Tim Russ was born into an Air Force Family. Because his father was in the service, his family moved frequently, spending time in Asia and the Middle East, before finally settling in Sacramento, CA.
In high school, he appeared in his first stage performance in a musicial. From high school, he went on to study at St. Edwards University.
Russ, a Star Trek fan, was the second choice for the role of Geordi LaForge in the Next Generation and tried for a role on DS9, but lost both. He did, however, appear many times on both.