Jon Bernthal credits his acting career and life transformation to a chance theater class and a transformative teacher, Alma Becker, who recognized his potential and directed him to study at the prestigious Moscow Arts Theater during the chaotic post-Soviet 1990s. He emphasizes that his success came from channeling the reckless energy of his youth—which once led to trouble—into the controlled intensity of performance, ultimately saving him from a destructive path.
Key Moments
Jon Bernthal
“I I I I kind of came about it in Russia. That's really where I I I I figured this, you know, that that's really where my formative years were. And you know, theater there is very vital and it's for everybody. It's not this sort of exclusive thing for the gentry. It's it's it's for everybody and it's a part of everyday life.”
Describing how his time studying in Russia shaped his understanding of theater as something vital and accessible to everyone, not an elite pursuit
“I launched into this story and I'm crying my eyes out and everyone in the room is crying their eyes out. I'm like, 'No, no, no, no wait, wait, wait. I'm just I'm doing the acting, you know.' and like snot was coming out of my I was just so upset cuz I got lost in the story.”
Describing his breakthrough moment in class when he fabricated an emotional story about a baseball glove his deceased mother gave him (she was actually alive and well)
“She said, 'Look, there is none, but if I were you, uh I would try to get into the Moscow Art Theater and and and go go study over there.' And uh yeah, it saved my life.”
Revealing how his teacher Alma Becker suggested he apply to study in Moscow when he couldn't finish school and was getting into trouble
“I found that the exact same energy that I tapped into when I was young and and sort of my way of... taking crazy risks together and and and doing things that we shouldn't have done... the reckless abandonment and the violence, the like let's just throw it all away. Like whatever this is, we're [ __ ] going. finding that, but using it, tapping into that same thing. But it wasn't landing me in jail.”
Explaining how theater became the constructive outlet for the same dangerous impulses that had previously gotten him into trouble
SmartLess is a comedy interview podcast hosted by Jason Segel, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett. The three hosts riff and banter with notable guests from film, television, and entertainment, diving deep into career stories, personal journeys, and candid moments in an unscripted, conversational format.
Takeaways
1
Channel dangerous energy into creative intensity Jon explicitly states he found theater as a socially productive outlet for the same reckless, risk-taking energy that had previously gotten him arrested and expelled. He tapped into controlled 'violence' and abandonment on stage instead of on the street. This reframing suggests that problematic impulses aren't the enemy—misdirection is—and creative work can be as intense and rewarding as destructive behavior.
2
One teacher changed everything—recognize untapped potential Jon's teacher Alma Becker saw raw talent in a troublemaking kid during a single 10-person theater class and pushed him toward Moscow Arts Theater. She provided structure, belief, and a pathway when he had none. The episode underscores how a single mentor who recognizes potential and provides both challenge and direction can fundamentally redirect a person's trajectory.
3
Soviet-era theater training breeds commitment over technique Jon's teachers in Moscow were part of a system where public gathering was illegal and performances happened in subway tunnels and abandoned buildings at risk of imprisonment. This created a profound reverence for the act of performing itself. He contrasts this with American training, noting that Russian theater was treated as 'religious' and 'masculine'—a mindset that shaped his absolute commitment to 100% truthfulness in scenes.
4
Ensemble cast commitment makes supernatural drama believable Jon credits The Walking Dead's success partly to Frank Darabont's direction and the fact that 'if you put six or seven people out in the woods and one person isn't going 100% towards that truth, everything else is [ __ ].' The show's tension worked because everyone maintained total commitment. This is a practical lesson for any ensemble narrative work: one person phoning it in breaks the entire illusion.
5
Theater still matters—it's bringing new audiences to Broadway Jon notes that Dog Day Afternoon is drawing people who have never been to Broadway or a theater before, with buses arriving from Staten Island. He credits this to the show being a culturally relevant adaptation that makes theater feel alive and necessary, not exclusive. This suggests theater can still be a vital, accessible art form when it connects to contemporary life.