David Palffy is a film and television actor of Welsh - Hungarian descent. He attended Harvard and the University of Calgary studying law (LLB) degree. Palffy left law to attend the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, England after which he appeared in a number of notable theatrical productions such as Midsummer Nights Dream as Oberon, Richard III, Strindberg's Miss Julie, and David Mamet's Speed The Plow.

Palffy lived on a Dutch barge while living in London until his appearance in Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket (1987). Shortly afterwards, he was cast as the lead in the acclaimed Dutch War series De zomer van '45 (1991) followed by appearances with The National Theatre Company. On his return to Canada and the US, he was cast in numerous film and television productions while working as a writer and director and founder of The Yaletown Actors Lab.

Among his numerous credits, he played the most notorious Goa'uld villains Sokar and Anubis in Stargate SG-1 (1997).

He is happily married to actress, Erica Durance, who is the star of the hit series Saving Hope (2012). They have lived together in Vancouver for 15 years.