Michael Carrington is a character from the 1982 sequel movie Grease 2. He is portrayed by Maxwell Caulfield.
Michael is a British exchange student living at his uncle's house. He is the clean-cut proper cousin of Sandy Olsson. His closest friend at Rydell High School was Frenchy, who would eventually become his go-to-girl for advice.
Biography[]
Grease 2[]
After mistakenly trying to open "his" locker, he was accosted by the "owners" of those lockers, the T-Birds. They informed him of those lockers being "a sacred landmark" by Johnny Nogerelli and a "Piece of American His-tow-ry" by Louis DiMucci. Michael understood, and tried to introduce himself, but the T-Birds laughed him off and Johnny flung him towards an open locker. As Michael recovered from the not-quite-friendly exchange, he met the Pink Ladies leader, Stephanie Zinone, and became instantly smitten with her.
A week later, when he was staring at Stephanie at the track, Frenchy cautioned him on Stephanie's allegiance to the Pink Ladies and - by extension - the T-Birds. "Look but don't touch." He didn't heed her advice to "not even look," and asked her how he could become one of the T-Birds, but Frenchy didn't answer.
That night, after the T-Birds and Pink Ladies had a humorous musical "battle" at the Bowl-A-Rama (Score Tonight), Michael arrived, ready to make an attempt at befriending the T-Birds and Pink Ladies by asking them if he could join the game. Inside, Stephanie was mad at Johnny for kissing Paulette Rebchuck then wanting a "Trophy Kiss" from her. She claimed she was nobody's trophy, and she could kiss the next guy who walked through the door. An old guy came in and the T-Birds razzed her. However, Michael stepped in at the right moment and she laid a heart-stopping kiss on Michael right in front of anyone.
Michael, just as stunned as the T-Birds at the unexpected kiss, asked if it was too late to join the game, but they were angry at what happened. The T-Birds clapped their hands, pointed towards the exit, and snapped: "Food!" Meaning they were heading out to eat, and nerds - or kid sisters - weren't invited. Afterward, Michael met Paulette's younger sister, Dolores Rebchuck, and he responds: "Well, looks like you and me don't make the grade."
A month later, identical twins Stacie & Gracie had begged him (demanded, actually) to play the piano for the Talent Show auditions. He was performing for not only the twins, but also Sharon Cooper's "Seasons" AKA Calendar Girls, which Stephanie was a part of. He asked if she was free after school, but she joked, "I'm free every day. It's in the Constitution."
When the auditions were cut short due to Ms. Mason's upcoming Drama Class, Michael took that opportunity to ask Stephanie out for a hamburger later. She brushed him off several times and he brought up their kiss, but she claimed it was just a joke and to forget it. He asked a final time and she responded via song with her desire for a Cool Rider. Dejected and rejected, he left as she continued her song.
Immediately afterwards, T-Bird Louis DiMucci came up to Michael, needing help on his `Fall of Rome' essay. Louis offered to pay "Paper for Paper. Essays for cash." Michael accepted the offer and helped write the T- Birds' essays to earn the money for a motorcycle. One thing all of the T-Birds had in common is they all "got a rep to protect," and they were less-than-exemplary when it came to schoolwork.
Afterward, he bought a scrapped motorcycle from Pfeil's Cycle Salvage, rebuilt it completely, and taught himself how to ride it, and with help from Frenchy, learned how to act like a cool rider.
In his epic debut as his Lone Rider alter-ego, saving Davey Jaworski's life from the brutal Cycle Lords, he put his devastating kickass biker skills to the test, severely whipping Leo Balmudo's gang, saving the day, and making Stephanie Zinone fall in love with him - without her knowing his true identity.
The next day, in Frenchy's chemistry lab, he tried to admit to Stephanie that he was the Lone Rider, but he faltered, and Stephanie seemed confused by his odd "Have you ever read a Superman comic?" question. Michael backed off and retreated.
Later at Stephanie's dad's service station, he returned as the Lone Rider and took Stephanie out on a romantic sunset ride. On their return to the station, he was again about to reveal his true identity but the T-Birds showed up and he left.
A few days later, after learning of Stephanie's problems with her essay in Ms. Mason's English class, he offered to tutor her, and she accepted.
While at the Burger Diner, Stephanie told him she doesn't do that bad in English, and she told him about her ambivalence towards the Lone Rider, wondering if he was an ordinary guy behind the goggles. As they talked, he assisted her with her Hamlet essay, as she was actually right in what she'd written but phrased it wrong. He encouraged her: "You seem to have the right idea." So gave her more erudite phrases "Incestuous relationship," and she was thrilled. In a moment of wonder and affection, she paid him a huge compliment: "You're a really smart guy, you know that?" while making a disparaging remark about her being "some kinda dummy". He cared way too much about her to agree to that, and disagreed: "Actually, I think you're kind of terrific."
Outside of the Burger Diner, Stephanie and Michael exited, concluding another conversation, and she said to him that lots of girls at Rydell who would love to go with a guy like him. Seeing an opportunity, he asked her if she would. She scoffed at the idea and said that they were just different types. She also told him: "There's a Pink Lady Code." Michael answered: "According to Dolores, the code stinks." The T-Birds showed up at the Burger Diner, and Johnny talked to Stephanie, suggesting that she turn in her Pink Lady Jacket, which was T-Bird property, but she refused.
Later, during the lunch rush in the cafeteria, Davey accidentally pushed Stephanie into Michael. They both felt bad, but she really did care about Michael, and if it wasn't for "The Pink Lady Code" - and her seeming obsession with the Lone Rider - she'd probably have decided to go out with him. Michael was distraught over the vaguely "Romeo and Juliet" relationship, and also his having to choose between being the Lone Rider or being himself (Charades).
During the night of the June Moon Talent Show, he reappeared as the Lone Rider to take Stephanie on another romantic ride, but the T-Birds intervened, giving chase. He and his Cool Rider Motorcycle tore through the town until he came to a dead end, Dead Man's Curve. He crashed through the barricades, and the cycle hit the edge of the deep chasm, and flew off into the darkness. At first, Stephanie thought he had perished, but he was nowhere to be seen. Michael had actually made the 100-foot jump and had enough time to return, get to the talent show, and play the piano - as well as sing along with Stephanie when she went into her grief-induced catatonic state, (Love Will) Turn Back The Hands of Time, which helped the Pink Ladies with the Girl's division of the talent show.
At the Lani Kai Lani Luau, when Coach Calhoun drove Principal McGee and Blanche Hodel around the Pool of Enchantment, Michael could be seen, munching on a cotton candy. Later that night, as the luau raged on, the Cycle Lords gate-crashed and ruined the luau.
As the Cycle Lords and Leo Balmudo gloated, Michael reappeared as the Lone Rider - amazing everybody ("it's him!" "It's him!" "He's alive!") - and commenced a royal smack-down on the rival cyclers. After their defeat, Michael revealed his true identity, and everyone was shocked - especially Stephanie. Johnny was furious, but also amazed that "Shakespeare" had become a biker. He gave Michael a T-Bird Jacket and the other T-Birds accepted him as their newest member, although graduation was a few days later. Stephanie realized that Michael, who also turned out to be the Cool Rider, was the true man of her dreams and they can finally be together. Michael and Stephanie share a passionate kiss, and everyone dances to the song "We'll Be Together."
Personality[]
Physical Appearance[]
Notes and Trivia[]
- Despite the film's commercial failure and subsequent damage to Maxwell Caulfield's career in the '80s, in recent interviews he has stated he loves Grease 2 now because of the film's adoring fans - and they are legion - and also that his daughter is a huge fan of Grease 2 herself.
- In the original Grease, Sandy Olsson changed her pure image to become Danny's "greaser girl." In Grease 2, Sandy's cousin, Michael Carrington changed his pure image to become Stephanie's "Cool Rider."
- Michael wrote papers for each of the T-Birds.
- Louis DiMucci: The Fall of Rome
- Goose McKenzie: 2 assignments, including one on 'William The Conqueror'.
- Johnny Nogerelli: An essay - where Johnny actually complimented the "Nice penmanship."
- Davey Jaworski: Sex Morality And The Animal Kingdom.