Since his breakout role as Shane on The Walking Dead, Jon Berthal has been one of the best vulnerable badasses in Tinseltown. Perfecting the complex, confident cool guy, Bernthal's become a star of both horror and superhero franchises as well as playing both sides of the law as cops and crooks.
No one plays "broken" like Bernthal, whose charisma is so powerful that he can easily become the most hypnotic character in a movie or show with just a single scene. Bernthal's acting has a naturalness to it that simultaneously puts you at ease while keeping you on edge. Will he explode? Will he simmer? Will he break down and bare his soul? Whatever his path on screen, we're here for the journey. And with The Accountant 2 hitting theaters, featuring Bernthal reprising his younger brother role as Braxton, it's the perfect time to shine a spotlight on his best performances.
From The Walking Dead to the MCU to scene-stealing flashback characters, here are 10 of Jon Bernthal's best roles in movies and TV.
The Walking Dead (Shane Walsh)
Jon Bernthal was so mesmerizing as Shane, Rick Grimes' best friend (and coveter of Rick's wife, Lori), that they extended his stay on the hit AMC series past his point of expiration in the comics. This happens from time to time, when something's adapted, that a character doesn't die at the same time or in the same manner as they did in the book. It's usually for plot or structural reasons. With Bernthal though, it was because he was so good they had him stick around for a full extra season of the show. He immediately brought a complexity and sympathy to the Shane role that had fans invested, and with the numbers The Walking Dead drew those first few years, Bernthal's breakout part on the series put him on Hollywood's radar.
The Bear (Mikey Berzatto)
As the late Mikey Berzatto on The Bear, Jon Bernthal has only appeared in flashbacks - flashbacks that have been given even more of a spotlight as the series has progressed. From the first time he surprised viewers in Season 1 as Mikey, in a fun lookback at the Berzatto siblings having a laugh, it was clear just how invaluable he is as a performer. He instantly fit into this dysfunctional group and was rampantly disarming with his charm. Now The Bear does full flashback episodes so Mikey has been able to live and breathe like never before as the endearing catalyst for the entire story.
Wind River (Matt Rayburn)
Looking at Jon Bernthal as a scene-stealer, no better example exists than Taylor Sheridan's Wind River. With just a few minutes of (crucial) screen time, Bernthal runs the gamut of emotion from joy and contentment to rage and pain. He immediately enhances an already solid neo-noir Western, giving it more emotional heft. Bernthal, who feels tailor-made (hah!) for Taylor Sheridan projects, has worked with the writer/director a few times, but his most poignant contribution was Wind River.
Those Who Wish Me Dead (Ethan Sawyer)
As Taylor Sheridan movies go, Those Who Wish Me Dead is just okay. The story of a smokejumper (Angelina Jolie) protecting a young boy from contract killers in the midst of a forest fire contains mild thrills, but an excellent performance from Bernthal as a deputy sheriff who gets caught up in the entire sinister mix and must help save the day, while also protecting his pregnant wife (Medina Senghore). Bernthal can easily become the best part of a mediocre movie, and in doing so he gives you a character you'll start rooting for more than the main hero.
Fury (Grady Travis)
Jon Bernthal appeared in David Ayer's Fury, exhibiting both vulnerability and rage as a particularly vicious member of an American tank crew in World War II led by Brad Pitt's commander, "Wardaddy." Bernthal's short-fuse bully Grady eventually breaks down under the pressures and trauma of war, giving us a glimpse inside a broken spirt who lashes out at everyone and anyone as a way to deflect and cope. It's a superb role, handled perfectly.
Ford v. Ferrari (Lee Iacocca)
Jon Bernthal took on the role of real life Ford executive Lee Iacocca in James Mangold's Oscar-nominated Ford v. Ferrari, delivering a riveting performance as an Iacocca, early in his career, who convinces Henry Ford II to design and build a race car to defeat Enzo Ferrari. There's no violence or carnage here, just an impassioned automobile visionary with a bold, harebrained scheme.
The Wolf of Wall Street (Brad Bodnick)
Known in some circles as the "he hit Jonah Hill for real" role -- with Hill's consent mind you -- Bernthal was even able to be a scene-stealer, a highlight reel, in the midst of Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street opposite Hill and Leonardo DiCaprio. Bernthal is a standout here, thanks to his trademark intensity and method immersion into the skin of tough talkers and nefarious ne'er-do-wells. Of course, all while giving them just enough humanity to captivate people. As pill-dealing bonehead Brad, Bernthal created super-memorable moments (some improvised) within an already manic movie.
We Own This City (Wayne Jenkins)
A miniseries from The Wire and Treme's David Simon and George Pelecanos, We Own This City is an acclaimed, gritty miniseries centered around the rise and fall of the corrupt Baltimore Police Department's Gun Trace Task Force, with Bernthal giving another dynamite TV performance as Sgt. Wayne Jenkins, a real-life member of said Task Force -- a cop convicted of racketeering, robbery, and fraud in a pivotal police scandal. Bernthal, of course, gifts us with an incredible, nuanced showcase in acting that you know is also extra good because of the terrible hairstyle he's forced to don. Jenkins has a high-voltage swagger, but he's not a one-dimensional monster despite the overflowing toxic masculinity.
King Richard (Rick Macci)
Jon Bernthal lost 30 pounds and learned to play tennis for the role of real-life tennis coach Rick Macchi in King Richard, the acclaimed movie about the father and coach of Venus and Serena Williams, Richard Williams, that garnered Will Smith a Best Actor Oscar. As Macchi, Bernthal played against type a bit, showing a soft, supportive side, adding heart and levity to the biopic. By all accounts from those involved with the story in real life, Bernthal was a completely authentic Macchi, displaying a wonderful gentleness.
Daredevil/The Punisher (Frank Castle)
The search went on for decades to find the perfect Frank Castle -- a hardline, traumatized, one-man-army who exists in of a world of superheroes sporting "codes of conduct." When Jon Bernthal was announced for the role, in Daredevil: Season 2, the Marvel fandom united, for a rare instance, and proclaimed it perfect casting. We believe it when Bernthal is violent and obsessive. We're totally sold when he's wounded, miserable and in the throes of grief. What better role for him than The Punisher?
Bernthal's now gotten to play vigilante Frank Castle on three different series -- from Daredevil to two seasons of The Punisher to, now, Daredevil: Born Again on Disney+. It's a part that encapsulates everything Bernthal can deliver, save for maybe an easy-going smile that puts you at ease. But maybe happier days lay ahead for ol' Frank.
What are you favorite Jon Bernthal performances? Was there one you adored that didn't make this feature? Vote in our poll above and let us know below...
