Daniel Bernhardt

Last updated

Daniel Bernhardt
Born (1965-08-31) 31 August 1965 (age 58)
Worblaufen, Switzerland
Years active1996present

Daniel Bernhardt (born 31 August 1965) is a Swiss actor, model, and martial artist. [1] He made his acting debut in the leading role in Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite (1996), and appeared in two of its sequels, Bloodsport III (1997) and Bloodsport 4: The Dark Kumite (1999). Also known for playing villainous characters, he starred opposite Chuck Norris in The Cutter (2005), Jean-Claude Van Damme in Kill 'Em All (2017), Sylvester Stallone in Escape Plan: The Extractors (2019), and Keanu Reeves in The Matrix Reloaded (2003), John Wick (2014), and The Matrix Resurrections (2021).

Contents

As a martial artist, Bernhardt is a black belt in Taekwondo under Black Belt Hall of Fame member Hee-il Cho (the two also starred together in Bloodsport II). He also studied Kyokushin karate under South Korean master Mas Oyama. [1]

Career

Bernhardt made his acting debut in the leading role in Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite (1996). He also appeared in two of its sequels and starred in Future War (1997), True Vengeance (1997), Perfect Target (1997), G2 – Mortal Conquest (1999), Black Sea Raid (2000) and Global Effect (2002). From 1998 to 1999, he starred in the TV series Mortal Kombat: Conquest .

In 2003, he appeared as Agent Johnson in The Matrix Reloaded (2003), and in 2005 he appeared with Chuck Norris in The Cutter .

In 2013, he returned to acting with Jason Statham in Parker (2013) and in a cameo in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) as the male tribute from District 9. He trained with the 87Eleven Stunt Team and played Russian hitman Kirill in John Wick and the following year, he made his Bollywood debut as mixed martial arts fighter Max Potter in the remake of Warrior , titled Brothers . He co-starred in a particularly acclaimed episode of HBO's Barry as Ronny Proxin. [2] In September 2020, it was announced that Bernhardt was reprising his Matrix role as Agent Johnson in The Matrix Resurrections ; [3] however, his scenes were cut from the final film.[ citation needed ]

Personal life

Bernhardt is proficient in karate and taekwondo. [1] [4]

Filmography

Cinema

Television

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "The Matrix: Reloaded". Black Belt. Vol. 41, no. 8. Active Interest Media. August 2003. p. 70. ISSN   0277-3066.
  2. "The Star of One of MST3K's Worst Movies Was the Title Character of the Best TV Episode of 2019". pastemagazine.com. 26 June 2019.
  3. N'Duka, Amanda (29 September 2020). "'The Matrix 4′: Daniel Bernhardt Returning For Warner Bros Sequel". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  4. "Bloodsport II". Black Belt . Vol. 34, no. 4. Active Interest Media. April 1996. p. 76. ISSN   0277-3066.