Johnny Berchtold

Johnny Berchtold (born July 7, 1994) is an American actor. He is known for starring as Fielding Marshall in the Netflix drama film Dog Gone (2023) and Randolph "Randy" Bradley in the psychological thriller The Passenger (2023). He later played Richard Beck in the third season of the Prime Video action series Reacher (2025) and Paul Murdaugh in the Hulu limited series Murdaugh: Death in the Family (2025).

Early life and education

Berchtold was raised in the Mays Landing section of Hamilton Township, Atlantic County, New Jersey. He attended Oakcrest High School, where he participated in theater and other performance activities. After graduating from Oakcrest, he attended the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.

Career

Berchtold began appearing in film and television during the mid-2010s. In 2017, he portrayed a teenage Ted Kaczynski in the Discovery Channel drama series Manhunt: Unabomber. His television work subsequently included appearances in The Wilds, Gaslit and Tiny Beautiful Things. In 2022, Berchtold joined the off-Broadway production of Bess Wohl's Camp Siegfried at Second Stage Theater, replacing Johnny Flynn opposite Lily McInerny.

Berchtold had his first major film lead in the 2023 Netflix drama Dog Gone, portraying Fielding Marshall opposite Rob Lowe and Kimberly Williams-Paisley. The film, directed by Stephen Herek, is based on the true story of the Marshall family's search of the Appalachian Trail for their missing dog Gonker. Later that year, he starred opposite Kyle Gallner in the Blumhouse Productions psychological thriller The Passenger, directed by Carter Smith. Berchtold played Randolph "Randy" Bradley, a withdrawn fast-food employee who is taken hostage by co-worker Benson after witnessing a violent crime. Smith later said that Berchtold's audition established him as his preferred choice for Randy early in the casting process. Berchtold said he was attracted to the role because Randy was an otherwise ordinary character forced into an extreme situation.

In 2025, Berchtold joined the third season of the Prime Video action series Reacher as series regular Richard Beck, the son of businessman Zachary Beck, played by Anthony Michael Hall. He also appeared as Caleb Brandywine in the Western drama Broke, alongside Wyatt Russell, Dennis Quaid, Mary McDonnell and Tom Skerritt. That year, Berchtold portrayed Paul Murdaugh in Hulu's eight-part limited series Murdaugh: Death in the Family, opposite Jason Clarke as Alex Murdaugh and Patricia Arquette as Maggie Murdaugh. The series dramatized the events surrounding the prominent South Carolina Murdaugh family and the deaths associated with the Murdaugh case. Hulu also featured Berchtold in an episode of the series' official companion podcast discussing his research and approach to portraying Paul.

Personal life

Berchtold married Casey Bailey in October 2024. In 2025, Berchtold was diagnosed with stage 1 testicular cancer, which was treated successfully with surgery. In 2026, the cancer returned and had metastasized to his pelvis, progressing to stage 3. After undergoing chemotherapy, Berchtold went into remission in late 2026.

Filmography

References

External links

• Johnny Berchtold at IMDb