Michael Biehn
Known for: 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.
Filmography
Series
Criminal Minds
Detective Ron Fullwood
2005
Series
The Walking Dead
Ian
2010
Series
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Leland Dockerty
2001
Series
The Mandalorian
Lang
2019
Film
The Terminator
Kyle Reese
1984
Series
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
1992
Series
Hill Street Blues
1981
Series
Law & Order: Organized Crime
David Carver
2021
Film
Aliens
Corporal Hicks
1986
Series
American Playhouse
Garnet Montrose
1982
Film
Predator: Killer of Killers
Vandy (voice)
2025
Series
ABC Afterschool Special
Seth
1972
Film
The Rock
Commander Charles Anderson
1996
Film
Grease
Mike (uncredited)
1978
Film
The Abyss
Lieutenant Hiram Coffey
1989
Series
Dark Blue
Lt. Jay Frye
2009
Series
Family
Jake
1976
Film
Tombstone
Johnny Ringo
1993
Series
The Word
1990
Film
The Scorpion King 4: Quest for Power
King Yannick
2015
Film
Planet Terror
Sheriff Hague
2007
Series
The Magnificent Seven
Chris Larabee
1998
Series
Logan's Run
Sandman
1977
Film
Grindhouse
Sheriff Hague (segment "Planet Terror")
2007
Film
The Art of War
Robert Bly
2000
Film
Havoc
Stuart Lang
2005
Film
The Divide
Mickey
2012
Series
Metal Hurlant Chronicles
Shérif Biehn
2012
Film
Onslaught
2026
Film
Clockstoppers
Henry Gates
2002
Film
Navy Seals
Lt. James Curran
1990
Series
Hawaii
Sean Harrison
2004
Series
Adventure Inc.
Judson Cross
2002
Film
Timebomb
Eddy Kay / Oliver Dykstra
1991
Film
The Seventh Sign
Russell Quinn
1988
Film
Take Me Home Tonight
Bill Franklin
2011
Series
The Runaways
Mark Johnson
1978
Film
Puncture
Red
2011
Film
From Darkness
Agent Doug Albright
2011
Film
Jade
Bob Hargrove
1995
Film
Cherry Falls
Sherrif Brent Marken
2000
Film
K2
Taylor Brooks
1991
Film
Sushi Girl
Mike
2012
Film
Stiletto
Lee
2008
Film
The Lockdown
Max Hightower
2024
Film
Deadfall
Joe Donan
1993
Film
Streets of Blood
Agent Brown
2009
Film
Bereavement
Jonathan Miller
2010
Film
The Insatiable
Strickland
2006
Film
The Shadow Effect
Sheriff Hodge
2017
Film
Dragon Squad
Petros Angelo
2005
Film
The Martyrdom of St. Sebastian
Sébastien
1984
Film
#NoJoke
Self
2019
Film
They Wait
O'Connell
2007
Film
Mojave Moon
Boyd
1996
Film
The Alien Saga
Self
2002
Film
Megiddo: The Omega Code 2
David Alexander
2001
Film
Blood of the Hunter
Philip Thorton / Blake
1995
Film
The Fan
Douglas Breen
1981
Film
The Making of 'Tombstone'
Self
2002
Film
Susan's Plan
Bill
1998
Film
Dead Men Can't Dance
Robert Hart
1997
Film
The Girl
Father
2014
Film
The Lords of Discipline
John Alexander
1983
Film
A Fire in the Sky
Tom Rearden
1978
Film
Rampage
Anthony Fraser
1987
Film
Asteroid
FEMA Director Jack Wallach
1997
Film
Red Handed
Reynolds
2020
Film
Other Voices: Creating 'The Terminator'
Self
2001
Film
Aliens Expanded
Self
2024
Film
Tapped Out
Reggie
2014
Film
Wreckage and Rage: Making 'Alien³'
Self
2003
Film
Silver Wolf
Roy McLean
1999
Film
Borderline
Det. Macy Kobacek
2002
Film
Chain of Command
Craig Thornton
2000
Film
Strapped
Matthew McRae
1993
Film
The Legend of DarkHorse County
Future Jon Ford
2014
Asteroid
Jack Wallach
1997
Film
American Dragons
Detective Tony Luca
1998
Film
The Victim
Kyle
2011
Film
Psych:9
Det. Marling
2010
Film
The Legend of Butch & Sundance
Mike Cassidy
2006
Film
Alien Evolution
Self / 'Cpl. Dwayne Hicks'
2001
Film
Deep Red
Joe Keyes
1994
Film
Coach
Jack
1978
Film
Under Pressure: Making 'The Abyss'
Self
1993
Film
The Ride
Smokey Banks
1997
Film
Superior Firepower: Making 'Aliens'
Self
2003
The Kellys
Film
Rippy
Uncle Schmitty
2024
Film
Yellow Rock
Tom Hanner
2011
Film
Treachery
Henry
2013
Film
Hidden in the Woods
Oscar Crocker
2014
Film
The Night Visitor 2: Heather's Story
Agent Walker
2016
Film
Hog Wild
Tim Warner
1980
Film
Zuma Beach
J.D.
1978
Film
Deadly Intentions
Dr. Charles Raynor
1985
Film
T2: More Than Meets the Eye
Self
1993
Film
A Taste for Killing
Bo Landry
1992
Film
Breach of Trust
Casey Woods
1995
Film
The Paradise Connection
Larry DeWitt
1979
Film
Clapboard Jungle: Surviving the Independent Film Business
Self
2020
Film
The Making of the Terminator
Self
1985
Film
In the Kingdom of the Blind, the Man with One Eye Is King
Jackie Ryan
1995
Film
China Rose
Daniel Allen
1983
Film
The Blood Bond
John Tremayne
2010
Film
Jacob
Lawrence Kell
2011
Film
Spin
Tony Russo
2007
Film
The Night Visitor
Agent Walker
2015
Film
Conundrum
Det. Stash Horvak
1996
Film
Saving Grace B. Jones
Landy Bretthorst
2009
Film
James at 15
Tony
1977
Film
In a Shallow Grave
Garnet Montrose
1988
Film
Killer Weekend
Dr. Carol
2020
Film
She Rises
Daddy Longlegs
2017
Film
No Prince for My Cinderella
Mark Johnson
1978
The Dark Forest
Peter
Film
Among Friends
Actor in hallucination scene
2012
Film
Die Nacht aus Blei
Eseleine
1985
Film
Terminator: Hunter Killer
Kyle Reese (voice) (archive footage)
2021