Jon Bernthal
Biography
Jonathan Edward Bernthal is an American actor born on September 20, 1976, in Washington, D.C. He is the son of Joan and Eric Bernthal and the grandson of musician Murray Bernthal. Before pursuing his professional acting career, he studied at the Moscow Art Theatre School in Moscow, Russia. During his time abroad, he also played professional baseball. Known for portraying brash, hard-edged, and ethically complex characters, Bernthal has established a significant presence in both television and film. He is recognized for his work across various genres, ranging from horror dramas to action-oriented series within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His career is marked by long-standing collaborations and recurring roles in critically acclaimed television productions.
Career overview
Bernthal first achieved prominence for his portrayal of Shane Walsh on the AMC horror drama series The Walking Dead, where he served as a starring cast member during the show's first two seasons between 2010 and 2012, later returning in 2018. He gained further recognition for his performance as Frank Castle, also known as The Punisher. This role saw him appear in the second season of Daredevil in 2016 and lead the spin-off series The Punisher from 2017 to 2019. He continues this character work in the revival series Daredevil: Born Again, which began in 2025, and the project Spider-Man: Brand New Day, slated for 2026.
In addition to his work in action and horror, Bernthal has taken on recurring roles in other television projects. He portrays restaurant owner Michael Berzatto in the series The Bear, a role he has held since 2022. For his performance in this series, he won a Primetime Emmy Award. Throughout his career, Bernthal has been noted for his ability to embody complex figures, contributing to his status as a versatile performer in the industry.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full filmography
- The Odyssey (2026) as Menelaus
- Spider-Man: Brand New Day (2026) as Frank Castle / Punisher
- The Punisher: One Last Kill (2026) as Frank Castle
- The Punisher: One Last Kill (2026) Writer
- The Punisher: One Last Kill (2026) Executive Producer
- HIS & HERS (2026) as Det. Jack Harper
- Gary (2026) as Michael Berzatto
- Gary (2026) Writer
- Daredevil: Born Again (2025) as Frank Castle / Punisher
- The Accountant² (2025) as Braxton
- The Amateur (2025) as The Bear
- Hot Ones Versus (2024) as Self
- The Walking Dead: The Return (2024) as Shane Walsh (archive footage)
- Origin (2023) as Brett Hamilton
- The Bear (2022) as Michael Berzatto
- The Bear (2022) as Michael Berzatto (archive footage) (uncredited)
- We Own This City (2022) as Sgt. Wayne Jenkins
- American Gigolo (2022) as Julian Kaye
- Sharp Stick (2022) as Josh
- Sharp Stick (2022) Executive Producer
- Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021) as Ethan Sawyer
- King Richard (2021) as Rick Macci
- The Unforgivable (2021) as Blake
- The Premise (2021) as Chase Milbrandt
- The Many Saints of Newark (2021) as Johnny Soprano
- Small Engine Repair (2021) as Terrance Swaino
- Small Engine Repair (2021) Producer
- Viena and the Fantomes (2020) as Monroe
- The Kelly Clarkson Show (2019) as Self
- Ford v Ferrari (2019) as Lee Iacocca
- The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019) as Mark
- Widows (2018) as Florek
- Marvel's The Punisher (2017) as Frank Castle / Punisher
- Baby Driver (2017) as Griff
- Wind River (2017) as Matt Rayburn
- Shot Caller (2017) as Frank 'Shotgun'
- Pilgrimage (2017) as The Mute
- Sweet Virginia (2017) as Sam Rossi
- The Robot Chicken Walking Dead Special: Look Who's Walking (2017) as Shane Walsh (voice)
- The Accountant (2016) as Brax
- Justice League vs. Teen Titans (2016) as Trigon (voice)
- The Escape (2016) as Holt
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (2015) as Self - Guest
- Hot Ones (2015) as Self
- Marvel's Daredevil (2015) as Frank Castle / Punisher
- Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015) as Mysterious Man
- Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (2015) as Ilan
- Sicario (2015) as Ted
- We Are Your Friends (2015) as Paige Morrell
- Show Me a Hero (2015) as Michael H. Sussman
- Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015) as Mr. McCarthy
- Late Night with Seth Meyers (2014)
- Late Night with Seth Meyers (2014) as Self - Guest
- Fury (2014) as Grady 'Coon-Ass' Travis
- The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) as Brad
- Snitch (2013) as Daniel James
- Grudge Match (2013) as B.J. Rose
- Mob City (2013) as Joe Teague
- Timmy Muldoon and the Search for the Shadoweyes Bandit (2013) as Muscle Bruce
- Harry's Law (2011) as Lucas Trassino
- Rampart (2011) as Dan Morone
- The Walking Dead (2010) as Shane Walsh
- Conan (2010) as Self
- The Pacific (2010) as Sgt. Manuel 'Manny' Rodriguez
- Date Night (2010) as Young Man
- The Ghost Writer (2010) as Rick Ricardelli
- The Making of The Walking Dead (2010) as Self
- Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009) as Al Capone
- Eastwick (2009) as Raymond Gardener
- Eastwick (2009) as Raymond Gardener
- A Line in the Sand (2008) as Banzai
- Bar Starz (2008) as Donnie Pitron
- The Air I Breathe (2007) as Interviewer
- Day Zero (2007) as Jams Dixon
- The Class (2006) as Duncan Carmello
- World Trade Center (2006) as Christopher Amoroso
- How I Met Your Mother (2005) as Carlos
- Numb3rs (2005) as Mike Nash
- Jonny Zero (2005) as Brett Parish
- Boston Legal (2004) as Michael Shea
- Tony n' Tina's Wedding (2004) as Dominic Fabrizzi
- Revenge of the Middle-Aged Woman (2004) as Man in Office
- Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003) as Self
- CSI: Miami (2002) as Harry Klugman
- Without a Trace (2002) as Alex Genya
- Mary/Mary (2002) as Manny
- Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001) as Lane Ruddock
- The Hire (2001) as Holt
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999) as Sherman Hempell
- Gary
- Snow Ponies