Johnny Messner

Often bearing the uniform beard stubble of the classic anti-hero, Johnny Messner is one of the few new millennium actors picking up the mantle of the macho action stars of yesteryear. After debuting on soap operas, he began landing supporting and recurring roles in several mainstream projects of various genres, including the bawdy, female-centric romantic comedy "The Sweetest Thing" and the taut jungle-rescue adventure "Tears of the Sun" (2003). Emerging as a natural portrayer of dangerous masculinity, he garnered his first lead role as the courageous hero of the action-packed creature feature "Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid" and delivered a memorable turn as an unhinged mob goon in the unbelievably frenzied pulp thriller "Running Scared."

Ever since, he's released a number of self-starring vehicles--including the animalistic prison brawler "Ring of Death"--to the TV-movie and direct-to-video markets, where there is a huge demand for brutal action sagas. Unlike many hardcore genre stars, Messner also has a knack for outright comedy and has delivered standout performances in such violence-free films as the freewheeling show business satire "Remarkable Power" and the amusing ode to booze "Bottoms Up."