Lance Henriksen

Lance Henriksen (born May 5, 1940) is an American actor. He is known for his roles in various science fiction, action and horror genre productions, including Bishop in the Alien film franchise and Frank Black in the television series Millennium (1996–99) and The X-Files.

Other film credits include The Right Stuff (1983), The Terminator (1984), Pumpkinhead (1988), Stone Cold (1991), Hard Target (1993), Color of Night (1994), The Quick and the Dead (1995), Powder (1995), Scream 3 (2000), When a Stranger Calls (2006), Appaloosa (2008), and Falling (2020).

He has also done extensive voice work, including the Disney film Tarzan (1999) and the video games Gun (2005), Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009) and BioWare's Mass Effect trilogy (2007–2012).

Henriksen was nominated for three Golden Globe Awards for his role on Millenium, and won a Saturn Award (out of four total nominations) for his performance in Hard Target. In 2021, he was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award for Best Actor for Falling.

Early life Henriksen was born on May 5, 1940 in Manhattan, New York. His father, James Henriksen, was a Norwegian merchant sailor and boxer, who spent most of his life at sea, while his mother, Margueritte Werner, struggled to find work as a dance instructor, waitress and model. His parents divorced when he was two years old, and his mother struggled to raise him and his half-brother Walter, leading to his spending part of his childhood in foster care. During an interview, Henriksen recounted how, at the age of seven, his mother handed him his birth certificate and said, "You'll always know who you are", then pushed him out of his home. Henriksen did not actually leave home until he was 12, saying he'd "had enough" of his home life, and that he had been physically assaulted by multiple maternal family members: "I got bludgeoned a lot. Different people, relatives. I remember every single face from my childhood. My alcoholic uncles, whoever. I'm not having a pity party here; I'm not Quasimodo. That's just how it was". On another occasion, two of his uncles tried to persuade him to take Methadrine and then take part in a staged car accident for the insurance money.

Career Henriksen found work as a muralist and as a laborer on ships. For a time, he worked in Europe. Around age 30, he found theater work as a set designer, and he received his first acting role because he built the set for a production. It was around this time that he taught himself to read. Soon afterward, he graduated from the Actors Studio and began acting in New York City.

Henriksen's first film appearance was in The Outsider in 1961, as an uncredited extra. He received his first credit in his second film, 1972's It Ain't Easy. He auditioned for the role of Leon Shermer in Dog Day Afternoon (1975), but received the smaller part of an FBI agent that kills John Cazale's character. He appeared in two more films directed by Sidney Lumet: Network (1976) and Prince of the City (1981). The role ultimately went to Arnold Schwarzenegger. Henriksen does appear in the film as Hal Vukovich, a Detective in the Los Angeles Police Department.

Henriksen played the android Bishop in Cameron's film Aliens (1986), and as Bishop's designer Michael Weyland in Alien 3 (1992). He also played Charles Bishop Weyland, the man upon whom Bishop was based, in Alien vs. Predator (2004). Bill Paxton and Henriksen are the only actors whose characters were killed by the Terminator, the Alien, and the Predator. He played the vampire leader Jesse Hooker in Kathryn Bigelow's cult film Near Dark.

He portrayed gunfighters in the Westerns Dead Man and The Quick and the Dead, and appeared with British actor Bruce Payne in Aurora: Operation Intercept in 1995. That year, he also played Sheriff Doug Barnum in the film Powder. His performances on Millennium earned him critical acclaim, a People's Choice Award nomination for Favorite New Male TV Star, and three consecutive Golden Globe nominations for Best Performance by an Actor in a TV Series (1997–1999). The series was canceled in 1999. On television, Henriksen appeared in the ensemble of Into the West (2005), a miniseries executive-produced by Steven Spielberg. He appeared in a Brazilian soap opera, Caminhos do Coração (Ways of the Heart) from Rede Record, aired in 2007–2008. Henriksen guest-starred on a NCIS season 6 episode of NCIS (2009) playing an Arizona sheriff, and appeared in a recurring role as The Major on NBC's The Blacklist.

In the years after Millennium, Henriksen has become an active voice actor, lending his distinctive voice to a number of animated features and video game titles. In Disney's Tarzan (1999) and its direct-to-video followup, he is Kerchak, the ape who serves as Tarzan's surrogate father. He provided the voice for the alien supervillain Brainiac in Superman: Brainiac Attacks (2006) and for the character Mulciber in Godkiller (2009). Henriksen is the voice of the character Molov in the video game Red Faction II (2002) and has also contributed to GUN (2005), Run Like Hell (2002), the canceled title Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (2004), and the role-playing game Mass Effect (2007) as Admiral Hackett of the Human Systems Alliance. Henriksen was also the voice behind PlayStation 3's internet promotional videos.

In 2005, Henriksen was the voice of Andrei Rublev in Cartoon Network's IGPX. The actor lent his voice to the animated television series Transformers: Animated as the character Lockdown. In 2009, Henriksen voiced Lieutenant General Shepherd in the award-winning game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. He later provided the voice Karl Bishop Weyland in Aliens vs. Predator; also, this character's appearance resembles Henriksen's. Henriksen voiced Master Gnost-Dural in Star Wars: The Old Republic, and he also reprised his role as Admiral Hackett in Mass Effect 3. Henriksen reprised his role as Bishop in Aliens: Colonial Marines.

He starred in a 2003 series of Australian television commercials for Visa, titled Unexplained (about the raining of fish from the sky over Norfolk) and Big Cats (about the Beast of Bodmin Moor). In these commercials, Henriksen speaks as a Frank Black-type character about these phenomena as Mark Snow-inspired mysterious music plays in the background, as a link to Henriksen's TV series Millennium. Unexplained went on to a gold world medal at the 2004 New York Festivals.

He made a cameo appearance in the 2009 horror comedy Jennifer's Body, and starred in the After Dark Horrorfest film Scream of the Banshee, released in 2011. He played Henry Gale in Leigh Scott's The Witches of Oz.

In January 2015, he was signed for the lead in the indie thriller Monday at 11:01 am In 2016, he starred in the feature film Deserted, a psychological thriller. Henriksen played the role of Hopper.

In 2018, Henriksen performed motion capture and vocal performance for the character of Carl Manfred in the video game Detroit: Become Human. The game's plot involves androids gaining sentience and free will, topics explored briefly with Henriksen's Bishop character in Aliens.

In October 2018, Henriksen was signed for one of the two leads in Falling, the directorial debut of actor Viggo Mortensen, who also wrote, produced and co-starred. Reviewing the film's 2020 premiere, The Hollywood Reporters John DeFore noted not only the quality of Henriksen's performance, but the opportunity Mortensen's script presented: "ew moviegoers who've enjoyed him over the years will be surprised, but many will resent that we, and he, have waited so long for a role like this."

He received a Canadian Screen Award nomination for Best Actor at the 9th Canadian Screen Awards in 2021, for his performance in Falling.

In 2022, Henriksen was cast in the upcoming American horror film, Awaken the Reaper. The film is currently shooting in New York and slated for a 2024 release date. It is directed by Justin Paul and Dave Campfield and produced by Fourth Horizon Cinema, Impact Media Studios and Design Weapons.

Personal life

Henriksen was working with potter Joan Stone doing his pottery in her studio during the early 1970s. Henriksen has been married twice. He was married to Mary Jane Evans from 1985 to 1989 and to Jane Pollack from 1995 to 2006.

Henriksen has one child from each marriage.

Art Henriksen continues to produce art. He worked as a muralist before he became an actor, and he has worked with clay since 1960. In September 2017, Henriksen set up a website to showcase and find homes for some of his most recent clay works. He "still believes that there is nothing as simple and beautiful as raw clay... And that Potters have the remaining soul of the nomads...always searching...".

Filmography Film Year Film Role Notes 1961 The Outsider U.S. Marine Uncredited 1972 It Ain't Easy Randy 1973 Emperor of the North Railroad Worker Uncredited 1974 To Kill the King Hank Adams 1975 Dog Day Afternoon FBI Agent Murphy 1976 Mansion of the Doomed Dr. Dan Bryan Network Network Lawyer at Khan's Place Uncredited The Next Man Federal Security 1977 Close Encounters of the Third Kind Robert 1978 Damien - Omen II Sergeant Neff 1979 The Visitor Raymond Armstead 1981 The Dark End of the Street Jimmy Piranha II: The Spawning Police Chief Steve Kimbrough Prince of the City District Attorney Burano 1983 Nightmares MacLeod The Right Stuff Wally Schirra 1984 The Terminator Detective Hal Vukovich 1985 Jagged Edge Frank Martin Savage Dawn Stryker 1986 Aliens Bishop On Dangerous Ground Brook Alastair 1987 Near Dark Jesse Hooker 1988 Pumpkinhead Ed Harley Survival Quest Hank Chambers Deadly Intent Raymond 1989 The Horror Show Detective Lucas McCarthy Johnny Handsome Rafe Garrett Hit List Chris Caleek 1990 The Last Samurai Johnny Congo 1991 The Pit and the Pendulum Tomas de Torquemada Stone Cold "Chains" Cooper 1992 Jennifer 8 Sergeant Freddy Ross Alien 3 Bishop Michael Weyland, Bishop's creator Listed in credits as "Bishop II" Comrades in Arms Rob Reed Delta Heat Jackson Rivers 1993 Excessive Force Captain Raymond Devlin Super Mario Bros. The King Cameo appearance Man's Best Friend Dr. Jarret Hard Target Emil Fouchon The Outfit Dutch Schultz Knights Job The Cyborg The Criminal Mind Agent Winslow 1994 No Escape The Father Color of Night Buck Boulevard McClaren Felony Taft 1995 Aurora: Operation Intercept William Stenghel The Quick and the Dead "Ace" Hanlon Dead Man Cole Wilson Powder Sheriff Doug Barnum Mind Ripper Dr. Jim Stockton a.k.a. The Outpost The Nature of the Beast Jack Powell Direct-to-video 1997 Dusting Cliff 7 Colonel Roger McBride Direct-to-video, a.k.a. Last Assassins Gunfighter's Moon Frank Morgan Direct-to-video No Contest II Eric Dane / Erich Dengler 1999 Tarzan Kerchak Voice 2000 Scream 3 John Milton 2002 The Mangler 2 Headmaster Bradeen Direct-to-video The Untold Harlan Knowles Direct-to-video, a.k.a. Sasquatch Unspeakable Jack Pitchford Direct-to-video 2003 Antibody Dr. Richard Gaynes Mimic 3: Sentinel Garbageman 2004 Modigliani Foster Kane Madhouse Dr. Franks Direct-to-video Alien vs. Predator Charles Bishop Weyland Dream Warrior Parish Starkweather The Mentor Direct-to-video Out for Blood Captain John Billings Direct-to-video Paranoia 1.0 Howard Direct-to-video, a.k.a. One Point O 2005 Tarzan II Kerchak Voice, direct-to-video 2015 Harbinger Down Graff Direct-to-video, a.k.a. Inanimate Fragile Storm Norman Short film Kids vs Monsters Heinrich Direct-to-video Stung Mayor Caruthers Spirit Riders Rex 2016 Monday at 11:01 A.M. The Bartender The Hamster The Narrator Short film Cut to the Chase The Man Direct-to-video Daylight's End Chief Frank Hill Deserted Hopper The Sector The Finisher After the Sun Fell Dicky Gehenna: Where Death Lives Morgan The Unwilling Father Harris Lake Eerie Pop 2017 Needlestick Alexander Crick Mom and Dad Mel Ryan 2018 West of Hell The Devil Big Legend Jackson Wells Gone Are the Days Taylon Flynn A Reckoning Henry Breck D-Railed Manny Mimesis Nosferatu The Auter 2019 Cliffs of Freedom Old Demetri Her Mind in Pieces Norman Exorcism at 60,000 Feet Captain Houdee Eminence Hill Mason Mills Being Reverend Campbell 2020 Falling Willis Peterson A Place Among the Dead L 2021 The Unhealer Reverend Stanley Pflueger The Dead of Night Earl Reklaw Lott Short Why? Sheriff Logan Alpha Rift Corbin Vote for Santa Santa 2022 Bring on the Dancing Horses The Edge of Her Mind Anthology Norman The Artifice Girl Elderly Gareth 2023 When Jack Came Back Barry Davis On Fire George Laughlin 2024 Altered Reality Jack 2025 One Pastor Jesse Davidson TBA Awaken the Reaper Deacon Tom TBA Acre Beyond the Rye Dr. Bradford Weeks Post-production TBA Bring Me the Head of Lance Henriksen Lance Post-production; filmed in 2010

Television Year Title Role Notes 1980 B.A.D. Cats Timothy Pilot episode Ryan's Hope Preston Post 8 episodes 1983 Cagney & Lacey Johnny "Nose" Episode: "Hopes and Dreams" Hardcastle and McCormick Deseau Episode: "Man in a Glass House" Blood Feud Mel Pierce Television film 1984 The A-Team Mack Dalton Episode: "In Plane Sight" Riptide John McMasters Episode: "Raiders of the Lost Sub" Legmen Finch Episode: "A Woman's Work" Cagney & Lacey Sergeant King Episode: "Heat" Hardcastle and McCormick Josh Fulton Episode: "Never My Love" 1985 Streets of Justice D.A. Jerry Logan made-for-television movie 1989 Beauty and the Beast "Snow" Episode: "Snow" 1990–1991 Tales from the Crypt Reno Crevice / Sergeant Ripper 2 episodes 1996–1999 Millennium Frank Black 67 episodes 1998 The Day Lincoln Was Shot Abraham Lincoln Television film 1999 The X-Files Frank Black Episode: "Millennium" Harsh Realm General Pilot episode 2001 The Legend of Tarzan Kerchak Voice, episode: "Tarzan and Tublat's Revenge" Lost Voyage David Shaw Television film 2004 Static Shock Kobra Leader Voice, episode: "Future Shock"

Video games Year Title Role Notes 2002 Run Like Hell Nick Conner 2012 Mass Effect 3 Admiral Steven Hackett Infex Hazelton 2013 Aliens: Colonial Marines BishopVoice and likeness Michael Weyland 2018 Detroit: Become Human Carl Manfred Voice, performance capture, and likeness 2022 The Quarry Jedediah Hackett

Books Autobiography Not Bad for a Human – The Life and Films of Lance Henriksen – Lance Henriksen with co-author Joseph Maddrey, published in 2011 by Bloody Pulp Books, featuring art by Bill Sienkiewicz, Mike Mignola, Tom Mandrake, Tim Bradstreet, Eric Powell and Ashley Wood.

Comic books To Hell You Ride (five-issue comic book from Dark Horse Comics) (2012) – Lance Henriksen and Joseph Maddrey (co-authors) with Tom Mandrake (artist); a motion-comic video was also made by Dark Horse Comics) (2012) – Lance Henriksen and Joseph Maddrey (co-authors), Tom Mandrake (artist), Lance Henriksen (narrator), TKU: Tecamachalco Underground (Cesar Gallegos/Mateo Latosa) (musical score)

Footnotes