10 Unsung Movie Heroes Of The Video Rental Era
1. Michael Biehn
The tired cliche ‘always a bridesmaid, never the bride’ is quite fitting when it comes to the long and extensive acting career of Michael Biehn. The list of stars his roles have supported include Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sigourney Weaver, Ed Harris, Charlie Sheen and Kurt Russel. His best work undoubtably coming during the age of home video.
His first big break, and one of his two iconic parts, came in 1984 when he played Kyle Reese in the Terminator. Reese was a captivating character; despite being a soldier from the future, his moments of vulnerability made him relatable to the audience. He was a resourceful and believable hero.
In 1986 Biehn played another futuristic soldier, Corporal Hicks, in Aliens. Instead of a hulking cyborg, he was now fighting hordes of Xenomorphs and protecting the little girl Newt, alongside Hudson and, of course, Ripley. A large part of the success that these franchises had, in video rental and beyond, can be credited to his portrayal of these characters.
He made a name for himself as the reliable guardian, whether it was a love interest like Sarah Connor, a team-mate like Ripley or as a cool Uncle figure to Newt. In 2022 he is still plying his trade, most recently playing warlord Ian in The Walking Dead.