molly (Adair Tishler). “Heroes” follows the lives of ordinary people who discover they possess extraordinary abilities. This series marks Ramamurthy’s first major television role, following small parts in film and television. Ramamurthy was a pre-med major at Tufts University before taking drama as an elective. His interest in acting led him to London, where he attended the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art whose alumni include Eva Green, Matthew Goode, Angela Lansbury and Terrence Stamp. In London's West End, Ramamurthy starred in the Royal Shakespeare Company production of “A Servant to Two Masters,” directed by Tim Supple. He also starred in the New York premiere of Tom Stoppard's “Indian Ink” at the Soho Repertory Theatre and “East Is East,” directed by Scott Elliott, at the Manhattan Theatre Club. Ramamurthy was born in Chicago and raised in San Antonio, Texas. His birthday is May 17.

Dania Ramirez // Maya Herrera

Dania Ramirez stars in NBC’s hit ensemble drama series “Heroes” as Maya Herrera, a young woman plagued by a threatening ability that has driven both her and her twin brother Alejandro (Shalim Ortiz) from their home in the Dominican Republic to make the dangerous crossing to the United States in search of help. “Heroes” follows the lives of ordinary people who discover they possess extraordinary abilities. Ramirez has come a long way from her native Dominican Republic, where her dreams of acting began. She could recently be seen on the critically acclaimed HBO drama “The Sopranos.” She also recently completed the independent film “Brooklyn to Manhattan” for director Jessy Terrero. Last summer, Ramirez appeared the third installment of the X-Men franchise “X-Men: The Last Stand,” directed by Brett Ratner. She made her film debut in Spike Lee’s “The Subway Stories,” which led to two other of the writer/director’s projects -- “25th Hour” and “She Hate Me.” In the latter, she played the lead in a complicated love triangle involving a lesbian paralegal who wants to have a baby with her attorney girlfriend. Her other credits include the independent film “Cross Bronx,” and she plays the love interest in the comedy “Fat Albert.” Ramirez moved with her family to New York City when she was 10 years old. Always a performer, writing songs to sing with her sisters but eager for something more, she looked for ways to break into the entertainment business. After being discovered while working retail, she started modeling and taking acting classes. This led to some commercial work and eventually towards acting. Ramirez currently lives in Los Angeles. Her birthday is November 30.

Milo Ventimiglia // Peter Petrelli

Milo Ventimiglia stars in NBC’s Emmy Arward-nominated ensemble drama series “Heroes” as Peter Petrelli, a young man with the ability to absorb the powers of others. Peter’s power has made him both a unifying and destructive force -- resulting in his whereabouts being unknown after his detonation over the New York City skyline. “Heroes” follows the lives of ordinary people who discover they possess extraordinary abilities. Ventimiglia could be most recently seen on the big screen starring alongside Sylvester Stallone in the sixth installment of the “Rocky” series, “Rocky Balboa,” in which he plays Rocky Jr. His other feature-film credits include the Disney film “Stay Alive,” the Wes Craven/Kevin Williamson thriller “Cursed,” the indie film “Dirty Deeds,” “Sheer Bliss” and “Massholes.” Additionally, he starred in the short films “Nice Guys Finish Last” and “Must Be the Music,” which debuted at the 1996 Sundance Film Festival to rave reviews. Ventimiglia recently finished working on the thriller “Pathology” alongside Alyssa Milano and Lauren Leigh Smith. The film will be released in November 2007. Ventimiglia also starred in executive producer Tom Fontana's series “The Bedford Diaries,” which focused on a group of college students in a human sexuality class. He quickly garnered attention when he joined the casts of two critically acclaimed television dramas: “Gilmore Girls” (as the quiet and complicated Jess), and “American Dreams” (as a 1960s war radical). He was also a recurring character on David E. Kelley's drama “Boston Public.” Before joining “Gilmore Girls,” audiences became familiar with Ventimiglia when he starred in the series “Opposite Sex,” which secured him a holding deal with Warner Bros. His other television credits include guest-starring roles on primetime series such as “The Fresh Prince of Bel Air,” “C.S.I.,” “Sabrina, the Teenage Witch” and “Promised Land.” Ventimiglia recently directed American Eagle Outfitters first original series, in the comedy “It's a Mall World,” which was produced by his production company Divide Pictures. The 12-episode series will air exclusively on ae.com and three-minute teasers of the show will premiere on MTV during “Real World,” Wednesday nights at 10 p.m. and in AE stores across the country. Ventimiglia currently resides in Los Angeles and enjoys skateboarding, snowboarding and wakeboarding. His birthday is July 8.