Michael Biehn

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.

Most Known For

Criminal Minds

as Detective Ron Fullwood

The Walking Dead

as Ian

The Mandalorian

as Lang

Law & Order: Criminal Intent

as Leland Dockerty

Law & Order: Organized Crime

as David Carver

The Terminator

as Kyle Reese

Hill Street Blues

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

Aliens

as Corporal Hicks

ABC Afterschool Special

as Seth

Grease

as Mike (uncredited)

Predator: Killer of Killers

as Vandy (voice)

Tombstone

as Johnny Ringo

Family

as Jake

The Rock

as Commander Charles Anderson

The Abyss

as Lieutenant Hiram Coffey

K2

as Taylor Brooks

The Magnificent Seven

as Chris Larabee

Planet Terror

as Sheriff Hague

Clockstoppers

as Henry Gates