He’s an Australian actor who carved a niche by embodying some of the most memorable villains in the action and sci-fi genre through the 1980s.
Now at the age of 80, he was recently spotted in Los Angeles during a rare public appearance at what seemed to be a Target store. He wore his long gray hair loose, paired with a blue button-down shirt and brown trousers.
Back in 1981, he famously portrayed the deranged marauder in Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior. His role tested the patience of everyone around, including Mel Gibson’s Max. Who could forget that intense opening scene where he gets injured by a friendly fire and, in a chilling move, pulls out the arrow from his arm amid a scream, thirsting for brutal vengeance?
Fast forward to 1985, his presence loomed large as the formidable villain in Commando, where he faced off against Arnold Schwarzenegger’s heroic strongman. Fans reveled in his depiction of the menacing and unhinged mercenary, famed for his chainmail attire.
Later that same year, he showcased his ability to poke fun at himself in the sci-fi comedy Weird Science. Here, he played a character that humorously referenced his notorious roles in both Mad Max 2 and Commando.
Can you guess who he is?
This Australian actor best known for playing iconic villains in action and sci-fi films of the 1980s was recently seen on a rare outing in Los Angeles
The actor was sporting long gray hair and wearing a button-down blue shirt over brown trousers, quite a change from the wild and aggressive onscreen persona he is famous for
If you guessed Vernon Wells, you are absolutely right!
The Daily Mail has reached out to Wells’ representative for comment.
Despite playing bitter enemies who fought to the death, Wells and Gibson got along very well.
They shared a lighthearted camaraderie while shooting the film in the outback of New South Wales, Australia and around the desert city of Broken Wells.
Gibson even had a nickname for Wells – ‘Barometer Bum’ – because the freezing temperatures in Broken Wells would turn the actor’s posterior purple while he was clad in the character’s famous leather chaps, per Fandom.
Schwarzenegger initially had reservations about casting Wells in his action-packed epic, because he thought he looked too rough.
But the Austrian-born star pushed all doubts aside after they shot their first scene, in which Schwarzenegger was chained to a table as Wells attacked him, according to Forbes.
Schwarzenegger was impressed with Wells’ acting abilities, and they became lifelong friends, with the former Mr. Olympia calling the Aussie a ‘sweet, generous human being.’
He is … Vernon Wells! He famously played the unhinged marauder in 1981’s Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior and the main villain opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ultimate good guy in 1985’s Commando
Who can forget the opening scene in Mad Max 2 where he’s chasing Mel Giblson’s Max and gets hit by friendly fire and pulls the arrow straight out of his arm while screaming blood-curdling revenge
Fans loved his portrayal as the crazed, chainmail-wearing, ruthless mercenary in Commando and found the character highly entertaining
The actor spoofed himself in the 1985 sci-fi comedy Weird Science, playing a character who was a deliberate parody of his Mad Max 2 and Commando baddies
While Wells has a lot of respect for recent Mad Max films including Mad Max: Fury Road starring Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron, he said Wez, everyone’s favorite villain, is irreplaceable
In his personal life, Wells has been married to Grace Kono-Wells for more than 30 years
In the 2001 children’s television series Power Rangers Time Force, Wells was again cast as the main villain, Ransik.
Wells is still as busy as ever with 22 upcoming films either completed, filming, in post-production or pre-production, per IMDb.com.
While Wells has a lot of respect for recent Mad Max films including Mad Max: Fury Road starring Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron, he said Wez, everyone’s favorite villain, is irreplaceable.
‘I seriously think that it would be very difficult to duplicate me, because it’s kind of a unique character,’ he said in an interview with the It Came From… entertainment site.
In his personal life, Wells has been married to Grace Kono-Wells for more than 30 years.
Sadly, Wells and his wife lost their home to the Los Angeles wildfires in January 2025.
‘I mean, 40-odd years of my life and my wife’s life are gone. I mean, it hasn’t sunk in, to be blunt,’ he told Australian morning program Sunrise, adding: ‘Yes, we lost everything. But you know what someone said to me this morning? It can all be replaced in your mind. You know you’ve got it in your mind. Everything is there.’