Since the second season of Netflix’s Daredevil, Jon Bernthal has been in the role of Frank Castle/The Punisher. An antihero with a complicated, traumatic history including military service, the character acted as a foil to the deeply Catholic Matt Murdock/Daredevil due to their differing views on vigilantism. He received his own spin-off thereafter, which lasted for two seasons, and following a couple of guest spots on Daredevil: Born Again, he is slated to receive his own special presentation on Disney+.
Bernthal’s portrayal has generally been well-received by fans and critics alike, something the actor recently credited to real-life United States Marines who informed his perspective on the character. In a recent interview, the actor explained: “I’m so grateful for the Marine Corps and that community, for helping me on this journey, for helping me find this character.“
Bernthal then directly addressed the symbolism of the Punisher’s skull logo, which has been a source of controversy to the extent that Daredevil: Born Again made it a plot point. Per Bernthal, “some of the best people we have in this country have worn that Punisher skull on their body armor when they’ve taken that unbelievable walk into danger, to stand up for our country, and that’s something that I take enormously seriously.” He concluded by adding that he plays the Punisher “for” and “with” them.
Jon Bernthal Wanted To Play An Authentic Veteran
While the symbol of the Punisher has developed a meaning antithetical to what the character stands for in some circles, Bernthal expressed respect for what it means to veterans who saw themselves in Frank. Regardless of the controversy, his well-received portrayal does demonstrate a dedication to the Punisher character. Additionally, Bernthal has been vocal about how much the feedback he has received inspired him:
I’ve said it a million times: Frank is in my bones, is in my heart. I care about him. In discussing what this thing could be and this sort of version of Frank that I really felt that the audience was hungry for, that the military community was hungry for it, the first responder community, the comic book fans, they were really hungry for it. I presented that version to them, and they encouraged me. They encouraged me to keep coming to the table.
Bernthal clearly cares about Frank’s story and how it impacts audiences, which he is bringing into the upcoming presentation. In addition to acting as the Punisher, he will also write the production and said he has “a great group of vets that [he’s working] with” for its story.
Frank Castle Has A Complicated History
Portraying a character who is part of a specific community and who suffers from trauma is a difficult task; Bernthal choosing to reach out to those who have experienced what Frank has is a responsible way to inform his performance. Much of Frank’s appeal in Daredevil and in The Punisher comes from how real he seems, which likely stems from Bernthal’s research into the military experience.
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