Psi Collar

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Atkins gained fame for his role as Dr. Michael Gallant, a character that debuted in the eighth season (2001) of the NBC medical drama ER. He left ER after the 2003–2004 season. In 2004, he went on to star in the short-lived police drama Hawaii as former Chicago Police Department Detective John Declan, who transferred to an elite crime unit of the Honolulu Police Department. Atkins continued to make guest appearances in both the 2004–2005 and 2005–2006 seasons of ER, with his character returning on leave from duty in Iraq as a U.S. Army physician. His character was killed in Iraq at the end of the 2005–2006 season. Atkins also portrayed the recurring character Gary Navarro in the series The 4400. In 2005, Atkins appeared in the TV sitcom Eve as Shelly's boyfriend Grant. Atkins played Special Agent Clinton Jones in USA Network's White Collar from 2009 to 2014. He has appeared as Assistant United States Attorney Rivers in the CBS drama The Good Wife. In 2009, he appeared in season 4, episode 25 of Criminal Minds - "To Hell..." as Sgt. William Hightower. Atkins has also guest-starred in season 8 of CSI: Miami. In 2014, he appeared as a Nova Corps pilot in Guardians of the Galaxy. In 2021, he began a recurring role as Norman 'Boom Boom' Gates in NCIS: Hawaiʻi until the series was cancelled in 2024.

In Their Own Story

From the ER trauma bay to the FBI's white-collar division to the shores of Hawaiʻi, Sharif Atkins has played authority figures who operate under pressure. His most famous character, Dr. Michael Gallant, started as a medical resident in season 8 of ER, left after the 2003–2004 season, then returned as a U.S. Army physician on leave from Iraq. That return led to his character's death in Iraq at the end of the 2005–2006 season. On White Collar, Atkins played FBI Agent Clinton Jones for five seasons, from 2009 to 2014. Most recently, he played Captain Norman 'Boom Boom' Gates on NCIS: Hawaiʻi from 2021 until the show's cancellation in 2024.

Reader's Guide

Sharif Atkins was born on January 29, 1975, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and grew up in Chicago, Illinois. He earned his bachelor's degree in theatre/speech from Northwestern University in 1997. While at Northwestern in 1996, Atkins was initiated as a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity (Theta chapter). In 1998, he studied at the Los Angeles Performing Arts Conservatory (formerly PDAC) before getting his start in film and television. His breakout role was Dr. Michael Gallant on ER, which debuted in the eighth season (2001). He left ER after the 2003–2004 season but made guest appearances in the 2004–2005 and 2005–2006 seasons. In 2004, he starred in the short-lived police drama Hawaii as Detective John Declan. He played FBI Agent Clinton Jones on White Collar from 2009 to 2014. He appeared as Assistant United States Attorney Rivers on The Good Wife, as Sgt. William Hightower in Criminal Minds season 4 episode 25 "To Hell...", and guest-starred in season 8 of CSI: Miami. In 2014, he appeared as a Nova Corps pilot in Guardians of the Galaxy. From 2021 to 2024, he played Captain Norman 'Boom Boom' Gates on NCIS: Hawaiʻi.

Did You Know?

• Sharif Atkins was born on January 29, 1975, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
• He earned his bachelor's degree in theatre/speech from Northwestern University in 1997.
• While at Northwestern in 1996, Atkins was initiated as a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity (Theta chapter).
• Atkins played Dr. Michael Gallant on ER from 2001 to 2006, with his character killed in Iraq at the end of the 2005–2006 season.
• He played FBI Agent Clinton Jones on White Collar from 2009 to 2014.