Jon Bernthal's Most Hot-Headed Performance Is Also Low-Key One of His Best

2 weeks ago 12

Mugshot of Brad Bodnick (Jon Bernthal) after being arrested in 'The Wolf of Wall Street.'

Published May 14, 2026, 5:09 PM EDT

Zach is a Movies & TV Features Writer at Collider. Hailing from Pittsburgh, PA, Zach carries a bachelor's degree in Theatre and Playwriting. He has been featured in sketches on 'Saturday Night Live' and 'Above Average Comedy.' He cut his writing teeth as an editor on early internet sites such as eBaum's World, theCHIVE, and Ranker.

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As surprising as it may sound, Jon Bernthal’s gritty and seedy role of Brad Bodnick in The Wolf of Wall Street oftentimes goes unnoticed. Thanks to Academy Award-nominated performances from both Leonardo DiCaprio as Jordan Belfort and Jonah Hill as Donnie Azhoff, Bernthal’s portrayal of the hardcore, no-nonsense drug-dealer typically gets swept under the rug. However, in the years since the film’s release, it has become crystal clear that Bernthal’s tough guy persona wasn’t just a front. The actor pulled no punches (literally) to make his scenes the highest quality they could be.

In an interview on The Howard Stern Show, Bernthal revealed that there were multiple takes of the confrontation scene, where Brad (Bernthal) and Donnie (Hill) first get under each other’s skin. After Donnie spouts his line, “You dress like shit!” the script called for Brad to punch him square in the face. However, none of the takes looked realistic enough to work. So, according to Bernthal, “I said to Jonah before we started, I said, this is a Martin Scorsese movie, man. I’mma slap you.” And the rest is history. Jonah Hill made the cast and crew members well aware that a real slap-punch was going to land and that everyone should be ready.

Yes, Jon Bernthal Smacked Jonah Hill For Real

Jonah Hill was first asked about the iconic smack during an appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman. As Hill recalls, "After every take, I look at Scorsese, and I'm just like, 'I hope he's happy.'" To which Scorsese responded, "Hey, kid. You want to try one where he hits you for real?" And that's how we ended up at this point. As Bernthal would later confirm, yes, he did indeed split Jonah's prosthetic teeth and knock them out of his mouth. Lest we forget, this is Jon Bernthal, a man who is trained in the martial arts, including boxing and jiu-jitsu. After shooting The Wolf of Wall Street, Bernthal would go on to land the role of The Punisher in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

So was it worth it? 100%. The scene is incredibly important in setting up the dysfunctional relationship between Jordan Belfort’s low-life quaalude dealer and day-one business partner. The confrontations between Donnie and Brad are pertinent comedic relief from the serious tone of the rest of the film. For example, when Donnie pretends to be completely wasted during the suitcase drop-off, Brad can hardly contain his anger, only to find out that Donnie is sober and just messing with "The Quaalude King of Bayside." That's rage-baiting at its finest, and the scene ultimately ends with Brad handcuffed in police custody while Donnie drives away scot-free.

Brad (Jon Bernthal) and Donnie (Jonah Hill) nearly shaking hands on a golf course in 'The Wolf of Wall Street.'

It's almost comical how similar the two characters actually are, while still managing to hate each other so much. Both are low-life creeps who started from the bottom with absolutely nothing to their name. Both have proven themselves to, and have a mutual respect for, Jordan. Not to mention the sole reason for both men doing what they do: At the end of the day the only thing that matters to either of them is money. Even when things are going well for Belfort's business, Brad and Donnie are at each other's throats.

Take the golf course scene, for example. During a time when the fellas of Stratton Oakmont should be celebrating, kicking back, and having fun, Brad hits Donnie with some insanely out-of-pocket insults. It's safe to say that even though they're on the same team, there is no love lost between the two. The turbulence in their relationship can be traced all the way back to that first real-life punch. Bernthal, who just reprised his role as Frank Castle in the upcoming Disney+ special, The Punisher: One Last Kill, continues to prove that he's the real deal. He's a hard-nosed, blue-collar actor who isn't afraid to get his hands dirty, and those kinds of performances are what truly inspires audiences to watch.