Jon Bernthal facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jon Bernthal
Bernthal at GalaxyCon Raleigh in 2024
Born	Jonathan Edward Bernthal (1976-09-20) September 20, 1976 (age 48) Washington, D.C., U.S.
Education	Skidmore College Harvard University (GrDip)
Occupation	Actor
Years active	2002–present
Works	Full list
Spouse(s)	Erin Angle ​ (m. 2010)​
Children	3
Relatives	Thomas Bernthal (brother) Murray Bernthal (grandfather) Adam Schlesinger (cousin) Sheryl Sandberg (sister-in-law) Kurt Angle (uncle-in-law) Eric Angle (uncle-in-law)

Jonathan Edward Bernthal (born September 20, 1976) is an American actor. He started acting in the early 2000s. He became well-known for playing Shane Walsh in the TV show The Walking Dead (2010–2012; 2018).

Bernthal also gained fame as Frank Castle / The Punisher in the show Daredevil (2016). He played this role again in his own show The Punisher (2017–2019). He will return as The Punisher in Daredevil: Born Again (2025). These shows are all part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He also won a Primetime Emmy Award for his role as Michael Berzatto in The Bear (2022–present).

His movies include The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), Fury (2014), Sicario (2015), Baby Driver (2017), Ford v Ferrari (2019), and King Richard (2021).

Early Life and Education

Jonathan Edward Bernthal was born in Washington, D.C. on September 20, 1976. He grew up in Cabin John, Maryland. His family is Jewish. His father, Eric Bernthal, was a lawyer. His grandfather, Murray Bernthal, was a musician. Jon has two brothers: Nicholas, who is a surgeon, and Thomas, a CEO. His cousin was the musician Adam Schlesinger.

He went to Sidwell Friends School and graduated in 1995. After high school, he started at Skidmore College but left early. His acting teacher told him to join the Moscow Art Theatre School in Russia. While there, he also played baseball for a professional Russian team.

Acting Career

Starting Out: 2002–2009

While in Moscow, Jon Bernthal was noticed by someone from Harvard University's theater program. He studied there and finished in 2002. After that, he moved to New York City to become a theater actor. He has been in over thirty plays.

He also had small roles in TV shows like Boston Legal and How I Met Your Mother. In 2006, he moved to Los Angeles. He got his first regular TV role in the show The Class, but it only lasted one season. He also appeared in movies like World Trade Center.

Becoming Well-Known: 2009–2015

The Walking Dead and Other TV Roles

In 2009, Bernthal was a regular on the TV show Eastwick. In 2010, he played Sgt. Manuel Rodriguez in the HBO miniseries The Pacific.

He became very popular for playing Shane Walsh in The Walking Dead. This show is based on a comic book. He was a main actor on the show until 2012. He was even nominated for an award for his performance. He later worked with the same director, Frank Darabont, on the show Mob City.

Movies in the Early 2010s

During this time, Bernthal had supporting roles in movies. He played Al Capone in Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009). He was also in The Ghost Writer (2010) and Rampart (2011).

In 2013, he had roles in Snitch and Grudge Match. He played Brad in the famous movie The Wolf of Wall Street, directed by Martin Scorsese. In 2014, he played Grady Travis in the World War II movie Fury. People really liked the actors in this film.

Bernthal in October 2014

In 2015, Bernthal was in the action movie Sicario, which won many awards. He also appeared in Me and Earl and the Dying Girl and We Are Your Friends.

Major Roles: 2015–2021

Marvel and The Punisher

In 2015, Marvel announced that Jon Bernthal would play Frank Castle / Punisher. This role was in the second season of Netflix's superhero show Daredevil, released in 2016. Bernthal wasn't sure about joining a superhero series at first. But he liked the other actors in Daredevil and decided to take the part.

Critics loved his performance as The Punisher. One reviewer called it "an absolutely stellar, gutting performance." The co-creator of The Punisher comic book, Gerry Conway, said Bernthal's acting was his favorite version of the character.

Because he was so popular, Netflix made a separate show called The Punisher, which came out in 2017. His acting in this show was praised for being "truly remarkable and intense." Bernthal likes to do his own stunts on the show. The Punisher was renewed for a second season in 2019, but then it was canceled.

More Movie Roles

In 2016, Bernthal was in the thriller movie The Accountant with Ben Affleck. In 2017, he appeared in Wind River, Baby Driver, and Shot Caller. In the movie Pilgrimage, he played a character called The Mute. To stay in character, he didn't speak to the cast or crew for the first few weeks of filming. Critics praised his "intense, nearly wordless performance."

In 2018, he was in the movie Widows. He also returned to The Walking Dead for one episode in season 9.

Bernthal played the brother of a fisherman in the independent film The Peanut Butter Falcon. He also played the famous businessman Lee Iacocca in Ford v Ferrari (2019). In 2019, he filmed Those Who Wish Me Dead, a western movie released in 2021. He also starred in the movie version of his play Small Engine Repair, released in 2021. In 2019, Bernthal joined the cast of The Many Saints of Newark, a movie that tells the story before the TV show The Sopranos.

Video Game Work

Bernthal has also lent his voice and appearance to video games. He appears in Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Breakpoint as LT Cole D. Walker.

Recent Work and Other Projects: 2022–Present

Bernthal starred as Sergeant Wayne Jenkins in the HBO miniseries We Own This City. He also played Mikey in the popular Hulu series The Bear (2022–2024). For this role, he won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series.

Podcasting

In 2022, Jon Bernthal started a podcast called Real Ones with Jon Bernthal. In this podcast, he talks to interesting people from different walks of life. He interviews police officers, soldiers, doctors, and activists. The goal is to have honest and open conversations.

Upcoming Projects

It has been confirmed that Bernthal will play Frank Castle / The Punisher again in the show Daredevil: Born Again. This show is being made for Disney+ and is expected in 2025. He will also be in the spy thriller movie The Amateur.

Charity and Advocacy

Jon Bernthal and his brother Nicholas run a non-profit group called Drops Fill Buckets. This group aims to make a positive difference in the world.

Bernthal also supports pit bull dog ownership. He is a spokesperson for the Animal Farm Foundation. This organization helps rescue pit bulls and promotes treating them fairly. Jon has three pit bulls of his own. Two of them, Boss and Venice, even appeared in his 2012 movie Rampart.

Personal Life

Jon Bernthal married Erin Angle on September 25, 2010, in Potomac, Maryland. Erin is the niece of the famous athlete Kurt Angle. They have three children together. The family lives in Ojai, California. Jon is a big fan of the Washington Commanders football team.

Filmography

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Jon Bernthal para niños