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Alan van Sprang (born 19 June 1971; age 52) is a Canadian actor who portrayed Leland in the second season of Star Trek: Discovery, as well as in a bonus scene from the first season episode "Will You Take My Hand?". [1] He later portrayed Control after this character possessed Leland's body in "Perpetual Infinity".

To prepare for his role, Van Sprang watched the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episodes where Section 31 were introduced. [2]

Born in Calgary, Canada, van Sprang has been acting in films and television since 1994. He is best known for his portrayal of Sir Francis Bryan in the historical drama series The Tudors (2009), where his co-stars included James Frain and Annabelle Wallis, and for his role of King Henry in another historical show, Reign (2013-15), which starred Adelaide Kane. He also played the character Valentine Morgenstern on the supernatural / horror series Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments between 2016 and 2019.

Van Sprang played Atavus leader Howlyn in the fifth and final season of Gene Roddenberry's science fiction show Earth: Final Conflict (2001-02), where he acted alongside Roddenberry's widow, Majel Barrett Roddenberry. His other television credits include guest roles on shows like Highlander: The Raven (1998), Monk (2002, with Stephen McHattie), Mutant X (2003), 1-800-Missing (2004), Degrassi: The Next Generation (2005, with Jake Epstein), Being Erica (2009-10, with Riley Gilchrist), Rookie Blue (2011, with Melanie Nicholls-King), Saving Hope (2013), and Taken (2017).

In film, he is best known for appearing in three of director George A. Romero's zombie movies, Land of the Dead (2005, with Jonathan Whittaker, Simon Pegg, Nick Alachiotis, and Pamela Mars), Diary of the Dead (2007, with Chris Violette, Daniel Kash, Nick Alachiotis, and Simon Pegg), and Survival of the Dead (2009). He also appeared in the 2006 horror sequel Saw III (with Dina Meyer) and the 2011 mythological adventure Immortals (with Stephen McHattie, Conrad Pla, Tyler Hynes, and Mark Margolis).

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