Frank Grillo
Birthdate: Jun 8, 1965
Birthplace: New York City, New York, USA
Frank Grillo (birthname: Frank Anthony Grillo) is a veteran film and television character actor best known for his Marvel Cinematic Universe role as Brock Rumlow/Crossbones and as Sgt. Leo Barnes in two entries in The Purge franchise. Grillo’s debut role was in director/producer Arne Glimcher’s musical drama, The Mambo Kings (1992), starring Armand Assante, Antonio Banderas, Cathy Moriarty, and Maruschka Detmers.
Grillo was cast by Steven Spielberg for a small role in his fascinating sci-fi thriller, Minority Report (2002), starring Tom Cruise, Colin Farrell, and Samantha Morton and grossing $358 million. Grillo landed a supporting role in director/writer/producer/co-star Trish Doolan’s lesbian rom-com, April’s Showers (2006), followed by Grillo being picked by writer-director Gavin O’Connor for his crime drama, Pride and Glory (2008), co-starring Edward Norton, Colin Farrell, Jon Voight and Noah Emmerich, produced by New Line Pictures and released by Warner Bros.
Frank Grillo reunited with filmmaker Gavin O’Connor for the martial arts drama, Warrior (2011), co-starring Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton, and Oscar-nominated Nick Nolte, and released to poor business but critical praise by Lionsgate. Grillo got his biggest role to date in a prominent co-starring role opposite Liam Neeson in director/writer/producer Joe Carnahan’s survival thriller, The Grey (2012), with Dermot Mulroney, and released by Open Road Films to an $81 million return.
Grillo played opposite Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Pena, Anna Kendrick, America Ferrera, and David Harbour in director/writer/producer David Ayer’s LAPD drama, End of Watch (2012), grossing over $57 million for Open Road Films. Grillo was then cast by director/producer Kathryn Bigelow for her charged political thriller, Zero Dark Thirty (2012), starring Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke, and Joel Edgerton, garnering nearly $133 million worldwide and five Oscar nominations (including picture, actress, and screenplay).
Frank Grillo had his first starring role in the Luc Besson-produced French romantic thriller, Collision (2013), directed and written by David Marconi and co-starring Roschdy Zem, Jaimie Alexander, and Marie-Josee Croze, and released by Besson’s EuropaCorp. Grillo landed two roles in two franchises in 2014—the first as Brock Rumlow/Crossbones in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), and continuing in Captain America: Civil War (2016) and Avengers: Endgame (2019), and the second as Sgt. Barnes in The Purge: Anarchy (2014) and The Purge: Election Year (2016), as well as the sixth untitled Purge entry (date to be announced).
Grillo co-starred with John Leguizamo, Christopher McDonald, Dianna Agron, Mary McCormack, Minnie Driver, and Maggie Q in the cyber-thriller, The Crash (2017), directed by Aram Rappaport and released in limited pattern by Vertical Entertainment. Grillo then joined the Chinese and English-language cast of director/writer/producer/star Wu Jing’s box-office smash sequel, Wolf Warrior 2 (2017), the first movie to gross over $600 million at the Chinese box office and China’s submission to the Oscar Best Foreign Language Film category.
Frank Grillo co-starred opposite Bruce Willis in the Brian A. Miller-directed action movie, Reprisal (2018), with Johnathan Schaech and Olivia Culpo, and then Grillo joined the fine cast of the Deon Taylor-directed New Orleans cop drama, Black and Blue (2019), starring Naomie Harris, Tyrese Gibson and Mike Colter, and released to modest business by Sony Pictures Releasing.
Grillo took on the twin tasks of producer and co-star in the border drama, No Man’s Land (2021), directed and produced by Conor Allyn along with co-writer/co-producer/co-star Jake Allyn, and which co-starred George Lopez and Andie MacDowell and was released by IFC Films. Grillo joined the colorful cast of the Patrick Hughes-directed sequel, Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard (2021), starring Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson, Salma Hayek, Antonio Banderas, and Morgan Freeman, but failing commercially with a money-losing $70 million return for Lionsgate.
Grillo again produced and co-starred, this time with co-star Gerard Butler in director/writer Joe Carnahan’s thriller, Copshop (2021), with Alexis Louder, released by Open Road Films/Briarcliff Entertainment, and then Grillo led the cast of the Blumhouse-produced drama, This is the Night (2021), with River Alexander, Jonah Hauer-King, Bobby Cannavale, Naomi Watts and Cliff “Method Man” Smith Blumhouse and released by Universal Pictures.
Frank Grillo portrayed the legendary Italian car maker Ferruccio Lamborghini in director/writer Robert Moresco’s biopic, Lamborghini: The Man Behind the Legend (2022), based on Tonino Lamborghini’s memoir and with Gabriel Byrne and Mira Sorvino, and released by Lionsgate. Grillo starred in one of his few horror movies, Werewolves (2024), with Katrina Law, Ilfenesh Hadera, and Lou Diamond Phillips under Steven C. Miller’s direction, which was released by Briarcliff Entertainment.
Grillo appeared as Rick Flag Sr. in DC Studio co-CEO James Gunn’s revival for Warner Bros., Superman (2025), the first movie in the DC Universe’s Chapter One: Gods and Monsters series, with David Corenswet (as Superman/Clark Kent), Rachel Brosnahan, Isabela Merced, Edi Gathegi, Nicholas Hoult, Wendell Pierce and Pruitt Taylor Vince. Grillo then co-starred with Harvey Keitel, Peter Stormare, and Tyrese Gibson in director/writer/producer Justin Price’s action thriller, Hard Matter (date to be announced), produced by Powell and Price Productions and Wonderfilm Media.
Personal Details
Frank Grillo was born in New York City and was raised by his Italian American parents in upstate New York. Grillo performed in his high school’s drama department’s productions and participated in several school sports. Grillo graduated from New York University with a B.A. degree in Business. Grillo has two younger siblings. Grillo was married to Kathy Grillo from 1991 to 1998 when they divorced; the couple has one child, Remy. Grillo’s second marriage was to actor Wendy Moniz from 2000-2020, when the couple divorced; they have two children, Liam and Rio. Grillo’s height is 5’ 10½”. Grillo’s estimated net worth is $12 million.
Filmography
actor
Upcoming (2)
- 2025 |
- 2021 |
Previous (45)
- 2024 | WerewolvesasWesley
Werewolves
Two scientists try to stop a mutation that turns people into werewolves after being touched by a super-moon the year before.
- 2024 | Lights OutasMichael 'Duffy' Duffield
Lights Out
A drifting ex-soldier turns underground fighter with the help of a just released ex-con, pitting them both against a crime boss, corrupt cops and hired killers.
- 2023 | Little Dixieas Doc Alexander
- 2023 | MR-9: Do or Dieas Roman Ross
- 2023 | The Resurrection of Charles Mansonas Robert
- 2023 | King of KillersasJorg Drakos
King of Killers
Garan is a part of a group of international hitmen who are contracted to take out the most dangerous killer in the world, only to find out that they're the ones being hunted.
- 2023 | MR-9: Do or DieasRoman Ross
MR-9: Do or Die
An elite Bangladeshi spy teams up with a CIA operative to bring down an international criminal organization headed by a ruthless businessman.
- 2023 | Black LotusasSaban
Black Lotus
An ex-special forces operative wages a one man war through the streets of Amsterdam to rescue his friend's daughter from the local crime syndicate.
- 2023 | One Day as a LionasPauly Russo
One Day as a Lion
Jackie Powers will stop at nothing to prevent his son from following him into a life of crime. With his mob employer in pursuit, a chance encounter at a roadside diner charts a new path.
- 2022 | Lamborghini: The Man Behind the Legendas Ferruccio Lamborghini
- 2022 | Paradise HighwayasDennis
Paradise Highway
A truck driver has been forced to smuggle illicit cargo to save her brother from a deadly prison gang. With FBI operatives hot on her trail, Sally's conscience is challenged when the final package turns out to be a teenage girl.
- 2022 | A Day to DieasCapt. Brice Mason
A Day to Die
Ex-military ops officer Conner Connolly (Kevin Dillon) has one day to pay $2 million in reparations to a local gang leader in order to save his kidnapped wife. With her life on the line, Conner must recruit his old crew, led by Brice Mason (Frank Grillo), to pull off a series of dangerous heists to repay the money he owes and settle a score with the city’s corrupt police chief (Bruce Willis). In a race against time, the crew must rely on their tactical training and brotherhood to save themselves and those who matter most.
- 2021 | Body Brokersas Vin
- 2021 | Cosmic Sinas General Ryle
- 2021 | Hard Matteras Benjamin
- 2021 |
- 2021 | The Gateway
The Gateway
A social worker assigned to the care of the daughter of a single mother intervenes when the dad returns from prison and lures them into a life of crime.
- 2021 |
- 2021 |
- 2021 | No Man’s LandasBill Greer
No Man’s Land
When a vigilante border patrol turns fatal, a man flees on horseback to Mexico, seeking forgiveness from the victim's father.
- 2020 | Boss Levelas Roy Pulver
- 2020 | Hounds of Waras Colonel Hart
- 2020 | Year 2as Wesley Marshall
- 2019 | Hell on the Borderas Bob Dozier
- 2019 | Into the Ashesas Sloan
- 2019 | Leo from Toledoas Andre
- 2019 | Point Blankas Abe
- 2019 | Black and BlueasTerry Malone
Black and Blue
A rookie New Orleans police officer is forced to balance her identity as a black woman after she witnesses two corrupt cops committing murder.
- 2019 | DonnybrookasChainsaw Angus
Donnybrook
Two men prepare to compete in a legendary bare-knuckle fight where the winner gets a $100,000 prize.
- 2018 | Reprisalas Jacob
- 2017 | Beyond Skylineas Mark
- 2017 | Stephanieas Man
- 2017 | The Crashas Guy Clifton
- 2017 | Wheelmanas Wheelman
- 2017 | Wolf Warrior 2asBig Daddy
Wolf Warrior 2
China's deadliest special forces operative settles into a quiet life on the sea. When sadistic mercenaries begin targeting nearby civilians, he must leave his newfound peace behind and return to his duties as a soldier and protector.
- 2016 | The Purge: Election YearasLeo Barnes
The Purge: Election Year
Former Police Sergeant Barnes becomes head of security for Senator Charlie Roan, a Presidential candidate targeted for death on Purge night due to her vow to eliminate the Purge.
- 2015 | Big Skyas Jesse
- 2014 | The Purge: AnarchyasSergeant
The Purge: Anarchy
Three groups of people intertwine and are left stranded in the streets on Purge Night, trying to survive the chaos and violence that occurs.
- 2014 | Captain America: The Winter SoldierasBrock Rumlow
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
As Steve Rogers struggles to embrace his role in the modern world, he teams up with a fellow Avenger and S.H.I.E.L.D agent, Black Widow, to battle a new threat from history: an assassin known as the Winter Soldier.
- 2013 | Collisionas Scott Dolan
- 2012 | End of WatchasSarge
End of Watch
Shot documentary-style, this film follows the daily grind of two young police officers in LA who are partners and friends and what happens when they meet criminal forces greater than themselves.
- 2012 |
- 2008 | iMurdersas Joe Romano
- 2003 | April's Showeras Rocco
- 1964 | Brandedas Carter
Some Facts About Frank Grillo
What’s in a Name?: Frank Grillo’s last name translates from Italian as the cricket insect.
