Michael Biehn | |
|---|---|
 Biehn at the 2016San Diego Comic-Con | |
| Born | Michael Connell Biehn[1] (1956-07-31)July 31, 1956 (age 69)[2] Anniston, Alabama, U.S. |
| Education | Lake Havasu High School University of Arizona (no degree) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1977–present |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 5 |
Michael Connell Biehn (/ˈbiːn/BEEN orBean; born July 31, 1956) is an American actor, primarily known for his roles in science fiction films directed byJames Cameron; as Sgt.Kyle Reese inThe Terminator (1984), Cpl.Dwayne Hicks inAliens (1986), and Lt. Hiram Coffey inThe Abyss (1989). His other films includeThe Fan (1981),The Seventh Sign (1988),Navy SEALs (1990),Tombstone (1993),The Rock (1996),Mojave Moon (1996),Megiddo: The Omega Code 2 (2001),Clockstoppers (2002), andPlanet Terror (2007). On television, he has appeared inHill Street Blues (1984),The Magnificent Seven (1998–2000), andAdventure Inc. (2002–2003).
Biehn was born inAnniston, Alabama, the second of three boys born to Marcia (née Connell) and Don Biehn, a lawyer.[3][4] His surname is of German origin.[5]
When Biehn was young, he moved with his family toLincoln, Nebraska,[6] and then toLake Havasu City, Arizona, where he was a member of the high school drama club before graduating.[4] He attended the drama program at theUniversity of Arizona,[3] where he was a member of theSigma Nu fraternity before moving to Hollywood.[7]
Biehn got his start in films with a small part inGrease (1978).[8] He appears in two scenes; in one scene,John Travolta's character, Danny, hits Biehn's uncredited character in the stomach while playing basketball. Shortly thereafter, he appeared in the 1978made for television movie,A Fire in the Sky.[9] He had his first leading role when he played a deranged stalker in the 1981 thrillerThe Fan, oppositeLauren Bacall.[10] On television, Biehn made a guest appearance onHill Street Blues.[11]
In 1984, Biehn playedKyle Reese, a soldier sent back in time byJohn Connor to save his mother,Sarah Connor, in the filmThe Terminator. Biehn appeared oppositeArnold Schwarzenegger andLinda Hamilton; the film was directed byJames Cameron.[12][13] Biehn stated in 2019 that he was initially not enthusiastic about appearing in a Schwarzenegger film, as he had hoped to act alongside the likes ofAl Pacino andRobert De Niro.[14] Biehn went on to have a small role in the sequel,Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), briefly reprising his role as Reese in a scene cut from the final film but restored for the Director's Cut version.[15] In 2019, Biehn confirmed in an interview that he would not be reprising the role forTerminator: Dark Fate or any other future installments.[14]
Biehn starred in a second film directed by James Cameron:Aliens (1986), in which he portrayedCorporal Hicks, a corporal in the Colonial Marines. Originally, Hicks was to be portrayed byJames Remar, who was fired fromAliens shortly after production started. Cameron chose Biehn as a last-minute replacement, being familiar with Biehn as they previously worked together onThe Terminator, so Biehn could immediately begin filming without having to go through "boot camp" training as the rest of the cast had done. Due to his late casting, Biehn was unable to customize his character's combat armor as the other actors had done. Biehn rejected the padlock heart motif that he was given, joking that it was like a giant bullseye on his chest.[16]Sigourney Weaver, who portrayed protagonistEllen Ripley inAliens, praised Biehn for bringing "a sensitivity to the role of Hicks, an alpha male who had no problem following a woman's lead".[16] For his work inAliens, Biehn was nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Actor.[17]
In an early draft ofAlien 3 written byWilliam Gibson, Biehn's characterHicks, who had survived the events ofAliens, was to become the protagonist, replacingEllen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver).[18]Walter Hill and David Giler wrote the final script, which had Hicks killed off in the opening scene. Biehn, furious upon learning of his character's demise, demanded and received almost as much money for the use of his likeness in one scene as he had been paid for his entire role inAliens.[19] Biehn reprised the role of Hicks by voicing the character in the video gameAliens: Colonial Marines and again in 2019 for an audio drama adaptation of Gibson's un-filmed script forAlien 3 released by Audible.[20][21]
Biehn had his third collaboration with James Cameron inThe Abyss (1989), portraying Lieutenant Hiram Coffey who suffers fromhigh-pressure nervous syndrome. Biehn received strong reviews for his performance, with the studio lobbying unsuccessfully for him to be nominated for anOscar as Best Supporting Actor.[16][22][23]
Biehn played the role ofJohnny Ringo inTombstone, including in the showdown scene withVal Kilmer as Doc Holliday.[24]
Biehn portrayed a Navy SEAL for the third time in the action filmThe Rock (1996). WhileThe Rock was the most successful film of Biehn's career in terms of box office gross, it saw his billing and screen time diminished, and after that he never landed another part in a big-budget Hollywood film.[22]
Later, Biehn took acting roles ranging from low-budget films such asThe Art of War andClockstoppers to video games likeCommand & Conquer: Tiberian Sun and independent movies, such asHavoc.[9][25] He starred in three TV series including theCBS dramaThe Magnificent Seven (1998–2000),[26] the Tribune Entertainment syndicated TV seriesAdventure Inc. (2002–2003), and the NBC TV seriesHawaii (2004). All three shows were cancelled because of low ratings.[9] Biehn was considered to portray Colonel Miles Quaritch, the main antagonist of James Cameron's science fiction epic filmAvatar (2009), but Cameron felt his appearance in the film coupled with that of Weaver would remind people too much ofAliens.[27]
Biehn directed the 2010 filmThe Blood Bond.[28] In 2011 he wrote, directed and starred inThe Victim.[29][30] In 2020, Biehn was cast as the villain Lang in the second season of theStar Wars television seriesThe Mandalorian.[31] In 2022, he portrayed Ian in the eleventh season of the AMC horror seriesThe Walking Dead.[32]
In 2025, Biehn returned to theAlien/Predator franchise by voicing the character Vandy in the animated filmPredator: Killer of Killers.[33]
Coinciding with the decline of his acting career during the 1990s, Biehn suffered from alcoholism until the mid-2000s.[22] Biehn suffered astroke around 2008 and hadopen heart surgery.[34] When questioned on why he did not attain stardom despite having lead roles in well-regarded hit films likeThe Terminator andAliens, Biehn told theHollywood Reporter "People always talk about me being an '80s star. I was not an '80s star.Bruce Willis was an '80s star.Tom Cruise was an '80s star.Schwarzenegger andStallone.Mel Gibson. Those guys were making $20 million [a picture]. I never even got $1 million. I kind of liked it that way."[16]
Biehn remains financially comfortable due to hisScreen Actors Guild pension. James Cameron suggested that "what held Michael back was that he didn't like playing the Hollywood game — schmoozing people and all that. For him it was all about the work". Biehn has never hired a publicist and was reportedly never interested in the "fame aspect of the business, even though his agent — and Cameron — both believed he had what it took to be a major star".[16]
Biehn has been married three times and has five sons. In 2019, he stated that he had prioritized his family over his acting career by turning down projects involving long film shoots.[16][22] Biehn's second wife was Gina Marsh.[35] As of 2016, Biehn is married to actressJennifer Blanc, who co-produced and starred alongside him inThe Victim.[36][37][38] The couple has one son, Dashiell King Biehn.[39]
| Institution | Year | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturn Awards | 1987 | Best Actor | Aliens | Nominated |
| 1991 | Special Award | N/a | Won | |
| 2011 | Life Career Award | N/a | Won | |
| 2022 | Best Guest Starring Role on Television | The Walking Dead | Nominated | |
| Sitges Film Festival | 2011 | Time-Machine Honorary Award | N/a | Won |
