Hollywood actor Ebon Moss-Bachrach is thrilled for viewers around the world to witness his character’s transformation on the multi-award-winning series, “The Bear”.
The highly-anticipated third season premiered in South Africa at the end of June.
The 47-year-old, who stars as Richard “Richie” Jerimovich, on the FX comedy-drama show, said during a round-table discussion with journalists across the globe, including Independent Media Lifestyle, that viewers will get a chance to see a new side to his character in its latest offering.
“I think making season one and season two sort of prepared me perfectly for this season and there are certainly developments in my character.
“Ritchie is trying to reform some of his behavioural shortcomings and sort of be a more loving member of his community.”
Moss-Bachrach won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his portrayal of the gruff but lovable character, who is also known as “Cousin”.
He also won scores of other accolades for this role, including a Critics Choice Award and a Screen Actor’s Guild Award, while also receiving Golden Globe and Spirit Actor Guild Award nominations.
“The Bear”, which centres around young chef Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto, played by the ever-in-vogue Jeremy Allen White, also bagged several honours.
This includes White winning an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series honour, while his co-star Ayo Edebiri and the show’s creator Christopher Storer, also took home prizes.
At the 2024 Golden Globe Awards, it took home three statues, including one for Best Comedy Series and won a host of accolades at this year’s Critics Choice Awards.
Dubbed, one of the most stressful shows on TV with its cacophony of yelling and chaotic menu prep, it has been lauded for capturing the pressure and intensity of working in a kitchen.
The series touches on universal themes and life lessons which resonate with audiences, as Berzatto is forced to contend with the soul-crushing realities of small business ownership, in the wake of inheriting his family’s Italian beef sandwich business and dealing with his brother’s suicide.
Amid all the chaos, the writers work in humour, to remind viewers that laughter is the best medicine.
“The Bear” is at its essence an age-old underdog story and this is evident in Cousin's journey on the show, explained Moss-Bachrach, who starred in several Hollywood productions, including “No Hard Feelings” alongside Jennifer Lawrence, “Mona Lisa Smile” with Julia Roberts, as well as the “Fantastic Four” and “Girls”.
“I think he was kind of a dinosaur in season one, existing in the past and the world was changing around him”.
He explained that Ritchie’s turning point came in season two when he spent time training at a Michelin-star restaurant.
“In that episode and the following episodes in season 2, he finds that there is indeed a place for him in this more modern world, but then between that realisation that he has and then actually living it, that's where the work is.
“In this season, he’s trying to turn that idea that he's had, with now being in front of the house and finding ways to elevate a restaurant.”
“He’s trying to live that in a day to day way, which is difficult and it’s easier to have that idea, to have that initial inspiration, but to do the work is really the challenge.”
Moss-Bachrach added that other characters also go through a transformation in the new season.
“I think it's more insightful into Carmy, we saw that in many ways, he's a broken person and was not dealing with things in the first two seasons but with this one, we get to understand more about who he is,” he said.
“Also, there's a real tenderness in the third season. It expands in its love of all the characters and there is a gentleness to the ways the characters are treated.”
“You can tell that the film-makers love the world and the population of this show and then finally, I would say that they pushed the style of the show, the film-making and the cinema of it feels more experimental and more ambitious to me,” he added.
Moss-Bachrach said that he didn't feel pressured by his Emmy win as he began filming for season three.
“I think that if you are not thinking about yourself and your profession in a critical way, you are perhaps not doing the work that you should be doing,” he said.
“It’s very hard to make a TV show and there's sort of a distraction, all the nerves are part of a static that gets turned down when I am in a scene and I just focus on my scene partner.”
The actor added that it’s “astonishing” that the show has connected with so many people from all walks of life.
“It’s one of the most beautiful experiences that I’ve had in my life that I can be all over the world and talking to people from so many types of backgrounds and all different types of ages, it's such a privilege that I get to have.”
∎ “The Bear” season 3 is streaming on Disney+.