Jon Gries


Jonathan Gries is an American actor and music video director. He is best known for portraying Uncle Rico in Napoleon Dynamite, for which he was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male; the recurring role of Roger Linus on Lost ; and Greg Hunt on The White Lotus. He is also known for other film and television credits such as Real Genius, The Monster Squad, Martin, Get Shorty, The Pretender, the Taken trilogy, and Dream Corp LLC.

Life and career

Gries was born in Glendale, California, the son of writer, director, and producer Tom Gries. His first film role came at age 11, when he played the Boy Horace in the Charlton Heston film Will Penny, which was written and directed by his father. Some of his signature roles have come in cult classics. He played Lazlo Hollyfeld in Real Genius, Azzolini in Rainbow Drive, Shawn McDermott in the TV series Martin, Ronnie Wingate in Get Shorty, Harvey in The Rundown, and Uncle Rico in Napoleon Dynamite. Gries has played a werewolf on several occasions, such as Fright Night Part 2 and The Monster Squad.
In the historical Western film September Dawn, he played executed murderer John D. Lee, in a performance praised by critics who otherwise panned the film. He played Casey in the films Taken, Taken 2, and Taken 3, and was in TerrorVision, as O.D. He lent his voice for the video game Hitman: Absolution.
Among his television roles are that of a terrorist in season two of the hit show 24 and as Broots on the NBC series The Pretender. He had a guest role on The X-Files in the episode "Sleepless". He played Dylan McKay's drug dealer in season 5 of Beverly Hills, 90210. He played Ben Linus's father Roger in a recurring role on the TV series Lost. He played Shawn on the Fox sitcom Martin during the first two seasons. He appeared twice in the TV series Quantum Leap—first, as a bookie in the episode "The Right Hand of God" and then as a band member in the episode "Glitter Rock". He appeared as Rusty the Bum in two episodes of Seinfeld.
In 2007, he played the menacing dad to Samaire Armstrong in Around June. In 2008, he appeared in the CSI: NY episode "The Box" as the father of that episode's victim. In 2010, he wrapped production on A True Story. Based on Things That Never Actually Happened....and Some that Did and appeared in one episode of Nikita. He played Martin in the TV show Supernatural in the episodes "Sam, Interrupted", "Hello, Cruel World" and "Citizen Fang". He played Bob, a former drug addict who operates a safe haven for abused Mexican women, in The Bridge. He played Strabinsky in the TV Show Psych in the episode "One, Maybe Two, Ways Out".
It was announced in March 2025 that Gries is a part-owner of a Northwoods League baseball team that will begin play in May 2026 in Richmond, Indiana.

Filmography

Film

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1976Helter SkelterWilliam GarretsonTV movie
1977Alexander: The Other Side of DawnUncreditedTV movie
1977Mulligan's StewAdamsEpisode: "Melinda Special"
1979240-RobertBradEpisode: "Poison Air"
1980The White ShadowUri KogenskiEpisode: "The Russians Are Coming"
1983The Powers of Matthew StarBradEpisode: "The Road Rebels"
1983September GunBrian BrianTV movie
1983The JeffersonsFrankEpisode: "I Do, I Don't"
1983High School U.S.A.Dirty CurtTV movie
1987The Twilight ZoneNick Gatlin Episode: "Joy Ride/Shelter Skelter/Private Channel"
1987Cagney & LaceyHands CallahanEpisode: "The City is Burning"
1988TattingersRick Jurasky2 episodes
1989ParadiseEmmettEpisode: "Dead Run"
1990Falcon CrestStoneEpisode: "Finding Lauren"
1990Jake and the FatmanLenny MaddoxEpisode: "By Myself"
1990Tour of DutyMaj. Rex Chapman, USAFEpisode: "The Raid"
1990Rainbow DriveAzzoliniTV movie
1991Quantum LeapFlash McGrathEpisode: "Glitter Rock–April 12, 1974"
1991FeverBobbyTV movie
1992L.A. LawDr. Harold BensonEpisode: "I'm Ready for My Closeup, Mr. Markowitz"
1992Four Eyes and Six GunsTV movie
1992–1994MartinShawn McDermott54 episodes
1993Bakersfield P.D.Ray CoombsEpisode: "A Bullet for Stiles"
1994The X-FilesSalvatore MatolaEpisode: "Sleepless"
1994Beverly Hills, 90210Mr. Trilling, Dope Dealer4 episodes
1995Chicago HopeJack KimballEpisode: "Hello Goodbye"
1995Strange LuckHenry BloomEpisode: "Last Chance"
1995SeinfeldHomeless ManEpisode: "The Beard"
1996Race Against Time: The Search for SarahSteveTV movie
1996–2000The PretenderBroots82 episodes
1998SeinfeldRustyEpisode: "The Bookstore"
2001The Pretender 2001BrootsTV movie
2001ERDefense Attorney Marty NesmithEpisode: "Fear of Commitment"
2001The Pretender: Island of the HauntedBrootsTV movie
200224Joseph WaldEpisode: "Day 2: 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m."
2003–2005CarnivàleTexas Ranger2 episodes
2004Las VegasGreg WalkerEpisode: "Sons and Lovers"
2007–2010LostRoger Linus6 episodes
2008CSI: NYJim WarrenEpisode: "The Box"
2010Cold CaseBill Shepard '782 episodes
2010Sons of AnarchyPassport ForgerEpisode: "So"
2010PsychStrabinskyEpisode: "One, Maybe Two, Ways Out"
2010NikitaThe EngineerEpisode: "Dark Matter"
2010SupernaturalMartin Creaser2 episodes
2011Hawaii Five-0Liam MillerEpisode: "Lapa'au"
2012Dr. FubalousDr. Reed2 episodes
2012Napoleon DynamiteUncle Rico6 episodes
2012BlackBoxTVDadEpisode: "Silverwood: The Hunger"
2013–2014The BridgeBob7 episodes
2014Criminal MindsClifford WalshEpisode: "The Road Home"
2016–2020Dream Corp LLCDr. Roberts28 episodes
2021–presentThe White LotusGreg HuntRecurring in seasons 1 to 3
2024It's Florida, ManDenverEpisode: "Saucy"
2025Saturday Night LiveHoward LutnickEpisode: "Jon Hamm / Lizzo"
2025Devil May CryPresident HopperVoice role
2025–presentFalloutBiffRecurring role

Video games

YearTitleRole
2012Hitman: AbsolutionSheriff Clive Skurky

Music videos

As director
  • Flies on Fire – "Long Gone Dead"
  • Low Profile – "Pay Ya Dues"
  • Low Profile – "That's Y They Do It"
  • Low Profile – "Funky Song"
  • Mere Mortals – "Cracked"
As actor