She trained at the prestigious Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and graduated winning the Newton Blick Award for versatility.

Lukes is best known for playing series regular Sgt Julia Richmond in the Cinemax show Strike Back, Lisa Torres in the BBC drama Doctors, Mother Miranda in Resident Evil Village, and Kelly - 087 in Halo 5: Guardians and The Fall of Reach for Netflix.

Alongside her numerous other film and television appearances, Lukes has taken on stage roles for the Royal National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company and the Bristol Old Vic.

In 2004 she was hand-picked to be the on-set Dance Supervisor for Oliver Stone's Alexander, in which she also appeared.

[1] In 2019, Michelle stars in the movie Samir with Sprague Grayden, Ethan Rains, and Peter Greene.