Jon Bernthal’s best movies and TV shows display an impressive that is going stronger than even. The Emmy winning actor began his acting career in the early 2000s when he appeared in small guest-starring roles in police procedurals like CSI: Miami and on sitcoms like How I Met Your Mother. Bernthal’s breakout role came when he was cast as Shane in The Walking Dead. While he was one of the earlier main cast to exit the series, Bernthal had made a name for himself in Hollywood and grew his career from there.
Bernthal has made a habit of surrounding himself with amazing talent on screen, working with directors like Martin Scorsese and Denis Villeneuve, as well as appearing alongside Oscar winners like Leonardo DiCaprio and Will Smith. He has found acclaim on the small screen as well, with the likes of The Bear and his fan-favorite role in the Marvel universe as Frank Castle aka The Punisher. Bernthal has plenty of exciting projects on the horizon, but his movies and TV shows thus far make for an incredible body of work.
10 King Richard (2021)
As Rick Macci
King Richard
- Release Date
- November 19, 2021
- Runtime
- 138 minutes
- Director
- Reinaldo Marcus Green
Cast
Saniyya Sidney
WHERE TO WATCH
Based on the true story that will inspire the world, Warner Bros. Pictures’ King Richard follows the journey of Richard Williams, an undeterred father instrumental in raising two of the most extraordinarily gifted athletes of all time, who will end up changing the sport of tennis forever. Driven by a clear vision of their future and using unconventional methods, Richard plans to take Venus and Serena Williams from the streets of Compton, California, to the global stage as legendary icons.
While King Richard saw Will Smith win his first Oscar, Jon Bernthal stands out brilliantly in the sports drama. tells the true story of the rise of Venus and Serena Williams as young athletes before they became icons of the professional tennis world. However, the movie takes a unique approach in telling the story through the eyes of their father, Richard Williams (Smith), who took a strong approach to ensuring his daughters were the best in the sport while also ensuring they had as normal a young life as possible.
Bernthal has a strong ing role as tennis coach Rick Macci, who agrees to train the Williams sisters at his training facility in Florida. Bernthal plays Macci as a good man who is constantly frustrated with Richard’s unorthodox blending of parenting and coaching. The movie is an entertaining and inspiring sports story elevated by some wonderful performances.
9 We Own This City (2022)
As Wayne Jenkins
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We Own This City
- Release Date
- 2022 - 2022-00-00
- Network
- HBO Max
- Directors
- Josh Charles
Cast
-
Sgt. Wayne Jenkins
Nicole Steele
WHERE TO WATCH
We Own This City is a crime drama series that explores the rise and fall of the Baltimore Police Department’s Gun Trace Task Force. Created by George Pelecanos and David Simon, the series highlights systemic corruption within law enforcement and its broader societal impact. Featuring Jon Bernthal, Josh Charles, and Wunmi Mosaku, the narrative draws from real-life events and is based on the book by journalist Justin Fenton.
- Seasons
- 1
In his leading roles, Jon Bernthal seems to gravitate towards deeply flawed protagonists, and that is certainly true of Sgt. Wayne Jenkins in We Own This City. Serving as a spiritual sequel to The Wire, We Own This City takes a look at the city of Baltimore and the police corruption that plagued the streets in recent years. The main focus is on a firearms task force that operates with impunity, led by the reckless and arrogant Jenkins.
Jenkins is a deeply frustrating character, using his position of power to steal from people and harass innocent citizens while being completely unapologetic.
Bernthal is explosive in the lead role, playing a villain who thinks he is the hero. Jenkins is a deeply frustrating character, using his position of power to steal from people and harass innocent citizens while being completely unapologetic. The Wire is considered one of the greatest shows of all time, so it was a daunting task for We Own This City to follow it, but it delivers a compelling and eye-opening crime story.
8 Fury (2014)
As Grady Travis
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Brad Pitt stars as tank commander Don "Wardaddy" Collier in David Ayer's war movie Fury. Set during the end of World War II, the film follows the Allied forces breaking through into Nazi as Don and his crew pilot their tank known as Fury into enemy lines in gruesome battles to capture critical stronghold points and help secure victory in the war.
Jon Benthal often finds himself in strong ensemble movies yet always stands out alongside other excellent actors. Fury is one such film that sees Bernthal enter a brutal and dark World War II story following a tank team traveling across a dangerous landscape in the dying days of the European conflict. Brad Pitt stars as the leader of the squadron with the likes of Michael Peña, Shia LaBeouf, and Logan Lerman in ing roles.
While Pitt and Lerman are the leads of the story, Bernthal manages to stand out with his fiery performance, only to show a softer and more vulnerable side to the character later.
Bernthal plays the final member of the team, Travis, the most aggressive of the soldiers. While Pitt and Lerman are the leads of the story, Bernthal manages to stand out with his fiery performance, only to show a softer and more vulnerable side to the character later. It is a hard-hitting and brutal war movie from filmmaker David Ayer with some incredible action sequences that are different from the genre’s usual fare.
7 Ford V Ferrari (2019)
As Lee Iacocca
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Ford v Ferrari
- Release Date
- August 30, 2019
- Runtime
- 152minutes
- Director
- James Mangold
WHERE TO WATCH
Directed by James Mangold, Ford v Ferrari is a sports drama that tells the true story of car designer Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale), who team up to build a revolutionary race car for Ford Motor Company and challenge Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1966.
Ford v Ferrari is another true sports story that Jon Bernthal was involved in, playing an icon of the world of car manufacturing. The movie takes a look at the true story of Ford Motor Company’s efforts in the 1960s to break into the racing world and beat Ferrari at the legendary 24-Hours of Le Mans. Christian Bale and Matt Damon play the two underdogs that Ford hires to make this seemingly impossible dream come true.
Bernthal s the cast as Lee Iacocca, the hugely influential Ford executive who launches the idea of entering the racing world. It is a more reserved performance from Bernthal compared to his more explosive characters, but he plays it with a suaveness that makes him a memorable part of the movie. James Mangold creates an entertaining sports tale with some exciting racing sequences and a fun sense of humor.
6 Wind River (2017)
As Matt Rayburn
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Wind River (2017)
- Release Date
- August 4, 2017
- Runtime
- 107 Minutes
- Director
- Taylor Sheridan
- Writers
- Taylor Sheridan
Cast
Cory Lambert
Jane Banner
Set on a remote Native American reservation, Wind River follows Cory Lambert, a wildlife tracker, as he teams up with FBI agent Jane Banner to solve the murder of a young woman. With the community's cooperation elusive, they confront the harsh environment and buried secrets.
Jon Bernthal has found himself taking on small roles in big movies, not amounting to a lot of screen time but showing how effective Bernthal is at commanding the screen. One such role was in the dark thriller Wind River. Taking place on a reservation in Wyoming, Jeremy Renner plays a hunter who discovers the body of a local girl. While a young FBI agent (Elizabeth Olsen) arrives to investigate, Renner helps her while also promising to bring the killer to justice in his own way.
He takes over the film as the main focus for one extended scene, delivering a performance that demands a lot of different things from the actor.
Bernthal makes a surprise appearance in the final act of the movie at a crucial time. He takes over the film as the main focus for one extended scene, delivering a performance that demands a lot of different things from the actor. Wind River serves as the directorial debut of Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan and makes for a powerful story that touches on real issues of crimes against native women.
5 Sicario (2015)
As Ted
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Sicario
- Release Date
- September 17, 2015
- Runtime
- 122 minutes
- Director
- Denis Villeneuve
Cast
Alejandro Gillick
Kate Macer
WHERE TO WATCH
Sicario is a crime thriller directed by Denis Villeneuve, featuring Emily Blunt as an idealistic FBI agent. The film explores the intense and morally complex war on drugs at the U.S.-Mexico border, with key performances by Benicio del Toro and Josh Brolin.
Jon Bernthal first collaborated with Taylor Sheridan when the latter wrote the Oscar-winning thriller Sicario. Directed by Denis Villeneuve, Sicario is a gripping story of an FBI agent (Emily Blunt) who teams up with a shady CIA agent (Josh Brolin) and a mysterious operative (Benicio Del Toro) to battle the Mexican drug cartels in a new way. However, it soon becomes clear that the side she is fighting on is not necessarily the good guys.
Bernthal appears in another small but effective role as Ted, a man who forms a fast connection with Blunt but is not who he seems. While the part could have been a stereotypical villain, Bernthal brings layers to it, creating a grounded albeit brief character in the story. The combination of Sheridan’s sharp script and Villeneuve’s mesmerizing direction makes for a taut and intense thriller that remains one of the best of the last decade.
4 The Wolf Of Wall Street (2013)
As Brad Bodnick
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The Wolf of Wall Street
- Release Date
- December 25, 2013
- Runtime
- 180 Minutes
- Director
- Martin Scorsese
Cast
Jonah Hill
WHERE TO WATCH
Directed by Martin Scorcese, The Wolf of Wall Street tells the true story of stockbroker Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio), based on his memoir of the same name. It chronicles the rise of Belfort and the subsequent corruption of his firm as he engages in a wide assortment of criminal acts while amassing a staggering fortune. Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, and Kyle Chandler also star alongside DiCaprio.
Jon Bernthal got the chance to work for a true movie legend in Martin Scorsese’s wildest movie. The Wolf of Wall Street is the true story of Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio), a Wall Street investor who used shady and illegal methods of business to grow his enormous wealth. However, the real story was how he used that wealth, indulging in a lifestyle of pure depravity, including sex, drugs, and outrageous expenses.
Jon Bernthal s the incredible cast as Brad Bodnick, a drug dealer who is part of Jordan’s inner circle. He stands out as being a rough-around-the-edges character compared to the Wall Street workers but has savviness as well. The Wolf of Wall Street is an outrageous look at greed and excess, making for the funniest movie Scorsese has made and one of DiCaprio’s best performances.
3 Daredevil (2016)
As Frank Castle / The Punisher
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Daredevil
- Release Date
- 2015 - 2018-00-00
- Showrunner
- Steven S. DeKnight
- Directors
- Phil Abraham, Stephen Surjik, Peter Hoar
WHERE TO WATCH
Daredevil is a Netflix original series starring Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock. The TV show ran for three seasons before being canceled by Netflix, despite being critically praised. Kingpin was the main antagonist in seasons 1 and 3 and also introduced Jon Benrthal's Punisher in season 2. Daredevil was followed by Disney+'s Daredevil: Born Again.
- Seasons
- 3
Jon Bernthal stepped into what may now be his most iconic role, playing Frank Castle aka The Punisher in Daredevil. The first of Netflix’s Marvel shows, Daredevil stars Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock, a blind lawyer who defends the desperate citizens of Hell’s Kitchen in court and becomes their vigilante protector on the streets at night. Bernthal ed the second season of the show, bringing intense brutality and moral complexity to The Punisher.
Bernthal fits into the violent and bloody world of Daredevil, and while he later headlined his own excellent solo series, season 2 of Daredevil features his best performance as Frank Castle. Daredevil remains the best of the Netflix series with an intense and harrowing look at street-level crime-fighting. With the Daredevil: Born Again, fans are thrilled to see Bernthal officially bringing The Punisher into the MCU.
2 The Bear (2022-2024)
As Michael "Mikey" Berzatto
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The Bear
- Release Date
- June 23, 2022
- Network
- Hulu
- Showrunner
- Christopher Storer
Cast
Carmen 'Carmy' Berzatto
Ebon Moss-BachrachRichard 'Richie' Jerimovich
WHERE TO WATCH
The Bear follows Carmy, a young fine-dining chef, as he returns to Chicago to manage his family's sandwich shop. Amidst personal and professional challenges, he strives to transform both the establishment and himself while navigating relationships with a diverse and gritty team that becomes his chosen family.
- Seasons
- 3
What started as a quick cameo in the first season of the show has turned into one of Jon Bernthal’s most popular and acclaimed roles. The Bear is the hit series set in the fast-paced world of restaurant kitchens. Jeremy Allen White stars as Carmy, a young chef suffering from anxiety who leaves his high-class New York City restaurant job to take over the family sandwich shop following the death of his brother. As he attempts to transform it into something more, he has to deal with his own demons.
Bernthal won an Emmy for his performance in 2024.
Bernthal plays Mikey, Carmy’s late brother who is seen in various flashbacks throughout the series. Bernthal brings his trademark intensity to the role as well as humor and charm, which makes it clear why so many people loved Mickey. The series is one of the most acclaimed on television right now and Bernthal won an Emmy for his performance in 2024.
1 The Walking Dead (2010-2012)
As Shane Walsh
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The Walking Dead
- Release Date
- 2010 - 2022
- Network
- AMC
- Showrunner
- Frank Darabont, Angela Kang, Scott M. Gimple, Glen Mazzara
Cast
Andrew Lincoln
WHERE TO WATCH
Based on one of the most successful and popular comic books of all time, AMC’s The Walking Dead captures the ongoing human drama following a zombie apocalypse. The series, developed for television by Frank Darabont, follows a group of survivors, led by police officer Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), who are traveling in search of a safe and secure home. However, instead of the zombies, it is the living who remain that truly become the walking dead. The Walking Dead lasted for eleven seasons and spawned several spinoff shows, such as Fear the Walking Dead and The Walking Dead: World Beyond.
- Seasons
- 11
The role that served as Jon Bernthal’s big break is also the one that remains his best. The Walking Dead adapted the comic book series of the same name, following Rick (Andrew Lincoln), a small-town sheriff who wakes from a coma to find that the world has descended into chaos with the outbreak of a zombie virus. After reuniting with his family and ing a group of survivors, Rick leads them on a journey where other humans are as big of a threat as the undead.
Bernthal plays Shane, Rick’s former partner who becomes his rival in this new world order. Bernthal shows a lot of sides of his talents that would eventually make him a big success. He gives an intense and commanding performance but brings shades of complexity to the character even as he slips into villainy. The Walking Dead franchise is still going on, but the show was at its height as a terrifying and dark thriller when Bernthal was still in the cast.
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