Michael Chiklis has been working professionally as an actor since he was thirteen. He started in the theater and after receiving his BFA in acting from Boston University’s College Of Fine Arts, Michael moved to New York City where he continued acting on the stage until he got his big break playing the late, great John Belushi in the controversial bio-pic Wired. Since then, Michael has spent the last 30 plus years starring in historic television, celebrated films and stage productions as well as directing and recording music. The first 30 years of his career have been extremely rewarding and he’s even more excited about the next 30! Michael lives in Los Angeles with his wife Michelle Chiklis. They have two daughters together, Autumn and Odessa Chiklis.
Michael Chiklis
Movies
Soldier
In a futuristic society, some people are selected at birth to become soldiers, and trained in such a manner that they become inhuman killing machines. One of the most succesfull and older of these soldiers (Russell) is pitted against a new breed of soldiers, and after the confrontation is believed…
Fun Facts
Daughter, Autumn Chiklis, was born on October 9, 1993.
Daughter, Odessa Chiklis, was born in 1999.
Chosen over 200 other candidates for the role of John Belushi in the fantasy biography Wired (1989).
After his series Daddio (2000) went off the air, his wife suggested that Chiklis slim his weight down and change his self image with a different look and a totally different acting part, even if they have to create one themselves for him. He then shaved his head, lost more than 40 pounds, worked out vigorously and the two of them started to write a "rogue cop"" movie role for him. Chiklis eventually read The Shield (2002)'s pilot script (originally called ""Rampart"")
Quotes
A bricklayer lays bricks. I'm an actor, that's what I do.
(1999) After Wired (1989), everyone was afraid to touch me for fear of reprisal. It was a bittersweet situation. All of a sudden, I was starring in a major motion picture and the next thing you know, I'm being asked by reporters, 'Do you think you'll be blackballed?' I literally went from appearing at the Cannes Film Festival, with the whole international press corps asking me questions, to being alone in my one-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn with the phone not ringing. All the dreams and aspirations I'd ever had in my life were in question. It was a humbling, scary experience.
I am the first to admit my iPad is the coolest thing in the world, but when we can be in a room together and really connect, or leave the gadgets home and go for a hike, then I'm happy.
When something that occupies a giant space in your life comes to an end, then you have to go through a mourning period. I loved 'The Shield.' It was one of the hardest and one of the greatest experiences of my life. But having said that, I'm always thinking about what's next.
The most challenging part of being a dad is self-restraint. So often your instinct is to teach and tell. I am constantly reminding myself to listen to them.
My wife and I met when each of us was dragged to a party we didn't want to go to by friends. I was coming off a bad injury, but my roommate insisted I get out of the house and be around people. God love our friends; we've been together 20 years now!
I'm a workaholic. I could easily work 300-plus days of the year.
Patience has never been my strong suit.
I've been a musician my whole life. I'm really enjoying making music again.
It's much less interesting as an actor playing someone who's purely good or purely evil.
I usually work from the inside out but sometimes in comedy it's fun to work from the outside in.
Prior to 'The Shield,' basic cable was just a wasteland of reruns and NASCAR. When we came along, I think there was a collective, 'Hey, if they can do that, why can't we?' from the basic-cable networks of the world. We ended up being the cornerstone for a network, and a great one.
I think one of the most humiliating moments of my life was putting on spandex, personally. It's always nice when four women pull you into spandex when you're in jockey shorts. Yeah.
That pesky acting career has always gotten in the way of me doing something with music.
Some people have questioned whether or not I can play a nice guy. Sometimes you can't win for losing.
The best part of being married is, everything we face in life, we face as a team. I don't do a thing - professionally or personally - without discussing it with my wife.