Jon Gries

Jonathan Gries ( ; born June 17, 1957) 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 (2007–2010); and Greg Hunt on The White Lotus (2021–present). He is also known for other film and television credits such as Real Genius (1985), The Monster Squad (1987), Martin (1992–1994), Get Shorty (1995), The Pretender (1996–2000), the Taken trilogy (2008–2014), and Dream Corp LLC (2016–2020).

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 (1985), Azzolini in Rainbow Drive, Shawn McDermott in the TV series Martin (1992–1994), Ronnie Wingate in Get Shorty (1995), Harvey in The Rundown, and Uncle Rico in Napoleon Dynamite (2004). 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 (2008), Taken 2 (2012), and Taken 3 (2014), 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" (2010), "Hello, Cruel World" (2011) and "Citizen Fang" (2012). 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" (2010).

Gries is a part-owner of the Richmond Flying Mummies, a Northwoods League baseball team that began play in May 2026.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1968 Will Penny Horace (Button) Credited as Jon Francis 1976 Born of Water Friend Credited as Jonathan Gries 1977 The Chicken Chronicles Tom 1979 Sunnyside Wild Child More American Graffiti Ron Swap Meet Doug 1983 Joysticks King Vidiot Credited as Jonathan Gries 1985 Real Genius Lazlo Hollyfeld 1986 TerrorVision O.D. Running Scared Det. Tony Montoya 1987 Number One with a Bullet Bobby Sweet The Monster Squad Desperate Man/Wolfman Che's Revenge Jack Short 1988 Fright Night Part 2 Louie Credited as Jonathan Gries 1989 Kill Me Again Alan Swayzie Pucker Up and Bark Like a Dog Max 1990 The Grifters Drunk's Friend 1993 Ed and His Dead Mother Rob Sundheimer 1995 Get Shorty Ronnie Wingate 1997 Casualties Bill Summers Men in Black Van Driver The Maze Dr. Holmes Mitzi & Joe Joe 1999 Twin Falls Idaho Lawyer Jay Harrison 2001 The Beatnicks B Cool Jackpot Sunny Holiday / Glen Allen Johnson Also co-producer 2003 Northfork Arnold The Big Empty Elron The Snow Walker Pierce The Rundown Harvey 2004 Napoleon Dynamite Uncle Rico Dynamite 2005 Confessions of an Action Star Donald Buckheim Waterborne Ritter Last Best Chance Bernard Wheeler Video 2006 The Sasquatch Gang Chilcutt Stick It Brice Graham The Astronaut Farmer FBI Agent Killbourne Car Babes Gary 2007 American Pastime Ed Tully Bicentennial Curious Mick Jones Short Fathom September Dawn John D. Lee The Comebacks Barber Frank Colin York 2008 Taken Casey Bar Starz Ricky Fabulous South of Heaven Hood #1 So Long Jimmy Levi Franklin Around June Murry 2009 Elsewhere Mr. Tod The Smell of Success Early Dunchamp A Lone Star State Wyatt Kinney Short 2010 Crazy on the Outside Edgar Good Intentions Sheriff Ernie Pearblossom Harry Short 2011 Natural Selection Peter Not Quite College Tone Cash 5 Time Champion Melvin Glee Redemption: For Robbing the Dead Tom Sutter 2012 Deep in the Heart Dick Wallrath Unicorn City Shadowhawk Noobz Greg Lipstein Taken 2 Casey Byron's Theme Butcher Short 2013 Bad Turn Worse Sheriff Shep A True Story Richard Simpkins Skinwalker Ranch Hoyt 2014 Eternity: The Movie Barry Goldfield, Jr. Faults Terry Locker 13 Archie Segment: Title Story After We Rest Mr. Norman Short The Last Survivors Carson Brothers Ronnie Short Taken 3 Casey 2015 Pass the Light Franklin Endgame Principal Thomas A Country Called Home Tyler Mucho Dinero Jon Waters 2016 Durant's Never Closes Dizzy Dean The Axe Murders of Villisca Greg Falsely Accused Gus The Knife Thrower Circus Manager Operation Chromite Hoyt Vandenberg 2017 All About the Money Jon Waters Americons Billy 2018 Glass Jaw Sam Austin 2024 Solvent Gunner S. Holbrook 2025 Carolina Caroline Hank

Television

YearTitleRole Notes 1976 Helter Skelter William Garretson TV movie 1977 Alexander: The Other Side of Dawn Uncredited Mulligan's Stew Adams Episode: "Melinda Special" 1979 240-Robert Brad Episode: "Poison Air" 1980 The White Shadow Uri Kogenski Episode: "The Russians Are Coming" 1983 The Powers of Matthew Star Brad Episode: "The Road Rebels" September Gun Brian Brian TV movie The Jeffersons Frank Episode: "I Do, I Don't" High School U.S.A. Dirty Curt TV movie 1987 The Twilight Zone Nick Gatlin (Segment: "Shelter Skelter") Episode: "Joy Ride/Shelter Skelter/Private Channel" Cagney & Lacey Hands Callahan Episode: "The City is Burning" 1988 Tattingers Rick Jurasky 2 episodes 1989 Paradise Emmett Episode: "Dead Run" 1990 Falcon Crest Stone Episode: "Finding Lauren" Jake and the Fatman Lenny Maddox Episode: "By Myself" Tour of Duty Maj. Rex Chapman, USAF Episode: "The Raid" Rainbow Drive Azzolini TV movie 1991 Quantum Leap Flash McGrath Episode: "Glitter Rock–April 12, 1974" Fever Bobby TV movie 1992 L.A. Law Dr. Harold Benson Episode: "I'm Ready for My Closeup, Mr. Markowitz" Four Eyes and Six Guns TV movie 1992–1994 Martin Shawn McDermott 54 episodes 1993 Bakersfield P.D. Ray Coombs Episode: "A Bullet for Stiles" 1994 The X-Files Salvatore Matola Episode: "Sleepless" Beverly Hills, 90210 Mr. Trilling, Dope Dealer 4 episodes 1995 Chicago Hope Jack Kimball Episode: "Hello Goodbye" Strange Luck Henry Bloom Episode: "Last Chance" Seinfeld Homeless Man Episode: "The Beard" 1996 Race Against Time: The Search for Sarah Steve TV movie 1996–2000 The Pretender Broots 82 episodes 1998 Seinfeld Rusty Episode: "The Bookstore" 2001 The Pretender 2001 Broots TV movie ER Defense Attorney Marty Nesmith Episode: "Fear of Commitment" The Pretender: Island of the Haunted Broots TV movie 2002 24 Joseph Wald Episode: "Day 2: 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m." 2003–2005 Carnivàle Texas Ranger 2 episodes 2004 Las Vegas Greg Walker Episode: "Sons and Lovers" 2007–2010 Lost Roger Linus 6 episodes 2008 CSI: NY Jim Warren Episode: "The Box" 2010 Cold Case Bill Shepard '78 2 episodes Sons of Anarchy Passport Forger Episode: "So" Psych Strabinsky Episode: "One, Maybe Two, Ways Out" Nikita The Engineer Episode: "Dark Matter" Supernatural Martin Creaser 2 episodes 2011 Hawaii Five-0 Liam Miller Episode: "Lapa'au" 2012 Dr. Fubalous Dr. Reed 2 episodes Napoleon Dynamite Uncle Rico 6 episodes BlackBoxTV Dad Episode: "Silverwood: The Hunger" 2013–2014 The Bridge Bob 7 episodes 2014 Criminal Minds Clifford Walsh Episode: "The Road Home" 2016–2020 Dream Corp LLC Dr. Roberts 28 episodes 2021–present The White Lotus Greg Hunt Recurring (season 1). Main role (seasons 2 - 3) 2024 It's Florida, Man Denver Episode: "Saucy" 2025 Saturday Night Live Howard Lutnick Episode: "Jon Hamm / Lizzo" Devil May Cry President Hopper Voice role 2025–present Fallout Biff Recurring role

Video games

Year Title Role 2012 Hitman: Absolution Sheriff Clive Skurky (voice)

Music videos As director Flies on Fire – "Long Gone Dead" (1989) Low Profile – "Pay Ya Dues" (1989) Low Profile – "That's Y They Do It" (1989) Low Profile – "Funky Song" (1990) Mere Mortals – "Cracked" (2006)

As actor Lenny Kravitz – "Mr. Cab Driver" (1990) Alice in Chains – "Rooster" (1993)