Profiling the Actors of Lost: Michael Emerson, Aka "Ben Linus"

Ben Linus has emerged as one of the most important characters on the "Lost" island, and actor Michael Emerson has won over critics and fans in the role. These ten facts about the talented actor behind Ben Linus, the mysterious leader of "the Others," will help you get to know Michael Emerson in a whole new way. Read on, and discover some fun trivia about the man who is making Ben Linus a household name.

1. When Emerson was a young actor struggling to win roles, he held a variety of day jobs to pay his New York City rent, including several months of work in retail, and a stint as a freelance illustrator.

2. Emerson has built up a substantial catalog of audio recordings, lending his voice to radio drama and to books on tape. In 2002, he narrated a radio adaptation of sci-fi author Neil Gaiman's short story "Murder Mysteries." The same year, Emerson also co-narrated an audiobook version of the mystery novel "Four Blind Mice," written by James Patterson. In 2005, Emerson recorded the novel "All The King's Men" by Robert Penn Warren.

3. On his day off, you won't find Michael Emerson at a karaoke bar. Emerson has told reporters that he doesn't like singing karaoke because he hates to "do anything that is like 'performing' when I'm not working."

4. Despite the fact that the majority of Michael Emerson's career has taken place on a stage instead of in front of the camera, some viewers may have recognized Ben Linus as a well-known face due to Emerson's occasional stints on long-running television series. The actor has also appeared on "The X-Files,"and two of the "Law and Order" shows, landing roles on both "Criminal Intent" and "Special Victims Unit." Most notably, Emerson turned up in a series of episodes of law drama "The Practice" in 2001 as the character William Hicks. His performance as Hicks won him an Emmy.

5. Before being cast as Ben Linus, Michael Emerson honed his skills with a script as a Shakespearean actor. Emerson has appeared in roles like the scheming villain Iago in "Othello," and as the Duke in "Measure for Measure," a role notable for having the most lines of any Shakespeare character!