Frank Grillo bio, net worth, height, wife, age, workout, family 2025

Frank Grillo Biography

Frank Grillo proves that Hollywood doesn't always bow to youth. He began acting in 1996, but he spent years stuck in small parts and failed auditions. Sports became Grillo's escape: he became interested in wrestling as a child, and by 35, he'd mastered fighting styles from around the world. He had no idea this passion would become his ticket to stardom.

Playing a coach in 2011's "Warrior" felt like destiny for Grillo. Audiences and producers finally recognized his talent. Over the next few years, he carved out his niche as an "old school" action hero, standing shoulder to shoulder with Bruce Willis, Mel Gibson, and Liam Neeson. While his veteran co-stars started stepping back, Grillo's career kicked into high gear.

Childhood and Youth

Frank Anthony Grillo was born in New York on June 8, 1965. His parents had immigrated from Italy. Frank grew up with two younger brothers in a struggling family. "My parents got married when they were 16, and they never had money," Frank recalled later.

The Bronx neighborhood where Grillo grew up was anything but peaceful. His parents wanted their boys to be able to defend themselves, so they encouraged their interest in sports. Before Frank even started school, they got him dumbbells and kettlebells to train with.

At school, Grillo took up wrestling – he dreamed of standing up to local bullies who terrorized the whole neighborhood. He succeeded, and soon the teenager was juggling American football with martial arts. By the age of 18, Frank became interested in boxing.

Despite spending countless hours in gyms, Frank still managed to excel in school. His strong grades got him into New York University. In 1991, he received a business degree and got a job on Wall Street. But he quickly realized that office work and endless spreadsheets weren't his calling. Grillo knew he'd never make it as a pro athlete. That's when fate stepped in: in 1992, this muscular guy with striking looks got offers to appear in commercials for brands such as American Express, Rexona, Miller Genuine.

The money was good enough for Frank to quit his day job. He didn't need the office anymore – new offers kept rolling in. Grillo appeared on the covers of Men's Workout and Exercise & Health magazines, and then decided to try his luck on TV.

First Roles

Frank made his screen debut on the long-running series "Guiding Light," which first aired in 1952. He starred in this long-running soap opera from 1996 to 1999. Though his character, farmer Hart Jessup, wasn't central to the storyline, he still left a lasting impression on viewers. Grillo started landing bit parts in other projects, including series like "Silk Stalkings" (1999), "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (2000), and "Battery Park" (2001).

Frank Grillo in the series 'Guiding Light'

In 2002, Grillo was involved in two notable projects. In the comedy "The Sweetest Thing," he starred alongside Cameron Diaz and Christina Applegate. And in Steven Spielberg's action thriller "Minority Report," he got the chance to work with Tom Cruise and Colin Farrell. Unfortunately, most of Grillo's scenes ended up on the cutting room floor.

Frank Grillo in the movie 'The Sweetest Thing'

Lead roles remained elusive for Frank. For years, he kept grinding away in soaps and series, going through hundreds of auditions for various projects. He appeared in series like "Blind Justice" (2005), "The Kill Point" (2007), and films such as "Pride and Glory" (2007), "Blue Eyes" (2009), "My Soul to Take" (2010).

Several pilots featuring Grillo never made it to series. In 2010, he landed a lead role in the thriller series "The Gates," but the series was cancelled after just one season.

Grillo's big break finally came when he was 46. In 2011, the actor agreed to a supporting role in the film "Warrior" with Joel Edgerton and Tom Hardy. Frank's character—the coach of one of the main characters—had barely any dialogue, but connected directly to the actor's passion for boxing.

Grillo prepared extensively for the role, spending hours at the headquarters of legendary MMA coach Greg Jackson. On location, he watched Jackson work with his fighters. At Frank's suggestion, they set up a gym right on set where the entire cast did real workouts. With director Gavin O'Connor's blessing, Frank kept adding his own comedic touches and sarcastic one-liners to the role.

'Warrior' Interview With Frank Grillo

The film was a big success, and a coach from the University of Arizona even reached out to Grillo asking him to work with his wrestlers. The coach was so convinced by Frank's performance that he had no doubt the actor possessed all the necessary coaching skills.

Career Bloom

After "Warrior", Frank finally started landing roles that would put his name above the title instead of buried in the end credits. He starred in the thriller "The Grey" alongside Liam Neeson in 2011 - a gripping survival thriller that quickly turned a profit. This was followed by the thriller "Disconnect" (2012), the action film "End of Watch" (2012), and the action-drama "The Raid" (2012).

In 2014, Frank entered the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Brock Rumlow, one of Steve Rogers' key adversaries. Grillo appeared in the movie "Captain America: The Winter Soldier". He also played the lead in the action movie "The Purge: Anarchy" and returned to a sports role in the series "Kingdom".

Frank Grillo on the set of the movie "The Purge: Anarchy"

In this series, which ran until 2017, Frank delivered one of his most compelling performances. He played a former fighter struggling to keep his gym afloat, reconnect with his adult sons, and navigate a midlife crisis. MMA fans and fighters worldwide embraced the series. Despite strong ratings, the network canceled it after three seasons. "This show deserved a wider audience," Frank lamented.

2016 brought Frank the leading role in the sci-fi action movie "Beyond Skyline", a part in the series "Billions", and a return to the MCU in the film "Captain America: Civil War". Unfortunately, Grillo's character Crossbones was killed off within minutes of his screen time.

Frank Grillo in the movie "Beyond Skyline"

Comic book fans demanded more screen time for Crossbones in future films. The actor wasn't interested: he felt he'd found his niche alongside actors like Liam Neeson and Jason Statham in old-school action films, and superhero blockbusters weren't his thing.

Frank Grillo in the movie "Captain America: Civil War"

Sure enough, Frank's filmography became increasingly action-heavy. He played a getaway driver in "Wheelman" (2017), a villain in the Asian action film "Wolf Warrior 2" (2017) - which made him a breakout star in China. Grillo's character helped Bruce Willis' character catch robbers in "Reprisal" (2018) and fought against Jamie Bell in the ring in "Donnybrook" (2018).

Frank Grillo in the movie "Wolf Warrior 2"

The next year, 2019, brought Frank several action films - "Point Blank", "Into the Ashes", "Black and Blue", "Hell on the Border". The actor shrugged off critics who dismissed most of these films as forgettable. He not only starred in them, but also facilitated their production under the auspices of his own production company War Party, founded with his friend, director Joe Carnahan.

Their first collaboration was the documentary series "Fightworld", which premiered on Netflix in 2018. Throughout the series, Grillo traveled the globe, immersing himself in different cultures while studying martial arts - from Thai boxing to Burmese Lethwei.

Frank Grillo on his Experiences with the Fighting Community Worldwide in "Fightworld"

In 2019, War Party produced the action film "Boss Level" about a former special forces soldier trapped in a time loop. The film starred Mel Gibson, Frank Grillo, and his youngest son Rio. In addition, the project featured two UFC champions Rashad Evans and Rampage Jackson. "It was fun working with them," Frank said.

2020 saw Grillo in a string of action films that received mixed reviews. In "The Gateway", he played a principled Texas cowboy, while "Cosmic Sin" transported him and Bruce Willis to the year 2524. He also ventured into sci-fi with "Jiu Jitsu", where Grillo and Nicolas Cage's characters teamed up to defend Earth from an alien invasion.

Frank Grillo's Personal Life

Grillo keeps his family life largely private. He first married in 1991 to a woman named Kathy. The marriage was short-lived. In 1997, Kathy gave birth to a son, Remy, and a year later, she and Grillo divorced.

Rumors pointed to Grillo's affair with his "Guiding Light" co-star Wendy Moniz as the cause of the breakup. Though married herself, she left her husband for Grillo. Colleagues remember Wendy and Frank making no attempt to hide their feelings, openly kissing and embracing on set.

They got married in 2000. Four years later, Moniz gave birth to a son, Liam, and in 2008, another boy, Rio. Grillo devoted plenty of time to his sons, getting them into fitness routines from an early age.

The actor's family appeared picture-perfect, but in 2020, Wendy and Frank shocked fans by announcing their divorce without explanation. The charismatic actor, who stays in incredible shape, didn't remain single for long. Within months, he was dating Australian actress Nicky Whelan. Fans speculated about wedding bells, but by November 2021, Grillo announced they'd split. "It's all over. I'm alone," the actor said.

But by January 2022, Frank and Nicky were spotted together on LA streets, flirting, hugging, and kissing while ignoring the paparazzi.

Frank Grillo's Diet & Workout Routine to Stay Jacked

Frank Grillo Now

Frank's hit his stride as an action hero, reaching the peak of his career. The timing couldn't be better, especially since his role model Liam Neeson recently announced he's stepping back from high-intensity thrillers, citing the challenge of keeping up with younger actors in fight scenes. Grillo, meanwhile, trains 6 days a week and easily holds his own against colleagues half his age.

In 2021, he starred in "Ida Red" alongside Oscar-winner Melissa Leo, and the thriller "No Man's Land". Through his joint company with Joe Carnahan, he released the action film "Copshop", teaming up with Gerard Butler.

2022 saw Frank reunite with Bruce Willis for the crime action movie "A Day to Die". Later that July, "The Gateway" hit theaters, starring Grillo alongside Morgan Freeman.

Frank Grillo in the movie 'A Day to Die'

2023 kept him busy with action films "The Black Lotus", "King of Killers", and "Hounds of War".

Interesting Facts

Grillo stays in fighting shape through intense workouts and a strict paleo diet he's followed for years. His fridge is stocked only with foods our caveman ancestors would recognize. That means no cereals, but plenty of lean turkey, eggs, and vegetables.

How I Got My Body: Kingdom's Frank Grillo Shares Boxing and Workout Tips

Frank's passionate about tattoos - he's got at least 7 of them. Each one holds deep meaning for him: a "Brazilian Christ" tattoo, Thai spell, and Cambodian magical images.