Michael was born in New York City. Raised in Fairfield, CT, he left college to pursue a career in acting. He also had a great passion for music, and played in a band while pursuing his acting career. While playing in the band, he began acting professionally and landed his first job as Theo Huxtable's roommate on "The Cosby Show," and a role in the independent film TRIGGER HAPPY opposite Rosario Dawson. This led to numerous guest spots on television and brought him to Los Angeles, where he landed a series regular role in the FOX television series "Significant Others." Michael then met director Whit Stillman, who cast him in the film THE LAST DAYS OF DISCO opposite Chloe Sevigny. Michael also starred as Christina Applegate's ex-husband in the television series "Jesse," and in the films THE SPECIALS opposite Rob Lowe, VENUS AND MARS opposite Lynn Redgrave and GUN SHY opposite Liam Neeson and Sandra Bullock. He also appeared in the TV series "The City" and "Loving.”  He starred as Logan Cale in the cult series “Dark Angel” and currently stars as Agent Tony DiNozzo in the mega-hit CBS series, "NCIS."