He is known for his television roles as Cullen Bohannon in the AMCwestern drama series Hell on Wheels, as Jim Steele on the NBC series Conviction (2006), as the Marvel Comics superhero Black Bolt in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) media franchise (appearing in Inhumans and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness), and as Captain Christopher "Chris" Pike in the Star Trek television series Discovery, Short Treks (2019), and Strange New Worlds (2022–present). He also starred opposite Britney Spears in the coming-of-age film Crossroads (2002). He is a member of the board of directors of METI International.