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Michael Charles Chiklis (born August 30, 1963) is an Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning American actor. He is known for starring in two popular police dramas: The Commish (1991–1995) and The Shield (2002–) and as Ben Grimm/The Thing in the live-action Fantastic Four films. Chiklis was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, to Charlie Chiklis, a second-generation Greek American who runs a hair salon, and Kate, a hospital administrative aide from whom Chiklis has been described as inheriting his acting ability. Chiklis' paternal ancestors came from Lesbos Island. Chiklis grew up in Andover, Massachusetts and began entertaining his family with celebrity imitations when he was just five years old. As a child, Chiklis appeared in regional theater productions and earned his Actor's Equity card at age thirteen. He later attended Boston University College of Fine Arts, where he received his Bachelor of Fine Arts. At age 20, Chiklis shaved his head to look like male-pattern baldness for the part of a 65-year-old man in You Can't Take It With You. Instead of using powder on his head (as he did on his face), he used greasepaint, and he failed to remove it properly at the end of each day. This killed the hair follicles on his head, essentially shaping his career in many ways. Chiklis has said in an interview that this was a very traumatic experience as a young actor, and is the reason he wore a hairpiece in Wired. Distinct and intense, actor Michael Chiklis spent years on the cusp of stardom before finally exploding onto the cultural landscape playing corrupt LAPD detective Vic Mackey on the hardcore cop drama, “The Shield” (FX, 2002- ). Prior to his portrayal of the reprehensible, but doggedly loyal Mackey, Chiklis bounced around episodic television and small features – including his first controversial feature, “Wired” (1989) – the tasteless telling of comic John Belushi’s tailspin into drugs up to his ultimately death. When he was only in his late twenties, Chiklis was cast as "The Commish" (ABC, 1991-95) in the likable cop drama about the chief of police in a New York state town who often solves his crimes in an unorthodox manner. While established as a bona fide television star, Chiklis sought feature stardom by playing Ben Grimm/The Thing in “The Fantastic Four” (2005). Despite high-profile recognition in a summer popcorn movie, Chiklis was long revered and remembered for his turn as Vic Mackey, one of the most complicated and fascinating characters to have ever existed on television. Born on Aug. 30, 1963 in Lowell, MA, Chiklis was raised to be an entertainer almost from the start. Reared in a musical household, he was accustomed to breaking into song and entertaining his large Greek family by the time he was five years old. Chiklis also developed an impressive array of celebrity impressions – some 100 all told, including Richard Nixon, Marlon Brando and James Cagney. In junior high, a teacher encouraged him to audition for summer stock for the Town & Country Playhouse in Salem, NH. He moved on to the Merrimack Repertory Theatre in hometown Lowell where Chiklis earned his Equity card from the stage union at just age 13, acting in a production of “Romeo and Juliet.” After graduating from Andover High School – where he played baseball, hockey and was the captain of the football team – Chiklis eschewed athletic scholarships in order to attend Boston University’s prestigious School of Fine Arts drama program. In 1985, Chiklis graduated from Boston University and moved to New York City to pursue his acting career. For the first few years, he waited tables and tended bar, while going on auditions and acting in regional theater and in off-Broadway productions. Because of his distinctive look – he played the part of a 65-year-old man in college in “You Can’t Take It with You,” using grease paint on his then-full head of hair that was not removed properly, killing the follicles – Chiklis was generally cast in older roles. He landed his first big break after 12 auditions to play the role of tragic comic John Belushi in "Wired" (1989), the feature adaptation of Bob Woodward’s hard-hitting 1984 biography of the late comedian, which dealt extensively with Belushi's drug abuse. Controversy and litigation, however, kept the film from opening on schedule – as many industry figures and friends named in the book did not like the tone of the film as it pertained to their involvement or the memory of their friend. Particularly vocal against anyone to do with the film was Dan Aykroyd, Belushi’s best friend and onscreen comedy partner, and Jim Belushi, John’s younger brother. When it did, the movie was shunned by Hollywood and overlooked by the public. After graduation, Chiklis moved to New York City with high ambitions, but he struggled for several years before being cast the role of John Belushi in the controversial biopic Wired in 1989. The film was panned in general and flopped at the box office, but Chiklis received good reviews for his performance. He also guest starred in several popular television series such as Miami Vice, L.A. Law, Murphy Brown, and Seinfeld alongside bit parts in films like Nixon. The Commish was Chiklis's first acclaimed and successful role. In the family-friendly police comedy/drama, Chiklis played Anthony "Tony" J. Scali, a police commissioner in a small city in upstate New York. A stern but lovable father figure, Chiklis's character had an easygoing style, smart wit, and an unorthodox approach to parenthood and police work. After The Commish, Chiklis starred in the short-lived and critically-panned NBC sitcom Daddio. After playing Curly Howard in a television movie about the Three Stooges, Chiklis decided to reinvent his image. With his wife's help, he spent six months on an extensive workout regimen and shaved his head. He turned up to audition for The Shield looking nothing like the pudgy, friendly character of The Commish. Chiklis would go two years before his next major gig. Chaffing at his lightweight image, he bucked his previous typecast image by shaving his head, getting himself into shape and adopting a more tenacious demeanor to play Vic Mackey on "The Shield” – an original drama created by Shawn Ryan for the then fledgling FX network. Chiklis was compelled by his morally compromised antihero, whose over-the-line tactics often served justice better than the law, but who also killed a fellow officer to protect his undercover Strike Team after they had enriched themselves with the ill-gotten gains from criminals they had taken down. As the show grew in popularity, Chiklis famously refused to comment on his own view of Mackey's morality, keeping the audience guessing as to any possible chance of redemption. Meanwhile, both actor and character fused perfectly – Chiklis' intense portrayal resulted in a slew of critical praise, nominations and awards – including a surprise Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2002, followed shortly by a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series Drama in early 2003. Because of his success on "The Shield," Chiklis was tapped by Marvel Productions and 20th Century Fox to star as the Marvel Comics superhero, The Thing, in the big-screen, big-budget adaptation of the classic Stan Lee-Jack Kirby comic book "The Fantastic Four.” Playing Ben Grimm, a shuttle pilot whose exposure to cosmic rays turns him into a hulking, super-strong, blue-eyed creature with a rocky hide, Chiklis took on the role wholeheartedly, playing the character in a full body suit and make-up, as opposed to simply voicing a CGI creation – though he did admit to requiring therapy to deal with the claustrophia-inducing costume. The actor's efforts were undermined, however, by the unconvincing Thing suit as well as the film's wildly uneven script and direction. Despite the therapy, uncomfortable suit and mediocre film, Chiklis revived The Thing in “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer” (2007) which end result was the same as its predecessor – big box office totals and a critical drubbing. Winning over the creator Shawn Ryan, Chiklis nabbed the leading role of the show's tough, edgy, detective Vic Mackey. Although The Shield has been controversial because of its violent content, Chiklis's acting has been highly praised, and he has won several awards for his role. Playing the role of the bulked up and brutal cop has also helped Chiklis break out from typecasting, shedding the overweight and friendly image that had defined his career in the past. It was noted by Charlie Brooker that in many shots he bore a strong resemblance to Ross Kemp. Since 2000, he is also taken up a number of voice roles, voicing Chihiro's father, Akio, in the English dub of Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away and Roman/King Webster in the direct-to-video feature The Adventures of Tom Thumb & Thumbelina. He has also performed in several episodes of Family Guy and had a voice role in Heavy Gear: The Animated Series. In 2005, he starred in Fantastic Four as The Thing and for its sequel, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. A fan of the comic series, Chiklis was often praised for his performance in a film that otherwise earned mixed reviews. Chiklis's first major recognition came in 2003, as he won the 2002 Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series for his role as Detective Vic Mackey on The Shield. He received a Golden Globe that same year for Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series-Drama as well. Between 2004 and 2005, he was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama Series but did not win. A lifelong comic book fan, he rarely (if ever) turns down an autograph request from children. In fact, according to the DVD commentary for the Fantastic Four film, his voice has been going hoarse from doing so many requests as Thing; in Chiklis's own words "How do you say no to an 8 year old?". Chiklis married Michelle Morán on 21 June 1992 and they have 2 daughters, Autumn, born on October 9, 1993, and Odessa, born in 1999. Autumn plays Vic Mackey's daughter Cassidy on The Shield. He attended the same high school as his good friend Jay Leno. |
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