Rachel Luttrell

Luttrell was born on January 19, 1971,^[1] in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania,^[2] the daughter of Veronica Makihio Shenkunde Luttrell^[3] of the Washambala tribe of the Usambara Mountains, and William Leon Luttrell^[3], a white doctor from Bossier City, Louisiana. She is one of four daughters.^[3] Her family emigrated to Canada when she was five years old,^[2] and she was raised in Toronto.^[2] Her family has several musical roots; her father, a former member of the critically acclaimed Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, trained Luttrell's soprano voice. She studied ballet at the Russian Academy of Classical Ballet School^[4] and also studied piano at The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.^[2][4]

Luttrell made her professional debuts in Canada's premier production of Miss Saigon in Toronto, and as the Enchantress in the Canadian production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast. She would go on to appear in many other stage productions, such as Once On This Island, Goblin Market, and the first production of Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright Lynn Nottage's Las Meninas.^[1]

Following a move to Los Angeles, Luttrell became frustrated with some of the minor roles that were offered to her at the time,^[4] and considered giving up on her acting career to enroll at UCLA to study architecture.^[5] She ventured to the UK instead and studied at the British American Drama Association on a midsummer course at Balliol College, Oxford.^[5]

In 2004, Luttrell was cast in a main role as Athosian warrior-leader Teyla Emmagan^[2] on Stargate Atlantis.^[4] She remained in this role until the end of the series in 2009.^[2][4] Her Atlantis co-star David Hewlett cast her in the Canadian movie A Dog's Breakfast, which he directed.^[1]

In 2011, Luttrell ventured into jazz music, releasing her first album I Wish You Love, produced by Gerrit Kinkel and featuring double bass player Jennifer Leitham, Graham Dechter, Konrad Paszkudzki and drummer Jeff Hamilton.^[5]

Luttrell married Loyd Bateman, a former stunt performer, in 2007;^[6][2] they have two children together, a son, Caden, born in 2007,^[5] and a daughter, Ridley, born in 2012.^[5] They divorced in 2021. Luttrell has two younger sisters, Erica Luttrell,^[3] who is also an actress, and Amanda Luttrell Garrigus,^[3] who is an on-air personality in the fashion and entertainment worlds.^{[citation needed]}