Jon Bernthal

Jon Bernthal

Bernthal in 2011, photo by kathclick/Bigstock.com

Birth Name: Jonathan Edward Bernthal

Place of Birth: Washington, D.C., U.S.

Date of Birth: September 20, 1976

Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish

Jon Bernthal is an American actor. He is known for his roles on The Walking Dead and The Punisher, and in the films The Wolf of Wall Street, The Accountant, and Ford v Ferrari, among many others.

His parents, Joan and Eric “Rick” Bernthal, are both Jewish. His family came to the U.S. from Austria, Russia, and Poland on his father’s side, and from Germany, Lithuania, and Russia on his mother’s side. His father is chairman of the board of the animal rights group The Humane Society of the United States. Jon was raised partly in Cabin John, Maryland.

Jon is married to Erin Angle, with whom he has three children. Erin is the niece of actor and wrestler Kurt Angle. Jon’s brother is marketing CEO and news producer Tom Bernthal. Tom is married to Facebook executive Sheryl Sandberg.

Jon was a first cousin of songwriter, composer, and record producer Adam Schlesinger. Jon’s father and Adam’s mother are siblings.

Jon’s paternal grandfather was Murray Bernthal, a composer (the son of Samuel Bernthal and Lena Fleisher). Murray was born in New York. Samuel was a Jewish emigrant from Bukovina, and was the son of Mordecai/Marcus Bernthal and Dvorsa/Dora Gottlieb/Gross. Lena was a Russian Jewish immigrant, the daughter of Elias Fleisher/Fleischer and Chaja Saks.

Jon’s paternal grandmother was Rose Wartsky (the daughter of Aaron/Aron Wartsky and Lena Zlutnic). Rose was born in New York. Aaron was a Polish Jewish emigrant, who was born in Kalisz, Kalisz County, Poland. Lena was a Russian Jewish immigrant.

Jon’s maternal grandfather was Hendrik Otto “Henry” Marx (the son of Solomon Marx and Flora Kaufmann). Hendrik was a German Jew, born in Munich, Germany, in 1918; he later moved to the United States.

Jon’s maternal grandmother was Mildred Geraldine “Billi” Lurie (the daughter of Levi Israel Lurie and Rose Cwengel). Mildred was born in Missouri. Levi was a Lithuanian Jewish immigrant. Rose was born either in Missouri, or in Kupel, Russia, to Russian-born Jewish parents, Harry Cwengel and Pessie/Bessie “Pauline” Whiser/Weiser, whose own parents were Malech Weiser and Rachel.

Sources: Genealogy of Jon Bernthal – https://www.geni.com

Jon’s paternal grandfather, Murray Bernthal, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Jon’s paternal grandmother, Rose Wartsky, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Jon’s maternal grandmother, Mildred Geraldine “Billi” Lurie, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

34 Responses

  1. andrew says:

    This guy keeps getting picked to play people of Italian background he does not resemble at all, like: https://ethnicelebs.com/lee-iacocca, or tennis coach Rick Macci. After Adam Driver playing Gucci and Frank Grillo playing Lamborghini, Hollywood casting choices are absolutely a joke.

  2. Keepit_smooth says:

    The people in the comments that said he looks like a Latino should go to jail. Mario Lopez looks Latino, not him. He looks like a white guy. I don’t even understand what’s with the people saying he doesn’t look Italian. He actually could fit in Italy or in other European countries. Only because he has a tan and dark hair it doesn’t mean he has to be a Latino or any other poc. You guys are ridiculous. And I say this with the experience of someone who is both European and American citizen. I know what white people look like, ookay?? Probably some of you don’t or have never been outside their own house. So please shhheeh

    • muricansareallmutts says:

      Well I’m a real Italian living in Italy and absolutely he doesn’t look Italian but Hispanic an Amerindian specifically the Italian-Americans in Usa are ——— and —– — —- —– who match zero to us he neither looks Euro his face is utterly —– in Europe, only a — white —- — can deny it so you’re the one who say to others they never have seen the world gee hahaha.

    • andrew says:

      @keepith_smooth

      Well, I can tell you he absolutely does not look Italian with such facial features. Also, why should he? He is Jewish.

      Forgot the nutcase below “muricansareallmutts” who labels anybody as Arabs or Hispanics.

  3. Yeravam says:

    He has an Italian look to me. I’d have assumed Central Italian or Sicilian.

    • pedro_henrique says:

      mediterranean people looks all similar, either spanish, greek, lebanese, etc

    • andrew says:

      No, he actually does not look Italian at all, definitely not an Italian face. Unsure in which world you guys live in. Also Lebanese have Arab admixture so they evidently can’t look like Greeks and Spaniards.

      • Mixed Kidd says:

        Greeks and Spanish can’t look Arab? They’re all in the Mediterranean so that’s kinda silly to say when looks can vary from any ethnicity/culture. I’ve seen some DNA results with both Greek and Spanish and yes, some do have Arab or North African admixture. And some don’t, you don’t know what ancestry you’ll find running through your veins, sometimes it’s predictable and sometimes not.

        • andrew says:

          You can never mistake a group of Greeks and Spaniards for one from any MENA country. There is a big physical difference, despite as you said some of their DNA is classified as such. In the Greek case (as for Southern Italians), the Neolithic farmers component is classified as “Middle Eastern” (because they came from Anatolia).

          • Mixed Kidd says:

            Obviously the Greeks/Italians are still in Europe have difference physically in each country, depends on what part of the country you like in. I’m aware that Middle East part comes from Turkey. Some Copts in Egypt have Greek ancestry, Cyprus is an Island that’s half Turkish & half Greek, so it wouldn’t surprise me if there’s. Spain/Portugal was conquered by Moors in North Africa. Sicily isn’t that far from Tunisia either so I’m pretty sure some of them have ancestry from North Africa too. I’m not saying every single person has Middle East or North African ancestry but you will see a small percentage of that ancestry in most Mediterranean countries that are close to the Middle East/North Africa.

    • americansrallmixed says:

      Lol to you who don’t know anything about races and zero of Italians wrong he looks clearly a mestizo a bleached amerindian mixed to spaniards his features are clearly native american I’m from Italy in Europe not a fake hispanic or taliban who claim to be someone they’re not and I tell ya he can’t pass off as Italian in Italy because he’s not absolutely, real native northern and central italians are alpine they have light hair, light eyes, light skin and delicate features.
      The italians you know and identify with are the southerns who are a mix of arabs and spaniards because centuries ago South Italy was invaded by them like many other foreigners invaders.

      • jackson9 says:

        With that being said why can’t he pass as Southern Italian? anywhere below the Lazio region where they mainly do not have light eye, light eyes, light skin etc. Happy Italian and Hispanic heritage month btw!
        Bearboy = 1/2 Irish, 3/8 Norwegian 1/8 Italian :-)

        • americansrallmixed says:

          Cause his face his Amerindian as I already said not typically Southern Italian who have different faces and different roots except the same spaniard.

        • andrew says:

          @bearboy

          No he does not look Italian of any provenience in the slightest. And it’s not about overrated features like eyes/hair colour but it’s all in his facial traits. However as you should know light features in Southern Italians are not uncommon at all.

      • andrew says:

        @americansareallmixed

        Yeah he looks like a mestizo but he is Jewish. The most shocking thing is that he has been casted as “Italian” in several roles. IMO all those casting directors should be fired ASAP.

        I know it’s your fetish, but “Arabs” ruled over Sicily for only 150 years. Rulers from Spain stayed for much longer periods but anyway is there is any ethnic difference in the South, it was brought by Greek settlers.

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