Most people see Jon Bernthal on screen and expect a fistfight or a hail of bullets. It’s a fair assumption. After all, the guy spent years as Frank Castle, the bruised and bloodied Punisher, and before that, he was the unhinged Shane Walsh in The Walking Dead. So when you watch Jon Bernthal Ford vs Ferrari, you might be waiting for that trademark intensity to explode.
But it doesn’t. Not in the way you’d think.
In the 2019 racing epic, Bernthal plays Lee Iacocca, the legendary Ford executive who eventually saved Chrysler. Honestly, it is one of the most restrained, subtle, and frankly underrated performances in his entire career. He isn't throwing punches; he’s throwing ideas. He isn't out-muscling his rivals; he’s out-maneuvering them with a sharp suit and a silver tongue. It’s a fascinating pivot for an actor who usually leans into the "rough around the edges" vibe.
The Quiet Power of Lee Iacocca
Bernthal’s role in Ford v Ferrari (or Le Mans '66 if you're in the UK) is the connective tissue of the whole plot. Without his version of Iacocca, Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and Ken Miles (Christian Bale) never even get to the track. He's the guy who realizes that Henry Ford II—a man practically drowning in his own legacy—needs to stop selling cars to middle-aged dads and start selling a dream to the youth of America.
What's cool about Bernthal’s approach is how he plays the "outsider."
In real life, Lee Iacocca was the son of Italian immigrants. He grew up in Allentown, Pennsylvania. He wasn't one of the "blue blood" country club guys who filled the executive suites at Ford. Bernthal captures that perfectly. You can see it in the way he stands—stiff but alert. He’s surrounded by corporate sharks like Leo Beebe (played with peak "company man" energy by Josh Lucas), and he has to be smarter and faster just to stay in the room.
Why the Movie Diverges from History
Now, we have to talk about the "true story" aspect. While Jon Bernthal Ford vs Ferrari is based on real events, Hollywood loves a bit of dramatic seasoning.
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In the film, Iacocca is the main guy who flies to Italy to try and buy Ferrari. He's the one who gets insulted by Enzo Ferrari and brings that rejection back to Detroit to fuel Henry Ford II’s rage. It makes for a great scene. You get to see Bernthal looking genuinely stung by Enzo’s "fat Ford" insults.
However, historians will tell you it wasn't just Iacocca.
The real-life delegation was led by Don Frey, a metallurgical engineer who actually got along quite well with Enzo. The movie basically takes all the "idea man" energy from several different executives and rolls it into Bernthal. Does it make the movie less accurate? Technically, yeah. Does it make the story better? Absolutely. It gives the audience a single, relatable face to root for inside the glass towers of Dearborn.
Bernthal vs. The Suits
The real tension in the film isn't just Ford vs. Ferrari. It's the "racing guys" (Shelby and Miles) vs. the "suits" (Beebe). Iacocca is the only character who successfully bridges that gap.
There’s this one specific scene where Iacocca visits Shelby’s shop. He shows up in this pristine suit, looking totally out of place among the grease and tire smoke. But instead of acting like a boss, he talks like a fan. He respects the craft. Bernthal has this way of looking at Matt Damon’s character with a mix of awe and desperation. He knows that if Shelby fails, Iacocca’s career is probably over too.
It’s a high-stakes poker game played in offices rather than on the Mulsanne Straight.
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Interestingly, Bernthal has mentioned in interviews that he drew a lot of inspiration from his own father for this role. He wanted to capture that 1960s "workhorse" mentality—men who were defined by their integrity and their ability to stay calm when everything was falling apart. It’s a far cry from the shouting matches he had as Shane on the farm.
Breaking Down the Acting Choices
If you watch closely, Bernthal does something really clever with his voice in this film. He loses the gravel.
In The Punisher, his voice is a low, menacing growl. In Jon Bernthal Ford vs Ferrari, it’s smoother. More persuasive. He’s a salesman, after all. He has to convince a billionaire to spend millions of dollars on a car that might just explode on the first lap.
- Subtlety over Strength: He uses his eyes to show the "wheels turning" rather than using his hands to gesture wildly.
- The Contrast: He plays the "good cop" to Josh Lucas's "bad cop," creating a three-way dynamic that keeps the corporate scenes from feeling boring.
- The Look: The hair is slicked back, the suits are sharp, and the cigarettes are constant. It’s peak 1966 aesthetic.
Was Lee Iacocca Really That Involved?
This is where things get a bit murky. While Iacocca was a massive figure at Ford, his direct involvement in the GT40 program wasn't as hands-on as the movie suggests. He was busy launching the Mustang—which, funny enough, shows up in the movie as his "baby."
The film portrays him as Shelby’s primary defender, but in reality, Shelby had a lot of direct lines to Henry Ford II. But again, for the sake of a 2.5-hour movie, having Bernthal as the "man on the inside" works perfectly. It gives the audience a sense of the internal war happening at Ford. You have the marketing guys (Iacocca) wanting glory, the corporate guys (Beebe) wanting control, and the racers wanting speed.
Bernthal’s Iacocca is the only one who realizes you need all three to win Le Mans.
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Why This Role Still Matters in 2026
Looking back at the film now, it serves as a masterclass in how an "action actor" can disappear into a character role. We’ve seen Bernthal play the tough guy a thousand times. He’s great at it. But Ford v Ferrari proved he could handle a heavy dialogue-driven biopic without breaking a sweat.
It also highlights a specific type of American masculinity that we don't see much in movies anymore. It's not about being the loudest person in the room; it's about being the most competent.
If you’re a fan of the actor and you haven't revisited his performance as Iacocca, it’s worth a rewatch. You’ll notice things you missed the first time—like the way he subtly flinches when Henry Ford II starts screaming, or the genuine smile he cracks when he realizes Ken Miles is actually going to pull it off.
Actionable Takeaways for Movie Buffs
If you want to really appreciate the layers of Jon Bernthal Ford vs Ferrari, here is what you should do:
- Watch the "Marketing Pitch" scene again. Look at how Bernthal uses silence to let the weight of his words sink in with the Ford executives.
- Compare it to The Bear. Bernthal has a small but massive role in The Bear as Mikey. Compare the chaotic, tragic energy of Mikey to the polished, calculating energy of Lee Iacocca. It’s the same actor, but they feel like different species.
- Read Iacocca's autobiography. If you want the "real" story, Lee Iacocca’s 1984 autobiography is a classic. It gives you the business perspective that the movie simplifies.
- Look for the small details. Notice how Iacocca is often positioned slightly to the side of the frame when the "big bosses" are talking. It shows his status as an upwardly mobile outsider.
Bernthal didn't need a gun to be the most dangerous person in Ford v Ferrari. He just needed a good pitch and the guts to stand his ground. It's a performance that reminds us that sometimes, the most intense battles aren't fought on a track at 200 mph—they're fought in boardrooms with a pen and a plan.
To get the full picture of this era, check out the documentary The 24 Hour War. It covers the real-life rivalry between Ford and Ferrari with actual footage of the people Bernthal and the cast brought to life.