Michael Biehn
Born: 1956-07-31 in Anniston, Alabama, USA
Known For: Acting
Biography
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.
Filmography
2025
- Predator: Killer of Killers as Vandy (voice)
2024
- Aliens Expanded as Self
- Rippy as Uncle Schmitty
- The Lockdown as Max Hightower
2021
- Law & Order: Organized Crime as David Carver
- Terminator: Hunter Killer as Kyle Reese (voice) (archive footage)
2020
- Red Handed as Reynolds
- Clapboard Jungle: Surviving the Independent Film Business as Self
- Killer Weekend as Dr. Carol
2019
- The Mandalorian as Lang
- #NoJoke as Self
2017
- The Shadow Effect as Sheriff Hodge
- She Rises as Daddy Longlegs
2016
- The Night Visitor 2: Heather's Story as Agent Walker
2015
- The Scorpion King 4: Quest for Power as King Yannick
- The Night Visitor as Agent Walker
2014
- Tapped Out as Reggie
- The Legend of DarkHorse County as Future Jon Ford
- The Girl as Father
- Hidden in the Woods as Oscar Crocker
- Mindless ... (Executive Producer)
2013
- Treachery as Henry
2012
- Metal Hurlant Chronicles as Shérif Biehn
- The Divide as Mickey
- Sushi Girl as Mike
- Among Friends as Actor in hallucination scene
2011
- Take Me Home Tonight as Bill Franklin
- Puncture as Red
- Yellow Rock as Tom Hanner
- The Victim as Kyle
- Jacob as Lawrence Kell
- From Darkness as Agent Doug Albright
2010
- The Walking Dead as Ian
- Bereavement as Jonathan Miller
- The Blood Bond as John Tremayne
- Psych:9 as Det. Marling
2009
- Dark Blue as Lt. Jay Frye
- Streets of Blood as Agent Brown
- Saving Grace B. Jones as Landy Bretthorst
2008
- Stiletto as Lee
2007
- Planet Terror as Sheriff Hague
- Grindhouse as Sheriff Hague (segment "Planet Terror")
- Spin as Tony Russo
- They Wait as O'Connell
2006
- The Insatiable as Strickland
- The Legend of Butch & Sundance as Mike Cassidy
2005
- Criminal Minds as Detective Ron Fullwood
- Havoc as Stuart Lang
- Dragon Squad as Petros Angelo
2004
- Hawaii as Sean Harrison
2003
2002
- Adventure Inc. as Judson Cross
- Clockstoppers as Henry Gates
- The Alien Saga as Self
- Borderline as Det. Macy Kobacek
- The Making of 'Tombstone' as Self
2001
- Law & Order: Criminal Intent as Leland Dockerty
- Megiddo: The Omega Code 2 as David Alexander
- Alien Evolution as Self / 'Cpl. Dwayne Hicks'
- Other Voices: Creating 'The Terminator' as Self
2000
- The Art of War as Robert Bly
- Cherry Falls as Sherrif Brent Marken
- Chain of Command as Craig Thornton
1999
- Silver Wolf as Roy McLean
1998
- The Magnificent Seven as Chris Larabee
- Susan's Plan as Bill
- American Dragons as Detective Tony Luca
1997
- Asteroid as FEMA Director Jack Wallach
- Asteroid as Jack Wallach
- Dead Men Can't Dance as Robert Hart
- The Ride as Smokey Banks
1996
- The Rock as Commander Charles Anderson
- Mojave Moon as Boyd
- Conundrum as Det. Stash Horvak
1995
- Jade as Bob Hargrove
- In the Kingdom of the Blind, the Man with One Eye Is King as Jackie Ryan
- Breach of Trust as Casey Woods
- Blood of the Hunter as Philip Thorton / Blake
1994
- Deep Red as Joe Keyes
1993
- Tombstone as Johnny Ringo
- Deadfall as Joe Donan
- Strapped as Matthew McRae
- Under Pressure: Making 'The Abyss' as Self
- T2: More Than Meets the Eye as Self
1992
- The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
- A Taste for Killing as Bo Landry
1990
- Navy Seals as Lt. James Curran
1989
- The Abyss as Lieutenant Hiram Coffey
1988
- The Seventh Sign as Russell Quinn
- In a Shallow Grave as Garnet Montrose
- Martini Ranch: Reach ... (Thanks)
1987
- Rampage as Anthony Fraser
1986
- Aliens as Corporal Hicks
1985
- Deadly Intentions as Dr. Charles Raynor
- The Making of the Terminator as Self
- Die Nacht aus Blei as Eseleine
1984
- The Terminator as Kyle Reese
- The Martyrdom of St. Sebastian as Sébastien
1983
- The Lords of Discipline as John Alexander
- China Rose as Daniel Allen
1981
- Hill Street Blues
- The Fan as Douglas Breen
1980
- Hog Wild as Tim Warner
1979
- The Paradise Connection as Larry DeWitt
1978
- Grease as Mike (uncredited)
- The Runaways as Mark Johnson
- Coach as Jack
- A Fire in the Sky as Tom Rearden
- Zuma Beach as J.D.
- No Prince for My Cinderella as Mark Johnson
1977
- Logan's Run as Sandman
- James at 15 as Tony
1976
- Family as Jake
1972
- ABC Afterschool Special as Seth