Michael Chiklis is an American actor, director and television producer. Some of the previous roles for which he is best known include Commissioner Tony Scali on the ABC police drama The Commish, LAPD Detective Vic Mackey on the FX police drama The Shield, the Thing in the Fa...
Actor, Television producer, Television Director, Voice Actor
Education
Andover High School, Boston University College of Fine Arts
Nationality
United States of America
Spouse
Michelle Morán (m. 1992)
Children
Autumn Chiklis, Odessa Chiklis
Parents
Katherine and Charlie Chiklis
Siblings
Peter Chiklis
Nicknames
Michael Charles Chiklis , Chicky , Chick , Mr. Chiklis
Awards
Golden Glove Award for Best Actor (2003), Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor (2002), Satellite Award for Best Actor (2004), Television Critics Association Award for Individual Achievement (2002)
Nominations
Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance (2003), MTV Movie Awards (2006)
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.
2
Some people have questioned whether or not I can play a nice guy. Sometimes you can't win for losing.
3
That pesky acting career has always gotten in the way of me doing something with music.
4
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.
5
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.
6
I usually work from the inside out but sometimes in comedy it's fun to work from the outside in.
7
It's much less interesting as an actor playing someone who's purely good or purely evil.
8
I've been a musician my whole life. I'm really enjoying making music again.
9
Patience has never been my strong suit.
10
I'm a workaholic. I could easily work 300-plus days of the year.
11
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!
12
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.
13
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.
14
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.
15
(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.
16
A bricklayer lays bricks. I'm an actor, that's what I do.
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Fact
1
Loves music, plays in a band and is an accomplished drummer.
2
Is training in the Greek martial art of Pankration and Muay Thai Kickboxing once a week.
3
Comic book writing legend and icon Stan Lee quoted Chiklis' performances as The Thing/Ben Grimm in both Fantastic Four (2005) and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007) as being his favorite of all the Marvel Comic characters to be adapted onto live film.
4
The Fantastic Four (2005) co-star is a lifelong comic book fan, and rarely turns down an autograph request from children.
5
As a kid, Michael was fiercely competitive in sports as he excelled in baseball, football, swimming, hockey and karate.
6
Is a huge fan of the New England Patriots, Boston Bruins and Boston Red Sox.
7
He loves classic rock.
8
His real daughter, Autumn Chiklis, plays his character, Vic Mackey's, daughter Cassidy on The Shield (2002) He has said that his daughter is not to witness any violence on the show and is to be kept apart from all scenes except for the scenes she is in.
9
His worst job was "unloading 18 wheel trucks for 12 hours a day".
10
Always knew he wanted to be an actor even when advised against it by his parents who still supported him when he chose to act.
11
His father owns a beauty salon.
12
Has a brother called Peter.
13
He is very proud of his Greek heritage and encourages his daughters to learn about Greece.
14
Growing up, he liked the heroic comic book character Ben Grimm, aka The Thing of the Fantastic Four. In fact, at the age of 18, he told his brother that if a Fantastic Four movie was ever made, he would play Ben Grimm. He lived his fantasy and got to play what he called "my dream role" in 2005 when he played the character in Fantastic Four (2005).
15
Is the only actor from Fantastic Four (2005) that is actually a fan of the comic book series.
16
He does charity work pertaining to autism, as Vic's son on The Shield (2002) suffers from the condition.
17
Moved to New York City the day of his graduation to pursue his career.
18
His father is of Greek descent. His maternal grandfather was also of Greek origin, while his maternal grandmother was of half Irish and half English ancestry.
19
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"), which was similar to his "rogue cop" movie script, and aggressively pursued the part of Vic Mackey until he got it. When he read for the the part, he channeled "anger" by being furious at the prospect of not getting it.
20
Chosen over 200 other candidates for the role of John Belushi in the fantasy biography Wired (1989).