'The Bear' Season 3: Jeremy Allen White reveals show creator is 'most excited' when directing Matty Matheson
The Canadian chef turned actor, producer and writer quickly became a beloved TV star on the award-winning series The Bear
One of the most beloved and stressful TV shows returns with The Bear Season 3, diving into the operations of Carmy's (Jeremy Allen White) new restaurant. While the show's stars, including Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Liza Colón-Zayas, Lionel Boyce and Abby Elliot, continue to make up a strong ensemble cast, Canadian chef turned actor, producer and writer, Matty Matheson, has become the golden child of the series.
In each season of The Bear, Matheson's role has expanded. In Season 3 his character Neil Fak continues to be one of the most brilliantly executed characters in the series, as the Fak family, including Theodore Fak (Ricky Staffieri) and Sammy Fak (John Cena), are responsible for the more silly, funny moments in the season.
Where to watch The Bear Season 3: On Disney+ in Canada, on Hulu in the U.S.
Cast: Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri, Matty Matheson, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Liza Colón-Zayas, Lionel Boyce, Abby Elliot, Molly Gordon, Edwin Lee Gibson
Creator: Christopher Storer
Number of episodes: 10
Watch The Bear Season 3 on Disney+ in Canada, with plans starting at $7.99/month
At a press conference ahead of the season's release, speaking about Matheson's on-camera role in The Bear expanding, White stressed that directing the Canadian was a particular highlight for the show's creator, Christopher Storer.
"I think Chris was responding to Matty's work on the show," White said. "Matty had never acted before the show, and it turns out he can do it so beautifully and he can be so funny and lovable."
"I think Chris wanted to work with him more and more. ... I've never seen Chris be more joyful ... than when he's directing a scene with Matty, and like throwing lines at him. It really is the most excited that I see Chris Storer, is working with Matty."
Matheson was particularly humble when asked about his acting on the show.
"I think they saw that I could remember a couple more lines," Matheson said.
Matty Matheson credited as a writer on the most impressive episode of 'The Bear' Season 3
But Matheson's role behind the camera has expanded as well, credited as a writer for Season 3, Episode 1. Of all the episodes this season, this one is a particular highlight, because it really leans into the creativity and unique storytelling that we love from The Bear.
Episode 1 is a sort of dizzying look at Carmy's life, flashes of events on top of each other, the piling of significant moments in his life. That includes complicated family dynamics, learning from famed chef Daniel Boulud, and the trauma of working for a cruel New York chef, played by Joel McHale.
"I think a lot of people that have had amazing careers, like Carmy had, or chefs in general, have worked under a lot of chefs, and there's little pieces that you grab onto throughout your life, and that's how and what makes you who you are, the good and the bad," Matheson said about the episode. "And in culinary school, I had this chef that told us this story about ... working under all of these chefs all over Europe, and working with chefs and cooks, and just learning all of these different trades. It is a trade."
"And so, I think picking up these little skills along the way—and you never stop learning—is who you are made of. ... The people around you. And we kind of wanted to tell a story of ... how Carmy was kind of built in that way."
Jeremy Allen White: 'The pressure is very real'
Season 3 of The Bear comes after particularly significant recognition. The series received six Emmy Awards and three Golden Globes.
White admits that there is added "pressure" filming the show after significant awards season success.
"I was very anxious," he said. "I knew the scripts were so strong, ... but yeah, the pressure is very real."
"But then, ... after a couple weeks of kind of getting back around these guys and our beautiful crew, ... everything kind of falls back into place. And it feels fun again and it all feels possible again."
