MICHAEL BIEHN: A DARK BODY OF FILM WORK

“We’re living in a violent society, so what do you do? Ignore that and not make films about it?” asks Michael Biehn, who co-stars with Sigourney Weaver in “Aliens.”

“The only moral obligation an actor has is to do honest work, and though it’s true that movies do have the power to shape the culture, I think they more reflect it as it already exists. I have done a number of fairly violent films but I don’t feel any ambivalence about that--in fact, I enjoy playing psychotics, weirdos and nasty, nasty characters,” he says with a laugh. “But I must admit, I wouldn’t want my children to see a film like ‘The Terminator.’ ”

The 29-year-old actor may not want his kids to see “The Terminator,” in which he played the hard-boiled hero who manages to dismantle troublesome android Arnold Schwarzenegger, but he readily admits that the role was a major turning point in his career. For one thing, it was his first opportunity to portray a good guy. Before “The Terminator,” Biehn’s acting credits had included the schizophrenic doctor in the TV miniseries “Deadly Intentions,” a racist cop who thought himself above the law in a special three-part episode of “Hill Street Blues,” a sinister antagonist in the Franc Roddam film “The Lords of Discipline” and the flipped-out fan who tracks Lauren Bacall in the 1980 film “The Fan.”

It’s a rather dark body of work, to say the least, but this personable young actor is so deeply involved in the craft of his chosen profession that he seems somewhat oblivious to the far-reaching implications of some of the films he’s made.

The son of an attorney, Biehn was born in Anisten, Ala., and grew up in Lincoln, Neb., where he started performing in local theater productions at an early age.

“Movies didn’t mean that much to me when I was growing up, and I just sort of fell into acting,” he confesses. “I was going to college in Arizona on a drama scholarship but I didn’t like school, so I quit and came to Los Angeles to give acting a try--and I’ve been here ever since. At that point I didn’t feel any strong need to act but I thought it might be a way to make a living. At first I was just trying to make some money, but the more I got into acting, the more I realized how fulfilling the process is.

“I fell into acting but I wouldn’t fall out of it now,” he continues. “I’ve come to understand that an actor’s job is not confined to showing up at the set on time and getting in front of a camera. The work you do when you’re away from the set is the important thing, and there’s endless preparation that can be done researching a role. I’ve also learned to fight for what I think is right in regard to the characters I play.”

“Aliens” is Biehn’s second movie with film maker James Cameron, who also wrote and directed “The Terminator,” and they’ve developed a highly compatible working relationship. “The best working experiences I’ve ever had have been with Jim,” Biehn enthuses. “He has incredible drive, is very open and loves talking about film--he’s as much a teacher as he is a director.”

“Aliens” finds Biehn cast as Cpl. Hicks, who returns with Weaver to the planet where the vicious alien was first discovered. It seems the planet was colonized by humans during a period (between the first picture and the sequel?) when the Weaver character was comatose and adrift in space.

“ ‘Alien’ was essentially a suspense movie,” Biehn says, in explaining the difference between the two films. “It kept you on the edge of your seat because you knew this deadly threat was out there and you just kept waiting for it to strike. In ‘Aliens’ we find the creatures and have to deal with them, so ours is an action picture. I play the character who manages to keep his head while those around him are falling apart--basically, a quintessential hero.

“I’ve never been a particularly big fan of science fiction,” Biehn admits, “and ‘Aliens’ was a very physically demanding film to make, so at this point I’m looking for something a little bit lighter. Most of the movies I’ve been involved with have been big extravaganzas, and in a way you’re less called upon to act when you’re in a big movie with a lot of special effects. The idea of being in a small film appeals to me right now.