Danny Greene wasn't a nice guy. He was a Celtic warrior-obsessed mobster who turned Cleveland into the "Bomb City" of America during the 1970s. When director Jonathan Hensleigh decided to bring this chaotic slice of Rust Belt history to the screen, the pressure was on. You can't just throw any actor into a track suit and call it a day. The Killing the Irishman 2011 cast had to feel like they’d actually spent thirty years breathing in Lake Erie smog and cigarette smoke.
Honestly, it’s a miracle this movie got made with this much talent. We’re talking about a mid-budget crime biopic that somehow wrangled a Heisman trophy winner, an Oscar winner, and the most iconic "tough guy" of the 1990s. It wasn’t just about putting names on a poster. It was about finding people who could play the specific, weird brand of Irish-American and Italian-American friction that defined Cleveland’s underworld.
Ray Stevenson as the Eye of the Storm
Ray Stevenson was the soul of the film. Period. Before he sadly passed away, Stevenson was known for being a "big" actor—not just in height, but in presence. In the Killing the Irishman 2011 cast, he played Danny Greene with this terrifying, charming, and utterly delusional bravado. He didn't just look like Greene; he captured that bizarre sense of pride Greene had in his Irish heritage.
Think about the physical demand of this role. Stevenson had to play Greene across several decades. He starts as a dockworker and ends as a man who survived so many car bombs he probably felt invincible. Stevenson’s performance is the reason the movie doesn't feel like a cheap Scorsese knockoff. He gives Greene a sense of "honor" that is probably more cinematic than the real guy ever was, but it makes for a hell of a watch.
The Heavy Hitters: Walken, D'Onofrio, and Val Kilmer
You see Christopher Walken’s name and you expect "Walken." You know the vibe—the pauses, the weird inflections, the staring. As Shondor Birns, Walken is surprisingly restrained. Birns was a real-life Jewish racketeer who initially mentored Greene before things went south. Walken plays him like a man who knows he’s the smartest guy in the room, right up until the moment he isn't.
Then there is Vincent D'Onofrio.
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The guy is a chameleon. Most people know him as Kingpin now, but as John Nardi, he shows a different side of the mob. Nardi was the Italian connection who dared to side with the Irishman against the established Mafia families. D’Onofrio and Stevenson have this weird, brotherly chemistry. It shouldn't work. An Irishman and an Italian teaming up to take down the Genovese-backed Cleveland family? In the world of 1970s organized crime, that was suicide. D'Onofrio plays Nardi with a weary pragmatism. He's the guy who realizes the old rules don't apply anymore.
And we have to talk about Val Kilmer.
Kilmer plays Joe Manditski. He’s the narrator, the cop, and the childhood friend. To be blunt, Kilmer is a bit underutilized here, but his presence adds a layer of "law and order" that the movie needs to stay grounded. He’s the audience surrogate. He watches Greene climb the ladder, and his performance is mostly reactionary. It’s a quiet role for a guy who usually plays loud characters, and it works because it lets Stevenson take center stage.
The Supporting Players Who Made Cleveland Feel Real
The Killing the Irishman 2011 cast wasn't just about the A-listers. Look at the guys in the background.
- Robert Davi: He plays Ray Ferritto. If you’ve watched a mob movie in the last forty years, you know Davi. He has a face that looks like it was carved out of a granite quarry. He brings a cold, professional menace to the role of the hitman tasked with finally ending Greene’s luck.
- Vinnie Jones: Playing Keith Ritson. Jones basically plays himself—a terrifying enforcer—but that’s exactly what the movie needed. Ritson was Greene’s muscle, a guy who genuinely enjoyed the violence.
- Linda Cardellini: She plays Joan Madigan. It’s a tough spot to be in, playing "the wife" in a male-dominated crime flick, but Cardellini gives the film its only real emotional stakes. She represents the life Greene could have had if he wasn't so obsessed with being a "warrior."
Why the Casting Matters for SEO and History Buffs
When people search for the Killing the Irishman 2011 cast, they usually want to know if the real people looked like the actors. They did, mostly. The production team clearly prioritized "vibe" over carbon-copy looks. For example, the real Danny Greene was a bit more stocky and less "traditionally" leading-man handsome than Ray Stevenson. But Stevenson captured the intensity.
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The movie covers the 1970s Cleveland mob war, which is a niche but fascinating part of American history. In 1976 alone, there were 36 bombings in the city. The cast had to convey a city that was literally exploding around them. This isn't the glamorous, velvet-suit Mafia of The Godfather. It’s the gritty, polyester, "blown-up-in-a-parking-lot" Mafia.
The Surprising Depth of the Script
The cast had good material to work with. The film is based on the book To Kill the Irishman: The War That Crippled the Mafia by Rick Porrello. Porrello was a police officer, so the details about the power vacuum in Cleveland are accurate.
The actors had to navigate a story where the "hero" is a racketeer who stole from unions. It's a gray area. Paul Sorvino (another mob movie legend) shows up as Tony Salerno, representing the New York families. His inclusion links this Cleveland story to the larger "Commission" trials that eventually broke the back of the American Mafia. It shows that what Danny Greene did wasn't just a local skirmish; it was the domino that started the fall of the mob nationwide.
Misconceptions About the Production
Some people think this was a big-budget Hollywood blockbuster. It wasn't. It was an independent production that punched way above its weight class because of the cast.
They didn't even film most of it in Cleveland. They filmed in Detroit to save money. The cast had to sell the idea of Cleveland without actually being there for much of it. That’s where the acting comes in. You believe these guys are from the "Heights" or the "Docks" because of the accents and the weary way they carry themselves.
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Final Take on the Ensemble
The Killing the Irishman 2011 cast is a rare example of "lightning in a bottle" for a genre film. You have the veteran gravitas of Christopher Walken and Paul Sorvino mixed with the raw, physical energy of Ray Stevenson. It’s a movie that rewards repeat viewings just to watch the performances in the periphery.
If you're looking to dive deeper into this world, don't just stop at the movie. Look up the real Ray Ferritto or Shondor Birns. The real-life counterparts were arguably even stranger than the characters on screen.
Next Steps for the True Crime Fan:
- Watch the Documentary: Look for The Danny Greene Story. It features interviews with the real people the actors portrayed, including Rick Porrello and FBI agents from the era.
- Read the Source Material: Rick Porrello’s book is the definitive account. It provides the context for the "Bomb City" nickname that the movie only scratches the surface of.
- Compare Performances: If you enjoyed D'Onofrio or Walken here, watch Kill the Irishman back-to-back with Capone or King of New York. It’s a masterclass in how these actors adapt their "tough guy" personas to different eras and cities.
The film stands as a testament to Ray Stevenson’s ability to carry a movie. It’s his best work, and the ensemble around him made sure the story of Cleveland’s most chaotic era didn't fade into obscurity.