Early life

Luttrell was born in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, the daughter of Veronica Makihio Shenkunde Luttrell of the Washambala tribe of The Usambara Mountains, and Dr. William Leon Luttrell from Bossier City, Louisiana. She is one of four daughters. Her family emigrated to Canada when she was five years old, and she was raised in Toronto. 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 and also studied piano at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto.

Career

Luttrell made her professional débuts in Canada's premier production of Miss Saigon in Toronto, and 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 premier performance of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage's Las Meninas.

Following a move to Los Angeles, Luttrell would go on to appear in many guest star roles on television series.

Frustrated with some of the roles being offered to her at the time, she was considering giving up on her acting career and enrolling at UCLA to study architecture. She ventured to the UK instead and studied at the British American Drama Association on a midsummer course at Balliol College, Oxford. Shortly after her return to Los Angeles, Luttrell was cast in her most high-profile role to date, as Teyla Emmagan on Stargate Atlantis.

She also appeared in the Canadian movie, A Dog's Breakfast which was directed by her fellow Stargate Atlantis co-star David Hewlett.

In 2011 Luttrell released her debut Jazz album "I Wish You Love", which was produced by Austrian record producer Gerrit Kinkel and features Jazz greats like Jeff Hamilton, Jennifer Leitham, Graham Dechter and Konrad Paszkudzki.

Personal life

Luttrell is married to Loyd Bateman, they have two children together. Luttrell has two younger sisters, Erica Luttrell, who is also an actress, and Amanda Luttrell Garrigus, who is an on-air personality for fashion and entertainment. Luttrell is sometimes credited as "Rachel Z. Luttrell".

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1986	Courage	Bobby's Daughter	TV film
1992	Personal Effects		Short film
1995	House
1996	Joe's So Mean to Josephine	Girl in Bar
2001	Feast of All Saints	Lisette	TV film
2001	Impostor	Scan Room Nurse
2003	Everyday Use	Dee
2004	Stop Thief!	Nicky	Short film
2005	Aviary, TheThe Aviary	Portia
2007	Dog's Breakfast, AA Dog's Breakfast	Ratcha
2009	Hardwired	Candace

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1989-1993	Street Legal	Veronica Beck	20 episodes
1992	Forever Knight	Officer Norma Alves	"Hunters"
1993	Maniac Mansion	Lorrie	"Tina and the Teardrops"
1995	Great Defender, TheThe Great Defender	Reporter	"Naked Truth", "Camille"
1997	Dogs	Mimi	"1.1"
1997	In the House	Daphne	"The Cruise: Parts 1 & 2"
1998	Damon	Brenda	"Under Covers"
1998	Sleepwalkers		"Cassandra"
2001	Charmed	Janna	"Exit Strategy"
2001	ER	Paramedic	"Rampage"
2002	Touched by an Angel	Marla	"The Sixteenth Minute"
2004-2009	Stargate Atlantis	Teyla Emmagan	99 episodes
2011	True Justice	Lt. Humphreys	"Urban Warfare: Part 1"
2011	NCIS	Navy Lt. Cmmdr. Stephanie Mosner	"Sins of the Father"
2013	NCIS: Los Angeles	CIA Agent Yvette Lowell	"Big Brother"
2015	No Sleep Till 18	Jill	"Everyone's Got an Opinion"
2016	Arrow	Rosie	"Code of Silence"

[ Source: Wikipedia ]