Acting
Michael Biehn
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
Onslaught
Film · 2026
Predator: Killer of Killers
Film · 2025
Rippy
Film · 2024
Aliens Expanded
Film · 2024
The Lockdown
Film · 2024
Law & Order: Organized Crime
Series · 2021
Clapboard Jungle: Surviving the Independent Film Business
Film · 2020
Red Handed
Film · 2020
Killer Weekend
Film · 2020
#NoJoke
Film · 2019
The Mandalorian
Series · 2019
The Shadow Effect
Film · 2017
She Rises
Film · 2017
The Night Visitor 2: Heather's Story
Film · 2016
The Scorpion King 4: Quest for Power
Film · 2015
The Night Visitor
Film · 2015
Tapped Out
Film · 2014
Hidden in the Woods
Film · 2014
The Girl
Film · 2014
The Legend of DarkHorse County
Film · 2014
Treachery
Film · 2013
Sushi Girl
Film · 2012
The Divide
Film · 2012
Among Friends
Film · 2012
Metal Hurlant Chronicles
Series · 2012
The Victim
Film · 2011
Take Me Home Tonight
Film · 2011
Puncture
Film · 2011
Yellow Rock
Film · 2011
From Darkness
Film · 2011
Jacob
Film · 2011
Psych:9
Film · 2010
The Blood Bond
Film · 2010
Bereavement
Film · 2010
The Walking Dead
Series · 2010
Saving Grace B. Jones
Film · 2009
Streets of Blood
Film · 2009
Dark Blue
Series · 2009
Stiletto
Film · 2008
Planet Terror
Film · 2007
They Wait
Film · 2007
Spin
Film · 2007
Grindhouse
Film · 2007
The Insatiable
Film · 2006
The Legend of Butch & Sundance
Film · 2006
Dragon Squad
Film · 2005
Havoc
Film · 2005
Criminal Minds
Series · 2005
Hawaii
Series · 2004
Superior Firepower: Making 'Aliens'
Film · 2003
Wreckage and Rage: Making 'Alien³'
Film · 2003
Clockstoppers
Film · 2002
Borderline
Film · 2002
The Alien Saga
Film · 2002
The Making of 'Tombstone'
Film · 2002
Adventure Inc.
Series · 2002
Alien Evolution
Film · 2001
Megiddo: The Omega Code 2
Film · 2001
Other Voices: Creating 'The Terminator'
Film · 2001
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Series · 2001
Cherry Falls
Film · 2000
Chain of Command
Film · 2000
The Art of War
Film · 2000
Silver Wolf
Film · 1999
Susan's Plan
Film · 1998
American Dragons
Film · 1998
The Magnificent Seven
Series · 1998
Asteroid
Film · 1997
Dead Men Can't Dance
Film · 1997
The Ride
Film · 1997
Asteroid
Series · 1997
Mojave Moon
Film · 1996
The Rock
Film · 1996
Conundrum
Film · 1996
Breach of Trust
Film · 1995
Jade
Film · 1995
In the Kingdom of the Blind, the Man with One Eye Is King
Film · 1995
Blood of the Hunter
Film · 1995
Deep Red
Film · 1994
Tombstone
Film · 1993
Strapped
Film · 1993
Deadfall
Film · 1993
Under Pressure: Making 'The Abyss'
Film · 1993
T2: More Than Meets the Eye
Film · 1993
A Taste for Killing
Film · 1992
The Making of 'Alien³'
Film · 1992
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
Series · 1992
K2
Film · 1991
Timebomb
Film · 1991
Navy Seals
Film · 1990
The Word
Series · 1990
The Abyss
Film · 1989
The Seventh Sign
Film · 1988
In a Shallow Grave
Film · 1988
Rampage
Film · 1987
Aliens
Film · 1986
Die Nacht aus Blei
Film · 1985
Deadly Intentions
Film · 1985
The Making of the Terminator
Film · 1985
The Terminator
Film · 1984
The Martyrdom of St. Sebastian
Film · 1984
The Lords of Discipline
Film · 1983
China Rose
Film · 1983
American Playhouse
Series · 1982
The Fan
Film · 1981
Hill Street Blues
Series · 1981
Hog Wild
Film · 1980
The Paradise Connection
Film · 1979
Zuma Beach
Film · 1978
No Prince for My Cinderella
Film · 1978
Coach
Film · 1978
A Fire in the Sky
Film · 1978
Grease
Film · 1978
The Runaways
Series · 1978
James at 15
Film · 1977
Logan's Run
Series · 1977
Family
Series · 1976
ABC Afterschool Special
Series · 1972
The Dark Forest
Film
The Kellys
Film