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Born in Inglewood, California, Michael was raised and educated in both the United States and Ireland, the homeland of his parents. He double majored in English and History at UCLA. During his travels across Europe, parts of Africa, and India, he supported himself through bartending and various construction jobs while photographing, writing, and documenting his experiences. This immersive education profoundly influenced his later work as an actor and award-winning writer-director.
Michael's first significant series role came on "Days of Our Lives" when he was 25, playing Tanner Scofield, which marked the beginning of his long involvement with Daytime television. He was also named one of People's "50 Most Beautiful," appeared in several primetime TV movies, and his acting career started gaining momentum. However, in 1993, he paused his career to return to Los Angeles to care for his mother following her diagnosis with ovarian cancer; she passed away in 1994.
He returned to acting with Fox's VR-5 as Duncan and delivered a compelling performance playing identical twin brothers in Stephen J. Cannell's "Two," for which he wrote the episodes "AD" and the series finale, "The Reckoning." His role as nude model Glen on the iconic series "Ally McBeal" was nearly as memorable as the Dancing Baby. The episode won an Emmy, and Michael reprised the role on both "Ally McBeal" and its sister show "The Practice," both created by producer David Kelley.
In 1997, Michael secured a role on Damon Wayans' 413 Hope Street alongside Jesse L. Martin and Richard Roundtree. He portrayed Nick Carrington, a former drug addict and counselor at an inner-city crisis center. The series addressed issues such as drug addiction and recovery, homelessness, racism, hate crimes, HIV/AIDS, social justice, income inequality, and disproportionate incarceration of Black individuals. Michael later described this role as one of the most creatively and personally fulfilling experiences of his career.
Following a Gemini-nominated performance as detective David Hume in Showtime's "Total Recall 2070," Michael returned to Daytime with ABC's "Port Charles," a spinoff of "General Hospital" with a supernatural twist, embarking on a remarkable journey playing five distinct characters within the "General Hospital" universe.
He co-created and brought to life Caleb Morley, a vampire, rockstar, and beloved bad boy character who gained immense popularity and served as a precursor to later vampire protagonists in shows like "Angel," "True Blood," "The Vampire Diaries," and the "Twilight" series. After "Port Charles" ended, Michael began portraying John McBain on "One Life to Live" in 2003, a role he held for nine years before continuing it on "General Hospital." Currently, he plays Dr. Hamilton Finn, an infectious disease specialist and epidemiologist. His portrayal of the character’s battle with addiction and recovery earned him a Daytime Emmy nomination in 2018.
Michael’s 2011 graphic novel trilogy "Soul Stealer" received critical acclaim, with Aint It Cool News naming it "Graphic Novel of the Year." His storytelling combined with artist Christopher Shy's exceptional visuals created a compelling fusion of words and imagery. Michael also developed a friendship with author Peter Straub, a dedicated "One Life to Live" fan who visited the set in New York and gifted him a copy of "Koko," a novel cherished by Michael’s mother. This connection led to their collaboration on the chilling novel "The Green Woman" for DC Comics.
A proud Writers Guild of America member, Michael adapted and wrote the screenplay for "Daedelus is Dead," a short film based on an unfinished script by Doors legend Jim Morrison. The film screened at over a dozen major festivals and was acquired by The Sundance Channel. He is involved in producing a feature about actor Montgomery Clift with Relativity Media and has a screenplay about Ella Fitzgerald in development with Norman Lear.
Michael authored the gritty novel "Credence," published by Blackwatch Comcs, a company he co-founded with Christopher Shy and Emmalee Pearson. In 2015, he wrote and directed the short films "Dreamliner" and the award-winning "Ultraviolent," both starring his friend and former "One Life to Live" castmate Trevor St. John. In 2020, he reunited with St. John and former co-stars Sherri Saum and Rebecca Budig on the short film "About a Girl," written by Budig and directed by Easton. The film won the Outstanding Achievement Award at the 2020 Best Shorts Film Festival, lauded for its deft direction, exquisite craftsmanship, and authentically moving performance by Budig.
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