Jon Bernthal Played Real Life Frogger And Had A Gun Pulled On Him While Studying Acting In Russia

Jon Bernthal has enjoyed a stellar career in Hollywood so far, and he's far from finished. Since getting his start in 2002's "Mary/Mary," he's taken on roles ranging from Marvel favorite Frank Castle, better known as the Punisher, to Shane Walsh from the iconic comic-turned-AMC staple "The Walking Dead." He's also featured in the likes of "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian," "The Wolf of Wall Street," "Ford v. Ferrari," and more, making him a household name recognized the world over. However, things weren't always this way for Bernthal.

There was a time not so long ago when Jon Bernthal was merely an up-and-coming actor that few people knew. He was new on the scene and had a long way to go if he wanted to reach high levels of entertainment fame. To hopefully get there, Bernthal studied his craft, going to great lengths to learn as much as he could about the art of acting. This pursuit of knowledge led him to Russia, where he attended an acting school. Suffice to say, his experience in the country wasted little time going off the rails in quite possibly the scariest ways.

During his time in Russia, Jon Bernthal found himself crossing a massive highway as one would in the famous video game "Frogger" and even wound up on the wrong end of a gun. Here's what happened.

Jon Bernthal spoke about his worrisome trip to Russia during an appearance on "The Joe Rogan Experience," where he admitted that his own hubris led to some serious issues. As he explained, back when he traveled there, keeping your documentation on you at all times was essential. However, being the person he was back then, he forgot his papers and didn't quite grasp the severity of the situation. Shortly after arriving at acting school for his first day, he realized he left them behind, so he attempted to head back to his dwelling to get them. The fact that he didn't bring his translator, Max, along was a huge mistake.

Bernthal struggled to navigate the streets of Russia for much of the rest of the day, so by the time he returned to school it was dark outside. He then had to try and cross Tverskaya Street: a massive roadway comprised of multiple lanes. Bernthal cautiously yet frantically made his way across, only to meet another terrifying obstacle. "As soon as I reach the other side, boom. AK-47s in my face, Russian police are right there. They get me for crossing. You're supposed to cross below, which I didn't know," he recalled. Worse yet, after a meal at McDonald's, Bernthal had yet another gun pulled on him when he attempted to interfere in an altercation on the street.

To top it all off, this all took place on Jon Bernthal's birthday, of all days. Thankfully, he made it out unscathed and went on to become a big and small screen regular.