Michael Biehn
Acting
Michael Connell Biehn is an American actor whose work in 1980s and 1990s genre cinema helped define the modern action and science-fiction lead. He is most closely associated with James Cameron’s films, where he repeatedly embodied hardened, battle-tested characters grounded in realism rather than spectacle, most famously Kyle Reese in The Terminator (1984), Corporal Hicks in Aliens (1986), and Lieutenant Coffey in The Abyss (1989). Those performances became blueprints for the emotionally restrained, competent action hero and continue to influence how military and sci-fi protagonists are written and played. Beyond his Cameron collaborations, Biehn appeared in a run of cult and mainstream genre staples, including Navy SEALs (1990), Tombstone (1993), and The Rock (1996), often bringing a grounded intensity that contrasted with larger-than-life co-stars. His portrayal of Johnny Ringo in Tombstone is frequently cited as one of the era’s most memorable villains, defined by menace, precision, and restraint rather than excess. His cult status was later reinforced during the Tarantino–Rodriguez Grindhouse era with his appearance in Planet Terror (2007), part of the double-feature project released alongside Quentin Tarantino’s Death Proof, linking Biehn’s legacy to modern exploitation-inspired genre cinema. That legacy carried into modern franchise television with his appearance as Lang in The Mandalorian (2020), reinforcing his enduring connection to science fiction and action storytelling across generations. Biehn’s work has earned long-standing respect among filmmakers, actors, and genre fans, with his performance in Aliens earning a Saturn Award nomination and his overall body of work achieving lasting cult recognition. While never positioned as a traditional blockbuster star, his influence spans decades of science fiction, action, westerns, and modern franchise storytelling.
Known for
Acting120
moviePredator: Killer of Killers
2025
Vandy (voice)
movieRippy
2024
Uncle Schmitty
movieThe Lockdown
2024
Max Hightower
movieTerminator: Hunter Killer
2021
Kyle Reese (voice) (archive footage)
tvLaw & Order: Organized Crime
2021
David Carver
movieRed Handed
2020
Reynolds
movieKiller Weekend
2020
Dr. Carol
movie#NoJoke
2019
Self
movieShe Rises
2017
Daddy Longlegs
movieThe Shadow Effect
2017
Sheriff Hodge
movieThe Night Visitor 2: Heather's Story
2016
Agent Walker
movieThe Night Visitor
2015
Agent Walker
movieThe Scorpion King 4: Quest for Power
2015
King Yannick
movieHidden in the Woods
2014
Oscar Crocker
movieThe Girl
2014
Father
movieTapped Out
2014
Reggie
movieThe Legend of DarkHorse County
2014
Future Jon Ford
movieTreachery
2013
Henry
tvMetal Hurlant Chronicles
2012
Shérif Biehn
movieAmong Friends
2012
Actor in hallucination scene
movieThe Divide
2012
Mickey
movieFrom Darkness
2011
Agent Doug Albright
movieYellow Rock
2011
Tom Hanner
movieJacob
2011
Lawrence Kell
movieTake Me Home Tonight
2011
Bill Franklin
movieBereavement
2010
Jonathan Miller
movieThe Blood Bond
2010
John Tremayne
moviePsych:9
2010
Det. Marling
tvDark Blue
2009
Lt. Jay Frye
movieStreets of Blood
2009
Agent Brown
movieSaving Grace B. Jones
2009
Landy Bretthorst
movieThey Wait
2007
O'Connell
moviePlanet Terror
2007
Sheriff Hague
movieGrindhouse
2007
Sheriff Hague (segment "Planet Terror")
movieSpin
2007
Tony Russo
movieThe Insatiable
2006
Strickland
movieThe Legend of Butch & Sundance
2006
Mike Cassidy
movieDragon Squad
2005
Petros Angelo
movieHavoc
2005
Stuart Lang
tvCriminal Minds
2005
Detective Ron Fullwood
tvHawaii
2004
Sean Harrison
movieBorderline
2002
Det. Macy Kobacek
tvAdventure Inc.
2002
Judson Cross
movieClockstoppers
2002
Henry Gates
movieAlien Evolution
2001
Self / 'Cpl. Dwayne Hicks'
tvLaw & Order: Criminal Intent
2001
Leland Dockerty
movieMegiddo: The Omega Code 2
2001
David Alexander
movieCherry Falls
2000
Sherrif Brent Marken
movieThe Art of War
2000
Robert Bly
movieChain of Command
2000
Craig Thornton
movieSilver Wolf
1999
Roy McLean
movieAmerican Dragons
1998
Detective Tony Luca
tvThe Magnificent Seven
1998
Chris Larabee
movieThe Ride
1997
Smokey Banks
movieDead Men Can't Dance
1997
Robert Hart
movieAsteroid
1997
FEMA Director Jack Wallach
Asteroid
1997
Jack Wallach
movieThe Rock
1996
Commander Charles Anderson
movieConundrum
1996
Det. Stash Horvak
movieJade
1995
Bob Hargrove
movieBlood of the Hunter
1995
Philip Thorton / Blake
movieBreach of Trust
1995
Casey Woods
movieDeep Red
1994
Joe Keyes
movieTombstone
1993
Johnny Ringo
movieDeadfall
1993
Joe Donan
movieStrapped
1993
Matthew McRae
movieA Taste for Killing
1992
Bo Landry
movieK2
1991
Taylor Brooks
movieTimebomb
1991
Eddy Kay / Oliver Dykstra
movieNavy Seals
1990
Lt. James Curran
movieThe Abyss
1989
Lieutenant Hiram Coffey
movieIn a Shallow Grave
1988
Garnet Montrose
movieThe Seventh Sign
1988
Russell Quinn
movieRampage
1987
Anthony Fraser
movieAliens
1986
Corporal Hicks
movieDeadly Intentions
1985
Dr. Charles Raynor
movieDie Nacht aus Blei
1985
Eseleine
movieThe Terminator
1984
Kyle Reese
movieChina Rose
1983
Daniel Allen
movieThe Lords of Discipline
1983
John Alexander
tvAmerican Playhouse
1982
Garnet Montrose
movieThe Fan
1981
Douglas Breen
movieHog Wild
1980
Tim Warner
movieThe Paradise Connection
1979
Larry DeWitt
movieA Fire in the Sky
1978
Tom Rearden
movieGrease
1978
Mike (uncredited)
movieNo Prince for My Cinderella
1978
Mark Johnson
tvThe Runaways
1978
Mark Johnson
movieCoach
1978
Jack
tvLogan's Run
1977
Sandman
tvFamily
1976
Jake
Production9
movieKiller Weekend
2020
Executive Producer
movieAltered Perception
2018
Executive Producer
movieShe Rises
2017
Executive Producer
movieFetish Factory
2017
Executive Producer
moviePsychophonia
2016
Executive Producer
movieThe Night Visitor
2015
Executive Producer
movieHidden in the Woods
2014
Producer
movieThe Girl
2014
Executive Producer
movieMindless
2014
Executive Producer
Directing2
movieThe Victim
2011
Director
movieThe Blood Bond
2010
Director
Writing2
movieThe Victim
2011
Screenplay
movieThe Blood Bond
2010
Screenplay
