# Michael Trucco
**Michael Trucco** (born Edward Michael Trucco, 1970) is an American actor best known for playing Samuel T. Anders on the reimagined science fiction series *Battlestar Galactica* and Justin Patrick on the [USA Network](https://www.edgepedia.org/usa-network) legal drama *Fairly Legal*. Born in [San Mateo, California](https://www.edgepedia.org/san-mateo-california), he built a career of recurring and guest roles across network television, and in recent years has become a frequent collaborator of filmmaker Mike Flanagan.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Edward Michael Trucco, born 1970 in San Mateo, California[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/michael-trucco/) |
| Education | BA in Theatre Arts, Santa Clara University[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0873998) |
| Breakthrough role | Samuel T. Anders on *Battlestar Galactica* (2005-2009); series regular for the fourth and final season[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/michael-trucco/) |
| Other signature role | Justin Patrick, ex-husband of Sarah Shahi's character, on *Fairly Legal* (2011-2012)[3](https://mn2s.com/booking-agency/talent-roster/michael-trucco/) |
| 2007 accident | Four fractured vertebrae in a December 2, 2007 car accident; discharged from UCLA Medical Center 8 days later and returned to film *Battlestar Galactica*'s final season in early 2008[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/michael-trucco/) |
| Flanagan roles | John in *Hush* (2016), Wade Scarborough in *Midnight Mass* (2021), Rufus Griswold in *The Fall of the House of Usher* (2023), John Hargensen in *Carrie* (2026)[4](https://www.cinemablend.com/streaming-news/carrie-one-battlestar-galactica-reunion-katee-sackhoff-michael-trucco-so-many-more) |
| Outside acting | Lead guitarist of the band Simpleworld; enjoys racecar driving[5](https://en.battlestarwikiclone.org/wiki/Michael_Trucco) • [6](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/michael-trucco/bio/3030086668/) |
## Early life and training
Trucco grew up in San Mateo, a Bay Area city just south of San Francisco[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/michael-trucco/). As a child he considered following his police officer father into law enforcement, and he began college as a sociology and criminal justice major before turning to acting[6](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/michael-trucco/bio/3030086668/) • [7](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=9964). He graduated from [Santa Clara University](https://www.edgepedia.org/santa-clara-university) with a BA in Theatre Arts and moved to Los Angeles to pursue film and television work[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0873998). He has said that learning the stage was the most important thing in developing his craft[8](https://www.dailyactor.com/interview/interview-michael-trucco-fairly-legal/).
A talent manager spotted him while he was starring in a stage production of *A Few Good Men*, and his television debut followed in the 1994 TV movie *Eyes of Terror*[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/michael-trucco/) • [9](https://cinegraph.org/people/michael-trucco).
## Television career
**1990s and early 2000s.** After small guest parts on series including *Touched by an Angel*, *Beverly Hills, 90210*, *Charmed*, and *Nash Bridges*, Trucco landed his first major television role in 1998 as Marine fighter pilot Lt. Tucker "Spoon" Henry III in the second season of the syndicated series *Pensacola: Wings of Gold* (1997-2000), appearing opposite [James Brolin](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-brolin)[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/michael-trucco/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0873998). After shadowing the series' directors, he made his directing debut in the show's third season with the episode "Return to Glory"[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/michael-trucco/). He later guest-starred on *Arli$$*, *CSI: Crime Scene Investigation*, and *CSI: Miami*, and played Cooper Lee, Nathan Scott's uncle and a NASCAR driver, in six episodes of *One Tree Hill* from 2005 to 2006[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/michael-trucco/) • [10](https://criminalminds.fandom.com/wiki/Michael_Trucco).
**Battlestar Galactica.** Trucco's career turning point came in 2005, when he guest-starred on the Sci Fi Channel remake of *Battlestar Galactica* as Samuel Anders, a star Pyramid athlete who becomes a resistance leader on the occupied colony of Caprica after a Cylon nuclear attack[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/michael-trucco/). Anders was originally written into only two episodes, but the character grew: he married Lieutenant Kara "Starbuck" Thrace ([Katee Sackhoff](https://www.edgepedia.org/katee-sackhoff)), forming a love triangle with Major Lee "Apollo" Adama, and in the third-season finale he was revealed to be one of the twelve humanoid Cylon models[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/michael-trucco/). Trucco was added as a series regular for the fourth and final season[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/michael-trucco/).
**2007 accident.** On December 2, 2007, a friend's Ferrari Trucco was riding in overturned on California's Pacific Coast Highway and went down an embankment. He suffered four fractured vertebrae, an injury compared to [Christopher Reeve](https://www.edgepedia.org/christopher-reeve)'s, and was discharged from UCLA Medical Center only 8 days after the accident[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/michael-trucco/) • [6](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/michael-trucco/bio/3030086668/). Because the injury occurred during the WGA writers' strike, production of *Battlestar Galactica* was paused, and he recovered in time to film the fourth season in early 2008[5](https://en.battlestarwikiclone.org/wiki/Michael_Trucco) • [1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/michael-trucco/). He carries a distinctive scar on the back of his neck[5](https://en.battlestarwikiclone.org/wiki/Michael_Trucco).
**After Galactica.** Trucco deliberately sought a change of tone after the series ended, taking the role of San Francisco Assistant District Attorney Justin Patrick, the ex-husband of [Sarah Shahi](https://www.edgepedia.org/sarah-shahi)'s Kate Reed, on the USA Network series *Fairly Legal* (2011-2012)[8](https://www.dailyactor.com/interview/interview-michael-trucco-fairly-legal/) • [3](https://mn2s.com/booking-agency/talent-roster/michael-trucco/). His other recurring and guest roles include Detective Tom Demming on *[Castle](https://www.edgepedia.org/castle-tv-series)* (2009), Dr. David Underhill on *The Big Bang Theory*, Nick Petteruti on *How I Met Your Mother*, roles on *Revenge* and *Scandal*, Billy Parker on ABC's *Killer Women* (2014), and the voice of [Adam Strange](https://www.edgepedia.org/adam-strange) in the animated series *Young Justice*[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0873998) • [10](https://criminalminds.fandom.com/wiki/Michael_Trucco) • [1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/michael-trucco/). In recent years he has recurred as Sean Del Monte on ABC's *The Rookie* (2019-2026) and as Luke Leone on CBS's *Fire Country* (2022-2026), and plays Benjamin "Touch" Tuchawuski on *Average Joe* (2023- )[11](https://www.tvinsider.com/1250991/the-rookie-michael-trucco-returning-season-8-sean-interview/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0873998).
## Film work and the Flanagan collaborations
Trucco's film credits include *Next* (2007), an adaptation of [Philip K. Dick](https://www.edgepedia.org/philip-k-dick)'s short story "The Golden Man," in which he appeared opposite [Nicolas Cage](https://www.edgepedia.org/nicolas-cage); *Wishmaster 4: The Prophecy Fulfilled* (2002); *Hush* (2016); *The Bye Bye Man* (2017); and *[Hunter Killer](https://www.edgepedia.org/hunter-killer-film)* (2018)[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/michael-trucco/) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0873998). On Rotten Tomatoes his highest-rated film is *Hush* at 92% and his lowest *The Groomsmen* (2001) at 0%[12](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/michael_trucco).
A recurring thread in his later career is work with director Mike Flanagan, a self-described *Battlestar Galactica* fan who first cast Trucco in the 2016 thriller *[Hush](https://www.edgepedia.org/hush-2016-film)*[4](https://www.cinemablend.com/streaming-news/carrie-one-battlestar-galactica-reunion-katee-sackhoff-michael-trucco-so-many-more). Trucco played island mayor Wade Scarborough in Flanagan's 2021 Netflix series *Midnight Mass* and Rufus Wilmot Griswold in *The Fall of the House of Usher* (2023)[13](https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/battlestar-galactica-where-is-the-syfy-series-cast-now) • [1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/michael-trucco/). In Flanagan's *Carrie* series for [Amazon Prime](https://www.edgepedia.org/amazon-prime), Trucco plays John Hargensen, the lawyer father of the villainous Chris, appearing in six of the eight episodes[4](https://www.cinemablend.com/streaming-news/carrie-one-battlestar-galactica-reunion-katee-sackhoff-michael-trucco-so-many-more). The show became an unofficial *Battlestar Galactica* reunion: Katee Sackhoff plays Amanda, Tahmoh Penikett plays Carrie's late father Ralph White, and Aaron Douglas, Rekha Sharma, and [Tricia Helfer](https://www.edgepedia.org/tricia-helfer) make cameo appearances as parents in the seventh episode[4](https://www.cinemablend.com/streaming-news/carrie-one-battlestar-galactica-reunion-katee-sackhoff-michael-trucco-so-many-more). According to a Spanish-language account, after Flanagan hired Sackhoff and other series veterans, Trucco himself began contacting other *Battlestar Galactica* actors to appear in cameos[14](https://as.com/meristation/series/mas-de-15-anos-despues-carrie-protagoniza-una-reunion-no-oficial-de-la-mejor-serie-de-ciencia-ficcion-de-la-historia-soy-fanatico-f202610-n/).
## Personal life and other work
Trucco lives in Los Angeles with his wife, the actress Sandra Hess[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0873998). Outside acting he plays lead guitar in the band Simpleworld and enjoys racecar driving, a passion his *One Tree Hill* role let him exercise on screen[5](https://en.battlestarwikiclone.org/wiki/Michael_Trucco) • [1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/michael-trucco/). In 2024 he launched the production company Trick Films[3](https://mn2s.com/booking-agency/talent-roster/michael-trucco/).
## References
1. [Michael Trucco - Actor, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/michael-trucco/)
2. [Michael Trucco - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0873998)
3. [Michael Trucco | Booking Agent | MN2S](https://mn2s.com/booking-agency/talent-roster/michael-trucco/)
4. [I Thought Carrie Had One Battlestar Galactica Reunion With Katee Sackhoff And Michael Trucco. I Was Very Wrong, CinemaBlend](https://www.cinemablend.com/streaming-news/carrie-one-battlestar-galactica-reunion-katee-sackhoff-michael-trucco-so-many-more)
5. [Michael Trucco - Battlestar Wiki](https://en.battlestarwikiclone.org/wiki/Michael_Trucco)
6. [Michael Trucco Biography, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/michael-trucco/bio/3030086668/)
7. [Michael Trucco | TVSA](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=9964)
8. [Interview: Fairly Legal's Michael Trucco, Daily Actor](https://www.dailyactor.com/interview/interview-michael-trucco-fairly-legal/)
9. [Michael Trucco · Cinegraph](https://cinegraph.org/people/michael-trucco)
10. [Michael Trucco | Criminal Minds Wiki](https://criminalminds.fandom.com/wiki/Michael_Trucco)
11. ['The Rookie': Michael Trucco Teases 'Fun Twist' When He Returns as Sean, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/1250991/the-rookie-michael-trucco-returning-season-8-sean-interview/)
12. [Michael Trucco Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/michael_trucco)
13. [Where are the stars of 'Battlestar Galactica' now?, SYFY WIRE](https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/battlestar-galactica-where-is-the-syfy-series-cast-now)
14. [Más de 15 años después, 'Carrie' protagoniza una reunión no oficial de 'Battlestar Galactica', MeriStation (AS.com)](https://as.com/meristation/series/mas-de-15-anos-despues-carrie-protagoniza-una-reunion-no-oficial-de-la-mejor-serie-de-ciencia-ficcion-de-la-historia-soy-fanatico-f202610-n/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames T*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license