Bernthal is a diverse actor who has starred in many noteworthy roles throughout his career.

The FX series The Bear received a record-breaking 23 Emmy nominations for a comedy in 2024, breaking the record previously held by 30 Rock with 22 nominations in 2022. While many question if comedy is the correct category for the series, there is no denying it is a series worthy of a watch. Walking Dead fans will be excited to hear that Jon Bernthal, who portrayed Shane Walsh in seasons 1 and 2, has also been nominated for his role in The Bear.

Bernthal is nominated for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his role as Mikey in The Bear, pitting him against his co-stars, Bob Odenkirk and Will Poulter. Other actors nominated in the category include Matthew Broderick for “Only Murders in the Building,” Ryan Gosling for “Saturday Night Live,” and Christopher Lloyd for “Hacks.” That’s an impressive list. Additionally, Olivia Colman and Jamie Lee Curtis were nominated in the female section for this category for their roles in The Bear.

For these guest role nominations, the TV Academy chose specific episodes that showcase the talents of the actors. For Bernthal, the sixth episode of season 2, “Fishes,” was selected as the episode featuring his best performance for the season.

Bernthal portrays Mikey, the elder brother of Jeremy Allen White’s Carmen ‘Carmy’ Berzatto.
Created by Christopher Storer for FX, the story chronicles Carmy’s return to his hometown of Chicago, where he embarks on a mission to manage the sandwich shop previously owned by his deceased brother. Bernthal appears in flashbacks, which flesh out the family’s story. The episode, directed by Storer, has been nominated for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series.

“Fishes” synopsis: Mikey, the eldest Berzatto sibling, wrestles with inner turmoil amid strained relations with Uncle Lee. He softens when Carmy discusses revamping The Beef, exposing Mikey’s financial worries and past battles with depression. Tensions climax as Mikey’s pent-up frustrations erupt in a heated clash with Lee.

This episode has been widely praised as the best of season 2, which featured an ensemble guest cast. In addition to Bernthal, the episode also featured Jamie Lee Curtis, Oliver Platt, Gillian Jacobs, John Mulaney, Bob Odenkirk, Sarah Paulson, Ricky Staffieri, and Maura Kidwell.

The OGs. #TheBearFX pic.twitter.com/UyGgVr0cOM

— The Bear (@TheBearFX) August 31, 2023

Complete list of The Bear Emmy nominations via FX Network’s Facebook page.

• • Outstanding Comedy Series
  • Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series – Jeremy Allen White
  • Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series – Ayo Edebiri
  • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series – Lionel Boyce
  • Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series – Ebon Moss-Bachrach
  • Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series – Liza Colón-Zayas
  • Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series – Jon Bernthal
  • Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series – Bob Odenkirk
  • Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series – Will Poulter
  • Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series – Olivia Colman

Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series – Jamie Lee Curtis

• Outstanding Production Design for a Narrative Program (Half-Hour)
• Outstanding Casting for a Comedy Series
• Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series (Half-Hour)
• Outstanding Contemporary Costumes for a Series
• Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series – “Fishes” – Directed by Christopher Storer
• Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series – “Honeydew” – Directed by Ramy Youssef
• Outstanding Picture Editing for a Single-Camera Comedy Series
• Outstanding Contemporary Hairstyling
• Outstanding Contemporary Makeup (Non-Prosthetic)
• Outstanding Sound Editing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation
• Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation
• Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series

Jon Bernthal – upcoming roles

In 2025, Bernthal will reprise his role as Frank Castle/Punisher in the Disney+ series Daredevil: Born Again. The series will consist of 9 episodes, down from the originally announced 18, and is expected to be released in March 2025.

He will also reprise his role as Brax Wolff in The Accountant sequel. The film was expected to begin filming earlier this year with a possible release in 2025.