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.
98 movies · 19 shows
Predator: Killer of Killers
2025·7.8
Rippy
2024·4.9
The Lockdown
2024·5.9
Aliens Expanded
2024·8.8
Terminator: Hunter Killer
2021·8.5
Red Handed
2020·4.6
Killer Weekend
2020·4.7
Clapboard Jungle: Surviving the Independent Film Business
2020·3.0
#NoJoke
2019·6.2
She Rises
2017·7.0
The Shadow Effect
2017·5.0
The Night Visitor 2: Heather's Story
2016·4.8
The Night Visitor
2015·5.0
The Scorpion King 4: Quest for Power
2015·5.2
Hidden in the Woods
2014·4.6
The Girl
2014·3.7
Tapped Out
2014·5.6
The Legend of DarkHorse County
2014·0.0
Treachery
2013·4.2
Sushi Girl
2012·5.5
Among Friends
2012·4.3
The Divide
2012·5.9
From Darkness
2011·0.0
Yellow Rock
2011·5.5
Jacob
2011·4.1
Puncture
2011·6.7
The Victim
2011·4.7
Take Me Home Tonight
2011·6.0
Bereavement
2010·5.4
The Blood Bond
2010·2.3
Psych:9
2010·4.7
Streets of Blood
2009·4.3
Saving Grace B. Jones
2009·5.4
Stiletto
2008·4.7
They Wait
2007·5.3
Planet Terror
2007·6.7
Grindhouse
2007·7.0
Spin
2007·5.2
The Insatiable
2006·4.9
The Legend of Butch & Sundance
2006·7.0
Dragon Squad
2005·5.8
Havoc
2005·5.3
Superior Firepower: Making 'Aliens'
2003·7.5
Wreckage and Rage: Making 'Alien³'
2003·7.8
Borderline
2002·5.2
The Alien Saga
2002·6.3
Clockstoppers
2002·5.3
The Making of 'Tombstone'
2002·5.0
Alien Evolution
2001·5.9
Megiddo: The Omega Code 2
2001·4.6
Other Voices: Creating 'The Terminator'
2001·5.9
Cherry Falls
2000·5.4
The Art of War
2000·5.7
Chain of Command
2000·5.4
Silver Wolf
1999·6.4
Susan's Plan
1998·4.8
American Dragons
1998·5.0
The Ride
1997·6.7
Dead Men Can't Dance
1997·3.9
Asteroid
1997·5.8
Mojave Moon
1996·4.9
The Rock
1996·7.2
Conundrum
1996·5.9
Jade
1995·5.5
Blood of the Hunter
1995·8.0
In the Kingdom of the Blind, the Man with One Eye Is King
1995·4.5
Breach of Trust
1995·4.9
Deep Red
1994·4.2
Tombstone
1993·7.6
Deadfall
1993·4.1
Under Pressure: Making 'The Abyss'
1993·8.2
Strapped
1993·5.9
T2: More Than Meets the Eye
1993·6.8
A Taste for Killing
1992·5.4
K2
1991·5.7
Timebomb
1991·5.3
Navy Seals
1990·5.4
The Abyss
1989·7.4
In a Shallow Grave
1988·4.8
The Seventh Sign
1988·6.0
Rampage
1987·6.0
Aliens
1986·8.0
Deadly Intentions
1985·6.5
Die Nacht aus Blei
1985·8.5
The Making of the Terminator
1985·8.0
The Terminator
1984·7.7
The Martyrdom of St. Sebastian
1984·5.0
China Rose
1983·7.5
The Lords of Discipline
1983·6.6
The Fan
1981·5.9
Hog Wild
1980·3.2
The Paradise Connection
1979·8.0
A Fire in the Sky
1978·5.8
Zuma Beach
1978·5.3
Grease
1978·7.4
No Prince for My Cinderella
1978·0.0
Coach
1978·3.5
James at 15
1977·7.0