Michael Biehn facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Michael Biehn
Biehn at the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con
Born	Michael Connell Biehn (1956-07-31) July 31, 1956 (age 69) Anniston, Alabama, U.S.
Education	Lake Havasu High School University of Arizona (no degree)
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1977–present
Spouse(s)	Carlene Olson ​ ​ (m. 1980; div. 1987)​ Gina Marsh ​ ​ (m. 1988; div. 2014)​ Jennifer Blanc ​ (m. 2015)​
Children	5

Michael Connell Biehn (born July 31, 1956) is an American actor. He is famous for his roles in science fiction movies, especially those directed by James Cameron.

Many people know him as Sergeant Kyle Reese in The Terminator (1984), Corporal Dwayne Hicks in Aliens (1986), and Lieutenant Coffey in The Abyss (1989). He also appeared in other popular films like Navy SEALs (1990), Tombstone (1993), and The Rock (1996). On television, he was in shows like The Magnificent Seven and The Mandalorian.

Early Life and Education

Michael Biehn was born in Anniston, Alabama. He was the second of three sons born to Marcia and Don Biehn, who was a lawyer. His last name has German roots.

When he was young, his family moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, and later to Lake Havasu City, Arizona. In high school, he joined the drama club and discovered his love for acting. After graduating, he studied drama at the University of Arizona. He was part of the Sigma Nu fraternity there before he moved to Hollywood to start his acting career.

Acting Career

Biehn's career began with a small role in the movie Grease (1978). He appeared in a scene where John Travolta's character, Danny, hits him in the stomach during a basketball game.

Working with James Cameron

Biehn became famous after working with director James Cameron on several big movies.

The Terminator

In 1984, Biehn played Kyle Reese in The Terminator. His character was a soldier sent from the future to protect Sarah Connor from a killer robot played by Arnold Schwarzenegger. At first, Biehn wasn't sure about being in a movie with Schwarzenegger. He had hoped to act with stars like Al Pacino. But the role made him famous. He also appeared briefly in the sequel, Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), in a scene that was added to the Director's Cut version of the film.

Aliens

Biehn and James Cameron worked together again on Aliens (1986). He played Corporal Dwayne Hicks, a brave space marine. Another actor was originally cast for the role, but Biehn was brought in as a last-minute replacement. Because he started late, he didn't get to customize his character's armor like the other actors. For his performance, Biehn was nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Actor.

The character of Hicks was very popular. In an early script for the next movie, Alien 3, Hicks was supposed to be the main hero. However, the final script had his character die at the beginning. When Biehn found out, he made sure he was paid for the use of his image in the film. He later voiced Hicks in the video game Aliens: Colonial Marines and in a 2019 audio drama.

The Abyss

His third movie with James Cameron was The Abyss (1989). He played Lieutenant Hiram Coffey, a Navy SEAL who struggles with the intense pressure of the deep ocean. His performance was highly praised by critics.

Other Famous Roles

In the 1993 western Tombstone, Biehn played the outlaw Johnny Ringo. He had a memorable showdown scene with Val Kilmer's character, Doc Holliday.

He played a Navy SEAL again in the action movie The Rock (1996). This was one of the highest-grossing films of his career. After this, he acted in many different projects, from smaller films to video games like Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun.

Television and Recent Work

Biehn has also had a successful career in television. He starred in the series The Magnificent Seven from 1998 to 2000 and Adventure Inc. from 2002 to 2003.

He was considered for the role of the main villain in James Cameron's movie Avatar (2009). However, Cameron decided against it because he felt that having both Biehn and Sigourney Weaver in the film would remind audiences too much of Aliens.

In 2020, Biehn joined the Star Wars universe. He played the character Lang in the second season of the popular TV series The Mandalorian. In 2022, he appeared as Ian in the horror series The Walking Dead. In 2025, he voiced the character Vandal in the animated film Predator: Killer of Killers.

Personal Life

Biehn and his wife, actress Jennifer Blanc, in 2012. They worked together on the film The Victim.

Biehn has said that he was never very interested in being a huge celebrity. He preferred to focus on his acting work rather than the fame that came with it. In an interview, he explained why he didn't become a superstar like some of his co-stars.

"People always talk about me being an '80s star. I was not an '80s star," he said. "Bruce Willis was an '80s star. Tom Cruise was an '80s star. Schwarzenegger and Stallone. ... I never even got $1 million. I kind of liked it that way."

Director James Cameron said that Biehn "didn't like playing the Hollywood game." Biehn has always prioritized his family, sometimes turning down roles that would have kept him away from home for too long.

Biehn has been married three times and has five sons. He is currently married to actress Jennifer Blanc. They have one son together, Dashiell King Biehn.

Accolades

See also

In Spanish: Michael Biehn para niños