"I absolutely fell in love with Russian culture, Russian people,” he later said. "I felt as an actor, there's a real respect for the arts there that I don't necessarily think too many of my peers at the time in America had.” As a result, Bernthal can speak fluent Russian.

The decision to have Jon Bernthal portray Mel's life story could be critiqued for potentially glamorizing a former gang member's life, which might inadvertently send a message that such a lifestyle can lead to fame and success.