Jon Bernthal is a talented and versatile actor who has made a significant impact on both the big and small screens. With his rugged charm and intense performances, Bernthal has captivated audiences in a wide range of roles, from his breakout portrayal of Shane Walsh in the hit television series The Walking Dead to his critically acclaimed performances in films like The Wolf of Wall Street.
Known for his raw and gritty approach to acting, Bernthal brings a unique authenticity to every character he embodies, leaving a lasting impression on viewers. One such gruesome yet impressive performance of the star was exhibited in the 2014 film, Fury. Bernthal gave a glimpse into the intense and demanding role of his character in The Fury.
Jon Bernthal Shared The Most Demanding Aspect Of His Role In Fury
Jon Bernthal reflected on the most challenging aspect of shooting Fury. He reveals that it wasn’t the physical demands or dangerous situations that posed the greatest difficulty, but rather the psychological danger he faced. The Small Engine Repair star shared that the process involved revealing parts of himself that he had never shared with anyone before, allowing others to unleash their emotions upon him.
“I’ve definitely been through my fair share of shit and I’ll say this was definitely pretty…you know, we went for it. I think mostly for me it was the psychological danger. When you reveal parts of yourself that you don’t share with anyone else…you’re demanded to tell everything about yourself and your worst fears and everything you care about. Then people are told to unleash that. At times when you’re not prepared for that, you don’t know when it’s going to come…it’s a tough sort of mindset to be in day in and day out with no break.”
The King Richard star that this constant exposure to the darkest aspects of war, including real war videos and beheadings, took a toll on Bernthal’s mindset. He described the experience as being constantly immersed in darkness, actively distancing himself from family, friends, and normal social life to embrace the darkness required for his role.
“Everything from real war videos, beheadings, all kinds of stuff. Inundated with it constantly for five, six, seven months straight you get in a mindset that is fucking dark. Especially when you’re like, ‘I just want to get darker, I want to get darker, I want to get darker.’ Anything that takes you the other way — family friends, communication, social life — you actively are axing those things out of your life and gobbling up as much dark shit as you possibly can. It becomes a dangerous situation and you create the danger. That’s pretty crazy.”
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Jon Bernthal On Turning Down The American Sniper
Having immersed himself in the dark and psychologically intense world of Fury. Bernthal recounted the impact of constantly exposing himself to disturbing imagery and emotional vulnerability, leading to a mindset that embraced the darkness, and strayed away from family and friends. The Punisher star revealed that this became the major reason for him to turn down the role in the superhit film, American Sniper.
“Definitely, it was. It definitely took me a while. I just remember right after that my agents called and said they were really interested in you for ‘American Sniper.’ I was like, dude, no. That said, I don’t know what translates onto film. You do all that, you make all of those sacrifices and this is a film that definitely came with a cost, there’s a real cost, an emotional cost, a physical cost. There’s a cost of being away from your family and freezing them out of your life. I’ve got two little kids. It was that kind of experience but if even a sliver of it makes its way onto the screen, then it’s worth it.”
Bernthal’s willingness to delve into the darkest aspects of his character and the toll it took on his personal life demonstrates his unwavering dedication to his craft. However, the psychological and emotional demand of the role is undeniable, as Bernthal faced the challenge of returning to his normal life after immersing himself completely in the world of Fury.
Fury is available on Amazon Prime Video.
Source: IndieWire
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