Terra Nova: Where Do I Know Them From?

Thanks to Kelly from TV.com for this special Guest Article for SpoilerTV

Terra Nova: Where Do I Know Them From?
by Kelly Kelemen for TV.com

Terra Nova just roared onto Fox's Monday lineup, backed by a hefty 9 figure budget from one Steven Spielberg, as the show hopes to garner a loyal fan base of thrill seekers and dino-enthusiasts and become the next LOST. But what the show doesn't have is that big name star that you know from countless other outlets such as Zooey Deschanel, Jane Lynch, Simon Cowell, Omar Epps, etc. So if you're busy putting your finger on actor's faces during the broadcast, desperately trying to place where they're from, here's a cheat sheet that might jog your memory.

Jason O’Mara (as Jim Shannon)
The show’s main character and Irish lad is no stranger to the little screen, if we can call it that anymore. He took the lead role of Sam Tyler on Life on Mars, a British rip-off, formerly seen on ABC. He’s also had some minor roles on Grey’s Anatomy, Men in Trees, Criminal Minds, The Closer, CSI Miami, and Band of Brothers.

Shelley Conn (as Elisabeth Shannon)
Part British, part Sri Lankan, Shelly Conn is the other head of household in the Shannon family on the show. If you happened to buy a ticket to the recent flick How Do You Know, you might know Shelly a little better than you thought; she played Terry. She also played Princess Pondichery in Tim Burton’s Chocolate Factory remake.

Landon Liboiron (as Josh Shannon)
On Terra Nova, Josh Shannon follows in the rebellious footsteps of his father. The youngster is still relatively new to acting, but fans of Degrassi’s New Generation might remember him as Declan Coyne (2009-2011). If you just watched a recently released Netflix movie, you may remember his face from a trailer for the high skies thriller Altitude about a plane out of control, on the rise, and headed straight for the arms – or tentacles - of a mysterious monster.

Naomi Scott (as Maddy Shannon)
Britain exports another female actress in Naomi Scott, who plays the daughter of fellow Brit Shelley Conn; nice bonus for the casting department that they look so similar. If you have kids who like the Disney Channel, you might have caught Lemonade Mouth, and if you did, you definitely saw the young songstress as Mohini Banjaree.

Alana Mansour (as Zoe Shannon)
If you think you’ve seen Alana Mansour before, you’re probably in her extended family; the little one who plays the youngest of the Shannons and this is her first major television role.

Allison Miller (as Skye)
This 26 year old actress, definitely doesn’t look it; hence why she played alongside Zac Efron in 17 Again as the young Scarlett. She has also been seen as Michelle Benjamin on the short-lived (what isn’t these days) NBC show Kings.

Mido Hamada (as Guzman)
Tough guy Guzman adds even more diversity to Terra Nova thanks to his German and Egyptian decent. He was recently in the final season of 24 as the main villain Samir, as well as the Liam Neeson psychological thriller Unknown. If you can think back to the 2004 film Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow and remember his face, you’ve found another line on his resume.

Stephen Lang (as Commander Nathaniel Taylor)
The mysterious leader of Terra Nova’s colony has big biceps and an even bigger acting background. His recognition stems from his roles as George Pickett in Gettysburg (1993), Stonewall Jackson in Gods and Generals, as well as more recent films like Avatar where he played Colonel Miles Quaritch and the Conan the Barbarian remake where he donned the role of Khalar Zym. The list goes on and on from there.

Christine Adams (as Mira)
It should come as no surprise that the leader of the rival faction The Sixers is a prominent actress. Yet another female Brit, Christine Adams has been in the spotlight for some time now. She’s been in big blockbusters like Batman Begins (as Jessica) and Tron Legacy (as Claire Atkinson) as well as primetime shows including Lie to Me, Heroes, Nip/Tuck, Journeyman, Stargate SG-1, and Pushing Daisies.

The Dinosaurs (Slashers, etc.)
You know them from 65 million years ago and films like Jurassic Park, King Kong, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and The Land Before Time.

Perhaps you’ve never seen any of those shows or still have those films in your queue at home. Though Terra Nova doesn’t have the biggest of names on its cast list and they are often overshadowed by CGI dinos, if the show becomes a hit, you’ll definitely know these actors from Terra Nova in anything you seem them in going forward.