Celebrity Nooz: Michael Biehn

Michael Biehn (Actor) - Aliens

Updated: 6/16/20

Name: Michael Biehn

Birth Name: Michael Connell Biehn

Born: July 31, 1956 in Anniston, Alabama, USA

Nickname: Mick

Claim To Fame: Michael Biehn is an American actor, primarily known for his military roles in science fiction films directed by James Cameron; as Sgt. Kyle Reese in The Terminator (1984), Cpl. Dwayne Hicks in Aliens (1986), and Lt. Coffey in The Abyss (1989). Biehn also had a very memorable turn in the role of Johnny Ringo in Tombstone (1993).

Family Life: Biehn has been married three times. His first wife was actress Carlene Olson, whom he married on July 11, 1980. They had twin sons, Devon and Taylor before divorcing in 1987. He then married his second wife in 1988, Gina Marsh. They had two sons, Caelan Michael and Alexander before separating in 2008. Biehn is now married to actress Jennifer Blanc. The couple have one son, Dashiell King Biehn, born March 21, 2015.

Info: Surname pronounced "Bean".

He's the second of three boys born for Marcia and Don Biehn, a lawyer.

Attended the University of Arizona on a drama scholarship. He left school two years early to pursue his career in Hollywood.

Is a member of the Sigma Nu Fraternity at the University of Arizona.

His acting teacher was the late Lauren Bacall.

Was nominated at the 1986 Saturn Awards for Best Actor in Aliens (1986), won the Special Award at the 1989 Saturn Awards for The Abyss (1989), and won the Lifetime Career Award at the 2011 Saturn Awards.

In 2011, at the Sitges - Catalonian International Film Festival, Biehn won the Time-Machine Honorary Award.

Trivia: Biehn is a big basketball fan.

He almost did not get the role of Kyle Reese in The Terminator (1984) because at his first audition he spoke in a Southern accent. He had just come from another audition for a stage production of "Cat On a Hot Tin Roof" and had not been able to shake the accent, and the producers did not want the character Kyle Reese to seem regionalized. After calling and talking with Biehn's agent, they gave him another audition and he got the role.

Replaced actor James Remar as Corporal Dwayne Hicks in Aliens (1986).

A shot of him as Kyle Reese in the movie The Terminator (1984) was reproduced as the cover-art of the video game Metal Gear (1987).

He turned down a role in Eight Men Out (1988).

Has played a Navy SEAL three times: The Abyss (1989), Navy Seals (1990) and The Rock (1996).

He stated in an interview that making Navy Seals (1990) was "probably the worst experience of my life".

Filmed a cameo in Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) in which Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) fantasizes a meeting with him, but the scene was cut from the theatrical release; it later became available in the director's cut edition.

His personal favorite of all the films he has done is Tombstone (1993).

For his role on Tombstone (1993), he was trained by renowned Hollywood Gun Coach Thell Reed.

Biehn stated that not being asked to reprise his role as Corporal Dwayne Hicks for Alien 3 (1992) was one of the biggest disappointments of his career.

He declined to audition for the role of McManus in The Usual Suspects (1995).

Biehn directed the 2010 film The Blood Bond. In 2011 he wrote, directed and starred in The Victim.

Where Are They Now: Biehn seems to be busier than ever with several projects in the works. Thriller Killer Weekend is awaiting release, drama The Hype is currently in pre-production, and horror film The Farm has recently been announced to start production. The most exciting bit of news is that Biehn has joined the stellar cast of the hit Disney+ series The Mandalorian. I cannot wait to see that!

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