Appearing across many forms of media, Lance Henriksen has been working as an actor for decades. He got his start in 1961 and has since gone on to add over 200 acting credits to his filmography, from massive blockbusters and obscure indie films to TV shows.
Many might know Lance Henriksen for his live-action roles in many films and TV shows, ranging from heroes to villains, but he's also provided the voice for many animated characters. Though this list will be focusing on his movies and television, Lance Henriksen has also had many roles in video games.
Bill "Bud" McCready - The Blacklist (8.0)
The Blacklist featured many villains that were part of the titular list. One of them was Lance Henriksen as Bill McCready, also known as The Major. McCready was a recurring character in the second and third seasons of The Blacklist for four episodes.
He was a villain who would train intelligent yet disturbed orphans as spies for the black market. In his four appearances, Lance Henriksen proved to be an effectively cold and ruthless villain.
Penrith - Into The Badlands (8.0)
Leader of a spiritual group known as the Totemists, Penrith is the grandfather of series regular, Ryder. Penrith appeared in only three episodes of Into The Badlands, playing a man free of any baron or leader and instead, providing sanctuary and healing in his community.
Typically, Lance Henriksen is known for playing more rugged characters, but Penrith was one of his more kind. As always, fans agreed that he performed well despite his brief appearance on the show before his character was killed off between the second and third seasons.
Benny Stryker - Castle (8.1)
Nathan Fillion's Castle was another show filled with guest stars. In the episode titled, "Close Encounters Of The Murderous Kind," Lance Henriksen played a UFOlogist who believed that the episode's victim was killed due to alien abduction.
Stryker does not have a large presence in the episode, he is essentially another possible suspect for Castle and Beckett to interrogate. Still, for his brief time on screen, Lance Henriksen shows his skill playing a rather different character than he usually plays.
General Tesler - Tron: Uprising (8.2)
Released after Tron: Legacy, Uprising was Disney's attempt to keep the Tron franchise alive with a 3D animated series. Unfortunately, despite great reviews, Tron: Uprising suffered the same fate as the films, as an underrated flop that deserves more attention.
Throughout the series, Lance Henriksen provided the voice of General Tesler, the main character of the series. Embracing his darker side, Lance Henriksen excelled as a cold and calculated sadist that took control of the Grid after Clu died in Tron: Legacy.
Bishop - Aliens (8.3)
Easily Lance Henriksen's most famous role: he played the artificial person (or android) of the Colonial Marines named Bishop. Despite not being the main star, Bishop ended up being a beloved franchise character and turned out to be a kind droid who was loyal and one of the more helpful members.
Lance Henriksen's performance in James Cameron's Aliens became so iconic that he would return for a plethora of Alien movies and games as either Bishop, other droids, or even members of the Weyland family.
Norman - Her Mind In Pieces (8.3)
Her Mind In Pieces is an anthology of short stories directed by women about women dealing with the mental and emotional struggles of life.
In the segment "Fragile Storm," Lance plays an old man holding a young woman prisoner, giving one of his scariest performances as a villain. This segment alone would go on to win 12 awards and be nominated for 17 others.
Grim Reaper - Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes (8.3)
In the sadly short-lived Marvel animated series, Lance Henriksen provided the voice of the Grim Reaper. He is one of the most brutal villains of the show, wielding a massive cybernetic scythe for one hand. The Grim Reaper was a recurring villain in the first season of Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes.
The deep and gruff voice of Lance Henriksen helped in portraying such a sinister and menacing agent of HYDRA. Several villains on the show also were voiced by guest stars, including Jeffrey Combs, Mark Hamill in one of his lesser-known roles, and Brent Spiner.
The Lieutenant - The Legend Of Korra (8.4)
In season 1 of the beloved sequel series Avatar: The Last Airbender, Lance Henriksen played The Lieutenant, a member of anti-bender radicals known as the Equalists. He is an elite fighter who utilized high-tech to kill benders, as well as fend off Korra and her allies.
Lance Henriksen surprised fans as a secondary villain but sadly did not make it past the first season after Amon, the leader of the Equalists killed the Lieutenant. He would just be one of many villains that would appear in The Legend Of Korra.
Lawrence Wells - Hannibal (8.5)
Seemingly playing the opposite role of Frank Black, Lance Henriksen played a serial killer who Will Graham hunts in the ninth episode of the beloved Hannibal series. This killer performed his murders over the course of 40 years, trying to create a legacy that nobody will forget.
Unlike most of Lance Henriksen's villains over the years, he wasn't scary because of how skilled or deadly he was. It was simply because he felt no remorse for what he did and proudly admits to it. Despite his frail look, Lawrence Wells proved to be one of many memorable serial killers that makes Hannibal's best episodes worth binge-watching.
Frank Black - The X-Files (8.6)
To give a conclusion to Millennium, the creators had Frank Black appear in The X-Files to team up with Mulder and Scully against the Millennium cult. Zombies and apocalyptic prophecies ensue, which lead to an epic finale to ring in the year 2000.
Lance Henriksen proved to be quite the guest star on The X-Files, with fans enjoying him with Mulder and Scully, the stars of both shows, providing fans of Millennium a satisfying ending in what was also the series' conclusion.