# Jon Gries
**Jon Gries** (born Jonathan Francis Gries in 1957, in [Glendale, California](https://www.edgepedia.org/glendale-california)) is an American actor, writer, and director whose career spans more than five decades, from a childhood role in his father's western *Will Penny* (1968) to Uncle Rico in *Napoleon Dynamite* (2004) and Greg Hunt in HBO's *The White Lotus*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0340973/bio/) • [2](https://film.one/person/jon-gries) He is also credited under the names Jon Francis, Johnathan Gries, Jonathan Gries, and Jonathon Gries.[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/gries-jon-1957-jon-francis-johnathan-gries-jonathan-gries-jonathon-gries)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1957, Glendale, California; birth name Jonathan Francis Gries[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0340973/bio/) |
| Family | Son of writer-director-producer Tom Gries and actress Mary Munday; brother of film editor and producer Cary Gries[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0340973/bio/) • [4](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/jon-gries/bio/3000465191/) |
| First role | The Boy Horace in *Will Penny* (1968), written and directed by his father, at age 11[2](https://film.one/person/jon-gries) |
| Signature roles | Uncle Rico in *Napoleon Dynamite* (2004); Broots in *The Pretender* (1996–2000, 82 episodes); Roger Linus in *Lost*; Greg Hunt in *The White Lotus*[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0340973/) • [6](https://unionfilms.org/films/people/jon-gries.html) |
| Awards | Independent Spirit Award nomination, Best Supporting Male, for *Napoleon Dynamite* (2005); SAG ensemble win for *The White Lotus* (2023); Satellite Award nomination (2024)[7](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0340973/awards/) |
| Directing | First film as director, *Pickin & Grinnin* (2010)[8](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/jon-gries/) |
## Early life and family
Gries grew up in the film industry. His father, Tom Gries, was a writer, director, and producer with two primetime Emmy wins, and his mother, Mary Munday, was an actress who appeared in numerous Westerns and cop dramas during the 1950s and 1960s.[4](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/jon-gries/bio/3000465191/) • [8](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/jon-gries/) His father cast him in his own films, including *Will Penny* (1968), where Gries played the Boy Horace at age 11, and the made-for-TV *Helter Skelter* (CBS, 1976), in which he played William Garretson.[8](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/jon-gries/) • [3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/gries-jon-1957-jon-francis-johnathan-gries-jonathan-gries-jonathon-gries) He studied acting with [Stella Adler](https://www.edgepedia.org/stella-adler).[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/gries-jon-1957-jon-francis-johnathan-gries-jonathan-gries-jonathon-gries)
## 1980s film work
Gries worked steadily through the 1980s in cult films. He portrayed Lazlo Hollyfeld in *Real Genius* (1985), appeared as O.D. in *TerrorVision* (1986), and was cast as a werewolf in both *The Monster Squad* (1987) and *[Fright Night Part 2](https://www.edgepedia.org/fright-night-part-2)* (1988).[8](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/jon-gries/) • [3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/gries-jon-1957-jon-francis-johnathan-gries-jonathan-gries-jonathon-gries) [TV Guide](https://www.edgepedia.org/tv-guide) describes his career pattern as tough characters with soft hearts, a type set by his vicious but vulnerable werewolf in *The Monster Squad*, the source of the film's line "Wolfman's got nards!"[8](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/jon-gries/) Other 1980s credits include *Running Scared* (1986) and *Kill Me Again* (1989).[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/gries-jon-1957-jon-francis-johnathan-gries-jonathan-gries-jonathon-gries)
## Television and 1990s work
By the 1990s Gries had moved toward television, with roles on *Beverly Hills, 90210* (Fox, 1990–2000), *[Martin](https://www.edgepedia.org/martin-tv-series)* (Fox, 1992–97), and *The Pretender* (NBC, 1996–2000), where he played Broots in 82 episodes.[8](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/jon-gries/) • [5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0340973/) His film work in the decade included Ronnie Wingate in *Get Shorty* (1995) and the van driver in *Men in Black* (1997).[5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0340973/) He also appeared twice on *Seinfeld* as Rusty, a homeless man who refuses to return Kramer's Tupperware.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0340973/bio/) • [3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/gries-jon-1957-jon-francis-johnathan-gries-jonathan-gries-jonathon-gries)
## Napoleon Dynamite and Lost
After *Get Shorty*, Gries landed the breakout role of Uncle Rico in the surprise hit *Napoleon Dynamite* (2004), a door-to-door salesman of Tupperware-like products.[8](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/jon-gries/) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0340973/bio/) The performance brought a 2005 Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Supporting Male and Teen Choice Award nominations for choice movie sleazebag, choice movie rumble, and choice movie blush scene (shared with [Jon Heder](https://www.edgepedia.org/jon-heder)).[7](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0340973/awards/) • [3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/gries-jon-1957-jon-francis-johnathan-gries-jonathan-gries-jonathon-gries) He reprised the role in voice form for the animated *[Napoleon Dynamite](https://www.edgepedia.org/napoleon-dynamite-tv-series)* series (Fox, 2012), his first voice acting role.[8](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/jon-gries/)
The same year he joined the cast of *Lost* (ABC, 2004–2010) as Roger Linus, the father of [Ben Linus](https://www.edgepedia.org/ben-linus).[8](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/jon-gries/) • [6](https://unionfilms.org/films/people/jon-gries.html) His later film credits include Casey in the *Taken* films (2008–2014) and roles in *The Rundown* (2003) and *Northfork* (2003).[2](https://film.one/person/jon-gries) • [5](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0340973/)
## The White Lotus
In 2021 Gries was cast as Greg Hunt in the HBO series *The White Lotus*, created and written by Mike White.[9](https://nedhardy.com/2022/11/18/jon-gries-2/) Greg, who courts and marries [Jennifer Coolidge](https://www.edgepedia.org/jennifer-coolidge)'s Tanya McQuoid in the Hawaii-set first season, is revealed in season two to have been part of the plot that leads to Tanya's death in Sicily.[10](https://time.com/7225335/white-lotus-season-3-greg-jon-gries/) Greg is the only character to appear in all three seasons of the show; he returns unannounced in the season three premiere in Thailand, living under the name Gary off Tanya's fortune.[10](https://time.com/7225335/white-lotus-season-3-greg-jon-gries/) • [11](https://www.marieclaire.com/culture/tv-shows/the-white-lotus-season-4/)
Gries has described how he came to understand the character. Between seasons, Mike White texted him only that "Greg is diabolical"; before filming season three, Gries asked White directly whether Greg was a psychopath, and White's one-word confirmation reshaped his performance.[12](https://www.menshealth.com/entertainment/a63798605/jon-gries-white-lotus-season-3-interview/) • [13](https://www.thewrap.com/the-white-lotus-season-3-greg-jon-gries-interview/) The role brought him a 2023 [Screen Actors Guild](https://www.edgepedia.org/screen-actors-guild) ensemble award win for the season two cast and a 2024 Satellite Award nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.[7](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0340973/awards/)
## Directing and other work
A self-professed late bloomer behind the camera, Gries directed his first film, *Pickin & Grinnin*, in 2010.[8](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/jon-gries/) Encyclopedia.com lists him as an actor, producer, and songwriter, and a member of the band Carnival Dogs.[3](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/gries-jon-1957-jon-francis-johnathan-gries-jonathan-gries-jonathon-gries) His other awards include a 2012 Filmed in Utah Award for Best Supporting Actor for *Unicorn City* and a 2016 Best Cast win at the Christian Film Festival-Menchville Baptist Church for *Pass the Light*.[7](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0340973/awards/)
## References
1. [Jon Gries Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0340973/bio/)
2. [Jon Gries, Fi1m](https://film.one/person/jon-gries)
3. [Gries, Jon 1957-, Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/gries-jon-1957-jon-francis-johnathan-gries-jonathan-gries-jonathon-gries)
4. [Jon Gries Biography, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/jon-gries/bio/3000465191/)
5. [Jon Gries, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0340973/)
6. [Jon Gries Filmography, Union Films](https://unionfilms.org/films/people/jon-gries.html)
7. [Jon Gries Awards, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0340973/awards/)
8. [Jon Gries, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/jon-gries/)
9. [He Played 'Uncle Rico' in Napoleon Dynamite, Ned Hardy](https://nedhardy.com/2022/11/18/jon-gries-2/)
10. [About That Surprise Cameo in The White Lotus Season 3 Premiere, TIME](https://time.com/7225335/white-lotus-season-3-greg-jon-gries/)
11. [The White Lotus Season 4: Everything We Know, Marie Claire](https://www.marieclaire.com/culture/tv-shows/the-white-lotus-season-4/)
12. [White Lotus Season 3 – Jon Gries on Greg/Gary's 'Psychopath' Return, Men's Health](https://www.menshealth.com/entertainment/a63798605/jon-gries-white-lotus-season-3-interview/)
13. [The White Lotus Season 3 Made Jon Gries Realize Greg Is a 'Psychopath', TheWrap](https://www.thewrap.com/the-white-lotus-season-3-greg-jon-gries-interview/)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames Gr to G*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license