Matthew Fox

• Character: Jack Shephard
• Date of Birth: July 14th, 1966
• Age: 43

Matthew was born in 1966 in Pennsylvania, USA. His mother was a teacher and his father raised cattle and horses. While attending Columbia University, Matthew played wide receiver on the university's football team. While he had originally applied to work in stocks upon graduation from Columbia, Matthew then landed his first acting job at the age of 25, appearing on an episode of the TV show, Wings.

Matthew had guest roles on various other television shows, including Freshman Dorm, before he was cast as Charlie Salinger on the new show, Party of Five. Party of Five received critical acclaim and ran for six seasons, from 1994 until 2000. After Party of Five was cancelled, Matthew also starred in the series Haunted, which began in 2002.

In September 2004 Matthew landed the role of Jack Sheppard on the new ABC series, Lost. He had initially auditioned for the role of James "Sawyer" Ford, but producers liked him better for the role of Jack, who was originally intended to be killed after only one episode. Fortunately, ABC executives asked the series creators to allow Jack to live past the first episode.

Matthew's roles have been primarily limited to the small screen, although he has appeared in movies such as Vantage Point, Smokin' Aces and We Are Marshall.

Matthew was cast as Jack Sheppard in Lost in 2004 and lives in Hawaii, where Lost is filmed. He is married with two children. It is rumored that Matthew is the only cast member who knows how Lost will end.

Jack Shephard

Jack was born into a wealthy family and became a surgeon like his father. Although Jack's father, Christian Sheppard, constantly put his son down while he was growing up, Jack became a very successful spinal surgeon. He operated on a woman named Sarah, whose spine had been crushed in a car accident. While her initial prognosis had been bleak, Jack managed to repair her spine. The two of them fell in love and eventually got married.

Unfortunately, Jack is a workaholic and, as he and Sarah grew apart, Sarah had an affair. Jack initially refused to agree to a divorce and demanded to know the identity of the man Sarah was sleeping with, even suspecting his own father for a time.

During one operation, Jack relieved his father, who he learned was operating on patients while drunk. Jack refused to cover up his father's alcoholism and his father lost his job as Chief of Staff as a result. A few months later, Jack's mother asked him to go to Australia to retrieve his father, who had fled there. Unfortunately, Jack was too late and found his father dead in a morgue. Jack arranged to have his father’s casket board Oceanic Flight 816 and went to accompany his father's body back to Los Angeles when the plane crashed.

On the island, Jack acts as doctor and leader of the group of survivors. Jack's leadership style often clashes with that of John Locke. Jack is initially attracted to fellow survivor Kate Austin, who he learns early on is a fugitive. Jack also has visions of his father's body on the island and, while he finds his father’s coffin in the jungle, he does not find his body.

Jack's affections for Kate are challenged by James "Sawyer" Ford, who Kate is drawn to as a result of his bad boy image. At the end of Season 2 Jack, Kate and Sawyer are taken hostage by The Others. Jack is asked to perform spinal surgery on the Others' leader, Benjamin Linus. While performing the surgery, Jack holds Ben hostage, allowing Kate and Sawyer to escape. While being held captive, Jack develops a friendship with one of the Others, Juliet Burke and eventually the two share a kiss.

Kate returns to rescues Jack, but he tells her that he made a deal to return home, along with Juliet. Unfortunately, that plan is thwarted when Locke blows up the submarine that was to get Jack home. Jack and Juliet return to the survivors' beach. Jack then attempts to lead the group to a radio tower to call for help from a freighter that is close to the island, at which time he tells Kate that he loves her.

Locke and Jack clash over whether they should contact the freighter, which causes the survivors to divide into two camps, one under Locke and the other under Jack. Jack then meets several members of the freighter crew and takes them back to the beach, while Locke and his people take up residence in Othertown. Jack eventually rendezvous with several survivors, who make their way to the freighter and then a helicopter as the freighter explodes, seemingly killing Jin and Michael. After the helicopter crashes and the island disappears, Jack and the others are rescued by Penny Widmore. Jack, Sayid, Kate, Aaron, Sun and Hurley stage a fake rescue on a nearby island and, when they return to Los Angeles, they lie about the crash, claiming that they were the only survivors.

Jack begins a relationship with Kate back in Los Angeles after she is acquitted at trial of her previous crimes. He also learns from Claire’s mother that she is his half-sister (and that they share the same father). Unfortunately, Kate acts secretive about doing something for Sawyer, who Jack is still jealous of and Jack breaks off their engagement. It is later revealed that John Locke, now calling himself Jeremy Bentham, approached Jack and told him that he needs to return to the island, as horrible things happened to those who remained there after Jack left.

After that, Jack turns to drinking and flies around the world in an attempt to return to the island. Despondent, Jack attempts to take his own life, but is stopped by a nearby car crash. Jack tells Kate one night that they have to go back to the island, but Kate angrily blows him off. Jack then goes to a funeral parlor and meets up again with Benjamin Linus, who had also left the island. Three years have passed since they have left the island, but Ben tells Jack that there is a way for all of them to return, provided that they all go back together. While Jack and Ben are talking, it is revealed that Locke/Bentham's body is in the coffin at the funeral parlor.

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