Why Agent Johnson From The Matrix Resurrections Looks So Familiar
There are certain actors in Hollywood who, despite their names not sounding familiar to you, are still recognizable for one reason or another. These actors elicit the usual "where I have seen them before?" kind of responses. In other words, they're actors who have shown up in numerous high-profile TV shows and movies over the years but have yet to achieve widespread popularity. Daniel Bernhardt is one of these actors.
Indeed, Bernhardt has rubbed shoulders with virtually every major action star in Hollywood. Throughout his 30-year career, he has fought on-screen with the likes of Jason Statham, Dwayne Johnson, Sylvester Stallone, and Keanu Reeves. Now, he appears alongside Reeves once again in "The Matrix Resurrections."
The actor stars in the film as Agent Johnson, and in an effort to make sure you won't have to stop "Resurrections" to look Bernhardt up, here are some of the films and TV shows you may have seen him in before.
Daniel Bernhardt played Siro in Mortal Kombat: Conquest
Daniel Bernhardt got his start in the movie business by taking over the "Bloodsport" franchise from none other than Jean Claude Van Damme (via IMDb). But while his three "Bloodsport" sequels continued to give viewers all the high-flying kicks and combat they could want, they failed to turn Bernhardt into a mainstream Hollywood star. However, in 1999, he landed the role of Siro in "Mortal Kombat: Conquest," a TV series set before the events of the "Mortal Kombat" video game franchise.
The series ran for just 22 episodes and chronicled Kung Lao's (Paolo Montalban) life following his victory in the Mortal Kombat tournament. Daniel Bernhardt appeared in the show as Siro, the light-hearted but stubborn sidekick to Kung Lao and Taja (Kristan Loken).
You'd be forgiven for missing the series when it originally aired as it wasn't exactly a success at the time of its premiere. However, "Mortal Kombat: Conquest" has gone on to garner a small cult following in the years since its original run. More than anything, the series allowed Bernhardt to truly showcase his physical abilities and on-screen versatility.
He first appeared as Agent Johnson in The Matrix Reloaded
A few years after he made his turn as Siro in "Mortal Kombat: Conquest," Daniel Bernhardt landed the role of Agent Johnson in 2003's "The Matrix Reloaded." The character is the leader of three agents that fight Neo at the captains' meeting in the film's opening scene. Boasting a few of what Neo (Keanu Reeves) calls "upgrades," Bernhardt utters just one line of dialogue in the film, referring to Neo as being "only human," before engaging in a thrilling fight with Reeves' character.
Of course, Neo bests him while the other captains make their getaway, and Daniel Bernhardt finishes the scene flat on his back. However, his physicality and ability to believably go toe-to-toe with Reeves opened the door for him to score similar roles in future projects. Unsurprisingly, he has gone on to carve out a steady career for himself playing minor villains in different action films and TV shows. He also, notably, reprised his "Reloaded" role a year later in the animated follow-up, "Enter the Matrix."
He went toe-to-toe with John Wick
After ten years of playing minor roles in smaller productions, Daniel Bernhardt reunited on-screen with Keanu Reeves when he played Kirill in "John Wick." His role in the "Matrix" franchise likely established a relationship between him, Reeves, and "John Wick" director Chad Stahelski, who also worked on the "Matrix" films (via IMDb), which likely resulted in him appearing in the 2014 action movie. Bernhardt isn't just some random goon that Reeves' Wick dispatches with easily either. In fact, you may even remember his Kirill throwing Wick over a railing and onto a dance floor below in the film's unforgettable club shootout.
Bernhardt's Kirill serves as a bodyguard for Iosef Tarasov ("Game of Thrones" alum Alfie Allen) but doesn't have much of a role in the film beyond his memorable club encounter with Wick. That said, after watching his one-on-one fight with Reeves' Wick in the club, it's hard not to be disappointed by Bernhardt's absence from the rest of the "John Wick" franchise.
Daniel Bernhardt has had a long and successful career
"John Wick" and "The Matrix Reloaded" aren't the only major blockbusters that Daniel Bernhardt has appeared in. Over the years, he's played characters like Bone Breaker in 2017's "Logan" and Roman Sionis' (Ewan McGregor) chauffeur in 2020's "Birds of Prey." He has also appeared in TV shows like "Lethal Weapon" and had a recurring role as Jaeger in Netflix's "Altered Carbon." Additionally, his appearance as a henchman in "Fast and the Furious Presents: Hobbs and Shaw" connected him with Dwayne Johnson, which could very well have been what led to his role in 2021's "Red Notice."
All of this is to say that Bernhardt has built a long and interesting career for himself out of battling some of Hollywood's fan-favorite action heroes. As a result, it now seems like every time a big action movie needs a villain to cause some trouble, Bernhardt is the actor who shows up to do just that. But given his undeniable talent, it's easy to see why he's become one of Hollywood's go-to supporting players.