Johnny Messner (actor)

Last updated
Johnny Messner
Born (1970-04-11) April 11, 1970 (age 54)
OccupationActor
Years active1998–present
Spouse(s)Avril Grace
Kathryn Morris (separated)
Children2

Johnny Messner (born April 11, 1970) is an American film and television actor best known for his portrayal of a muscular military man in the 2004 film Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid .

Contents

Biography

Messner was born on April 11, 1970, in Syracuse, New York. He is of German, Italian and Spanish descent. [1] He lived in Europe for 13 years while his father served in the United States Air Force, mainly in Germany and England. During this time, he developed a love for sports while playing on teams at military bases. He has one brother and one sister. [2] He briefly attended the San Diego State University to major in sports broadcasting but eventually decided to drop out. [3] Soon after that he went back to New York where he pursued an acting career. [4] He has several tattoos; one depicts Italian actress Monica Bellucci, and another is of his father. [4]

As an actor Messner is probably best known for his work in the films Tears of the Sun , The Whole Ten Yards and Hostage , and in the TV series Guiding Light (working with friend Frank Grillo and a young Hayden Panettiere), Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Cold Case . In August 2004, American action adventure film Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid , starring Messner as an ex-military man Bill Johnson, premiered in theaters. It was the actor's first leading role in a mainstream movie. [3] [5] [6] [7] Around that time Messner became notorious[ citation needed ] due to his controversial interviews for IGN and Lawrence Journal-World . [4] [3] He stated that "in Hollywood we've lost the real man", and that he's the only "alpha male" still working in the film industry, along with Bruce Willis. [4] [3] In those interviews Messner expressed harsh criticism for actors Orlando Bloom, Brad Pitt, Mickey Rourke, Russell Crowe and Vin Diesel, among others. [4] [3] In December 2004, the horror-themed website CampBlood named him the 2004's sexiest man in horror. [8]

Known as an action hero, he starred in numerous genre films including Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid (2004), Tears of the Sun (2003), Running Scared (2006), Arena (2011), Kill 'em All (2012), The Good, the Bad, and the Dead (2015), Silencer (2018), and Beyond the Law (2019). He portrayed the main protagonist, an ex-police officer Burke Wyatt, in the 2008 action film Ring of Death , created for Spike TV. [9] A torture sequence, shot for the film, required Messner to be waterboarded. [10]

Messner's ex-partner is Kathryn Morris, whom he met while shooting Cold Case . [11] They have twin sons. [12] Messner is currently married to Avril Grace. [13] [14]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2000 Dancing in September Officer Jenkins
2001Operation Delta Force 4: Deep FaultVickers
2002 The Sweetest Thing Todd
2003 Tears of the Sun Lake
2003 Finding Home Nick
2004 Spartan Grace
2004 The Whole Ten Yards Zevo
2004 Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid Bill Johnson
2004 Our Time is Up Playboy
2005 Hostage Mr. Jones
2006 One Last Thing... Jason O'Malley
2006 Running Scared Tommy "Tombs" Perello
2006 Bottoms Up Tony
2007 Believers David Vaughn
2008The Art of TravelChristopher Loren
2008 Remarkable Power Doug Wade
2008 Loaded Javon
2008 Ring of Death Burke Wyatt
2008 The Poker Club Bill
2009 Wrong Turn at Tahoe Mickey
2010 Corrado Corrado
2011 Arena Kaden
2011Caught on TapeTito
2012 She Wants Me John
2012 Kill'em All Gabriel
2013 Officer Down McAlister
2013 The Outsider Ricky
2014 The Equalizer P&E Worker
2015 Condemned Gault
2015CheckmateJoey
2015 The Good, the Bad and the Dead Brian Barns
2016 The Perfect Weapon Condor
2017 American Violence Paul
2018SilencerFrank
2018Alone We Fight Captain Hank Kedry
2019 Beyond the Law Frank Wilson
2020 Breach Blue
2021 Cosmic Sin Coco
2021 Overrun Detective Blake Finning
2022 American Siege Silas
2022 A Day to Die Schipp
2022 Detective Knight: Rogue Brigga [15] Also Executive Producer
2023 Detective Knight: Redemption Executive Producer only
2023 Detective Knight: Independence Executive Producer only
2023 Call Her King John Stryker

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1998 Guiding Light Rob Layne22 episodes
1999 Rude Awakening Cute PodiatristEpisode: "One Birthday at a Time"
1999 Angel KevinEpisode: "Lonely Heart"
2000 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Ted SallangerEpisode: "Cool Change"
2001 Danny CashEpisode: "Forget About Your Boss"
2001 Son of the Beach Handsome GuyEpisode: "Area 69"
2001 Friends KashEpisode: "The One With Rachel's Date"
2001 Men, Women & Dogs JimEpisode: "Let Sleeping Dogs Lie"
2003 Tarzan Detective Michael Foster3 episodes
2005 The O.C. Lance Baldwin5 episodes
2005 Miami Ink Himself
2005–06 Killer Instinct Detective Jack Hale13 episodes
2007 Burn Notice HarrickEpisode: "Loose Ends, Part 2"
2008 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Captain Lowell HarrisEpisode "Undercover"
2008 Knight Rider SeanEpisode: "Journey to the End of the Knight"
2009 CSI: Miami Ken VogelEpisode: "Sink or Swim"
2010 Chuck Rafe GruberEpisode: "Chuck Versus the Fake Name"
2010 Cold Case FBI Agent Ryan Cavanaugh3 episodes
2010 The Gates Mark WoodburyEpisode: "Pilot"
2010 Dark Blue Danny2 episodes
2010 G.I. Joe: Renegades Flint (voice)11 episodes
2010 A Soldier's Love Story (originally titled: Meet My Mom)Sgt. Vince CarreraHallmark Movie
2011 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Frank CaffertyEpisode: "CSI Down"
2017 Jane the Virgin Chuck Chesser10 episodes
2018 Criminal Minds Jeremy GrantEpisode: "Luke"
2020PrimitiveDr. MamedyarovEpisode: "Blind Sighted"
2020The Christmas High NoteMichaelLifetime Movie

Awards and nominations

YearEventAward/categoryWorkResultRef.
2004The Skully AwardsHorror Hottie of the YearAnacondas: The Hunt for the Blood OrchidWon [8]
2012Behind the Voice Actors Awards
(BTVA Television Voice Acting)
Best Vocal Ensemble in a Television Series
(shared with Jason Marsden and Clancy Brown, among others [16] )
G.I. Joe: RenegadesNominated [16]

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References

  1. https://twitter.com/jmessner/status/670671654826168320
  2. johnny messner [@JMessner] (4 April 2012). "@BrettAnthony2 that's true buddy Messner is German and so am I even though I was adopted:)" (Tweet) via Twitter.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Niccum, Joe (August 27, 2004). "'Anacondas' star on quest to bring 'a real man' back to Hollywood". Lawrence Journal-World . Ogden Newspapers. Archived from the original on December 22, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Head, Steve (August 28, 2004). "Interview: Johnny Messner". IGN . IGN Entertainment Inc. Archived from the original on December 22, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  5. "'Anacondas' has suspenseful twists, goofy dialogue". The Standard-Times . Gannett. August 26, 2004. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  6. Fox, Ellen (August 27, 2020). "With no-name cast, `Anacondas' fizzles". Chicago Tribune . Tribune Publishing . Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  7. Schwartz, Dennis (September 2, 2004). "Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid". Ozus's World Movie Reviews. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  8. 1 2 "Best of 2004: The First Annual Skully Awards". CampBlood. Archived from the original on July 8, 2012. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  9. Vasquez, Felix (May 21, 2008). "Ring of Death (2008)". Cinema Crazed. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  10. "Ring of Death". Facebook. Facebook, Inc. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  11. johnny messner [@JMessner] (5 August 2013). "This is a minute reason but one of many that I love my wife. Kathryn Susan Morris. I love you…" (Tweet) via Twitter.
  12. Leon, Anya; Triggs, Charlotte (September 17, 2003). Archived 2014-09-10 at the Wayback Machine
  13. Messner, Johnny. "What a beautiful trip to Gods Country ! It was 3 years since my first trip with Avril to meet her whole family on Read Island So grateful for all of my life and my wife ❤️❤️🙏❤️🌱🌱". Instagram.com. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  14. Messner, Johnny. "My Queen, The Medicine/God brought us together for the universal set up! I had no idea what love truly felt like until you came into my life✨ Happy birthday Bubba I love you for all eternity ❤️❤️". Instagram.com. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  15. Billington, Alex (September 14, 2022). "Official Trailer for Thriller 'Detective Knight: Rogue' with Bruce Willis". First Showing. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
  16. 1 2 "Johnny Messner (I) – Awards". IMDb. Amazon.com, Inc. Archived from the original on December 22, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2020.