Michael Chiklis

Distinct and intense, actor Michael Chiklis spent years on the cusp of stardom before finally exploding onto the cultural landscape playing corrupt LAPD detective Vic Mackey on the hardcore cop drama, "The Shield" (FX, 2002-08). Prior to his portrayal of the reprehensible, but doggedly loyal Mackey, Chiklis bounced around episodic television and small features - including his first feature film "Wired" (1989), the controversial telling of comic John Belushi's tailspin into drugs up to his ultimately death. When he was only in his late twenties, Chiklis was cast as "The Commish" (ABC, 1991-95) on the likable cop drama about the chief of police in a New York state town who often solves his crimes in an unorthodox manner. While established as a bona fide, Emmy-winning television star on "The Shield," self-professed comic book fan Chiklis sought feature stardom by playing Ben Grimm/The Thing in "The Fantastic Four" (2005) and the sequel "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" (2007). Despite high-profile recognition in a summer popcorn movie, Chiklis was long revered for his turn as Vic Mackey, one of the most complicated and fascinating characters to have ever been created for series television.