Bio
Michael Chiklis is an American actor best known for his starring roles in the television series The Commish (1991–1995), The Shield (2002-2008) and No Ordinary Family, from 2010-2011.
He also has a starring role as Vincent Savino, manager of the Savoy Hotel which is run by the Chicago Mob who is an expert in gaming and previously ran casinos for the Mob in Havana before being sent to run the Savoy, in the period drama series Vegas.
He is also known for his role as Ben Grimm/The Thing in the live-action Fantastic Four films.
Universally known for his portrayal of Detective Vic Mackey on FX's groundbreaking drama The Shield, Chiklis has earned numerous awards for his history-making performance on the series, beginning with the Television Critics Association Award for Individual Achievement in Drama in 2002. This award was closely followed by both the Emmy and Golden Globe in 2003.
Chiklis is the first actor in the history of advertiser-supported cable television to capture both awards. His performance also earned him both a 2004 and 2005 Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Drama Series.
In addition to his critically acclaimed acting, over the course of the show he also assumed the role of producer and director for several of the program's episodes.
In 1991 Chiklis captured the title role on ABC's The Commish. He then went on to Broadway and starred in the one-man show, Defending the Caveman.
Other television credits include Daddio, a starring role as Curly in the ABC movie The Three Stooges, executive-produced by Mel Gibson, and guest appearances in several popular series, including Miami Vice, L.A. Law, Murphy Brown and Seinfeld.
A notable actor on the silver screen, Chiklis appeared in the independent comedy High School, which premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.
He was seen in Eagle Eye, opposite Shia LaBeouf and Michelle Monaghan, and starred in the live-action film Fantastic Four, as well as its sequel, Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, portraying Ben Grimm, aka The Thing.
Additional film credits include the horror thriller Rise, opposite Lucy Liu; Tax Man, with Joe Pantoliano; Do Not Disturb, opposite William Hurt and Jennifer Tilly; Last Request; Body and Soul; and the controversial film Wired, in which he played the part of John Belushi. It was a role he auditioned for only days after his college graduation.
Chiklis was raised in Lowell Massachusetts and began entertaining his family with celebrity imitations when he was just five years old.
As a child, he appeared in regional theatre productions and earned his Equity card at age 13. He later attended Boston University School of Performing Arts, where he received his B.F.A.