Biography
Who is Lance Henriksen?
Early life and background
Lance Henriksen was born in Manhattan, New York, on May 5, 1940. His father worked as a Norwegian merchant sailor and boxer, while his mother attempted to find steady employment as a model, waitress, and dance instructor. Following the divorce of his parents when he was two years old, Lance spent a portion of his childhood growing up in foster care and experienced a difficult domestic upbringing.
He left school after completing the first grade and lived without formal reading skills until he reached the age of thirty. During his early years, he found various labor jobs, including working as a muralist and a ship laborer in Europe. Eventually, he taught himself to read by recording entire scripts onto tape with the assistance of a friend before attending the Actors Studio.
Film and television career
Lance began his film career with an uncredited extra role in the 1961 production The Outsider, later receiving his first official credit in It Ain't Easy. He established a working relationship with director Sidney Lumet, appearing in projects such as Dog Day Afternoon, Network, and Prince of the City. His extensive filmography includes supporting and co-starring roles in major genre films like The Right Stuff, The Terminator, and Near Dark.
He achieved major prominence by portraying the android Bishop in James Cameron's science fiction sequel Aliens, a role he reprised in later franchise entries. In 1996, he began starring as Frank Black in the television series Millennium, created by Chris Carter. His acclaimed performance on the show earned him three consecutive Golden Globe Award nominations for best performance by an actor in a television series.
Voice acting and later work
In addition to his on-screen appearances, Lance has built an extensive portfolio as a voice actor for animated projects and video games. He voiced Kerchak the ape in the Disney animated feature Tarzan and contributed vocal performances to titles such as Red Faction II, Mass Effect, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. He also performed motion capture and voice work for the interactive drama video game Detroit: Become Human.
His career continued across various mediums through subsequent decades, including appearances in independent thrillers and television guest spots. He received award recognition for his performances, including a Saturn Award for his supporting role in the action film Hard Target and a Canadian Screen Award nomination for his work in the feature film Falling.
Birthday and age
Lance Henriksen was born on May 5, 1940, which makes Lance 86 years old today. That birthday falls under the Taurus sign. Lance shares the date with 34 other famous people.
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