‘The Bear’: Ranking the 28 Best Guest Star Appearances From the Series
Spoiler Alert
[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for The Bear Season 5.]
The Bear‘s fifth and final season has arrived, and with it, a final round of guest stars for viewers to gush over alongside returning favorites in the acclaimed FX original, which streams exclusively on Hulu.
Over the seasons, the kitchen dramedy starring Jeremy Allen White has featured its fair share of glitzy guests ranging from Jamie Lee Curtis and Jon Bernthal to international imports like Olivia Colman and Will Poulter. And don’t get us started on Season 2’s revealing Christmas episode, “Fishes.”
As the show’s popularity has grown, it was bound to explore even more opportunities for high-profile casting. But how do the major guest stars who have appeared in the show so far stack up? While all performances are top-notch, some have had more time to shine, and it shows. Below, we’re ranking the major guest appearances from The Bear. (*Note: Chris Witaske, Oliver Platt, and Molly Gordon were not included in this list as they have played central recurring roles in the series).
FX’s The Bear, Seasons 1-5, Streaming now, Hulu
28. Kate Berlant
During a brief appearance, Kate Berlant makes an impression as a support group attendee as she shares her personal story about her brother. Listening closely is Carmy, who is also in attendance at the meeting. For those who know Berlant, it’s a fun surprise, but definitely on the end of less meaty guest star roles.
27. Deirdre O'Connell
A brief, but welcome appearance, Deirdre O’Connell dropped in as Mary for Season 5. She was approached to release the air rights above The Bear restaurant, causing some comedic drama along the way.
26. Amy Morton
The One Chicago star appeared in Season 1 as health inspector Nancy Chore who gave The Beef a poor rating because it didn’t meet code requirements. Although her role was brief, Morton‘s appearance deserves a spot on the list merely for putting the kitchen in a tizzy.
25. Alex Moffat
The former SNL cast member has a small recurring guest role as a hired kitchen hand in Season 2 who went by the name of Josh. Delivering on the comedy, Moffat’s character was effectively fired after Marcus (Lionel Boyce) caught him doing drugs in the alley behind the restaurant.
24. Thomas Keller
Famed chef Thomas Keller made an appearance as himself in a Season 3 flashback scene with Carmy when he was employed at Keller’s restaurant, The French Laundry.Keller even gives a demonstration on how to properly tie a chicken for roasting while serving up some advice for the young chef. Marking just one of many real-life chef cameos in Season 3, Keller’s appearance is among one of the biggest as Carmy’s time at The French Laundry has been repeatedly discussed on the series.
23. Adam Shapiro
Introduced in Season 2, Shapiro’s CDC at Ever was an example to Richie in terms of how a kitchen should be run and in Season 3, it’s revealed he trained alongside Carmy and even Luca. Ultimately, in the present day, he’s eager to recruit Sydney as he plans to branch out with his own restaurant. In Season 4, he continued to pursue Sydney as a chef, but she ended up turning him down. Needless to say, what started as a brief role quickly snowballed into something bigger for The Bear.
22. Chris Zucchero
Known as Chi-Chi in the show, Zucchero is the real-life chef behind Chicago’s famous sandwich shop, Mr. Beef, upon which the show’s original restaurant was inspired. Popping up as a sales connect in Season 1, he returned in a more substantial role in Season 3, helping at the sandwich window and finding supplies for Carmy and the gang, and that continued in Season 4 and Season 5. His connection to the fabric of the show makes him one of the guest stars to watch.
21. Elsie Fisher
Introduced as a relative of The Computer’s (Brian Koppelman) in Season 5, Elsie Fisher’s Cheese added something special to the scenes which saw Jimmy (Platt) question his next business move.
20. Molly Ringwald
There was something distinctly Chicago about Ringwald‘s appearance in Season 1, as she played a moderator at a support group meeting that Carmy attended following his brother’s death. Having been the star of several John Hughes hits based out of Illinois (The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink), the actress’s guest role feels like an homage and slight easter egg that we can’t help but admire.
19. Bonnie Hunt
Appearing in the Season 5 finale, Hunt guest starred as Sue, a woman working at an architecture firm where Carmy is interviewing to be an intern. Despite he brief appearance, Bonnie Hunt’s palpable warmth makes Carmy’s revealing conversation even more impactful as she takes in his answers.
18. John Cena
The wrestler and actor John Cena stepped in for a Season 3 cameo as Fak brother, Sammy. He drops in to help buff The Bear’s floors in time for an impending photo shoot. The resulting comedic scene that unfolded as he bickered with onscreen brothers Neil and Ted was hilarious and left us wishing for more.
17. Danielle Deadwyler
Appearing in Season 4’s fourth installment, “Worms,” Danielle Deadwyler plays Chantel, who does Sydney’s (Ayo Edebiri) hair and is clearly a close friend of hers. She makes quite the impression in the single episode as she listens to Sydney’s concerns, but shares her own struggles, particularly when it comes to raising a daughter. Chantel brought some seriously comedic moments to life, making Deadwyler’s role a definite standout among the glitzy guest star slate.
16. Josh Hartnett
Season 3 finally introduced Tiffany’s fiance, Frank, who happens to be played by Josh Hartnett. As Richie dropped off his daughter at Frank’s house, the pair have a brief but impactful exchange as Hartnett makes the most of his screentime. And after Season 3’s hint at a wedding, Season 4 made way for the event which saw Frank stress over starting things strong as a stepdad.
15. Sarah Ramos
The actress known for her work on Parenthood first popped up in Season 2’s “Forks” episode, but returned more than once in Season 3 as Richie rang up her character Jessica to check in on the crew at the restaurant Ever. She became more essential in Season 4 after Richie hired her to help guide the kitchen in a timely manner, and in Season 5 the duo sparked a relationship.
14. Joel McHale
Introduced in the show’s second episode ever, McHale‘s character has no name, but we do know he was previously Carmy’s (White) boss when he worked in New York City. As he heaped degrading comments at the young rising culinary star, it’s clear he has an antagonistic role in Carmy’s life. He even made a brief appearance in the Season 2 finale as a hallucination during the opening night of Carmy’s new restaurant. In Season 3, Carmy has a chance to confront him directly when he attends Chef Terry’s restaurant “funeral.”
13. Andrew Lopez
It takes a lot to stand up to Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), but Lopez‘s Garret proved he was up for the challenge in Season 2’s notable episode, “Forks.” The Platonic actor may have only appeared in that one episode originally, but he certainly made an impression on Richie and on us. And that feeling continued when he returned in Season 3 during the restaurant “funeral,” where he reunited with Richie. In Season 4, he became a part of The Bear crew when Richie hired him to help put the restaurant on track, staying put through Season 5.
12. Ricky Staffieri
Introduced as another member of the Fak family in Season 2, Staffieri‘s character Theodore only serves to enhance Neil’s (Matty Matheson) presence as the two banter back and forth on the show. And the baseball card scheme Theodore tried peddling at the Berzatto family Christmas party in Season 2 won’t soon be forgotten. And he reemerged in Season 3 with a more substantial role servicing The Bear as its new handyman, which continues in Season 4 and 5.
11. Brie Larson
After hearing about Francie Fak for a while, fans finally met her as Brie Larson takes on the colorful character in Season 4’s wedding-set episode, “Bears,” which sees her quarrel with former friend Natalie Berzatto (Abby Elliott). Their bickering is one of the funnier moments from the sweet episode. The shock of seeing Larson definitely lends to the wow factor of her guest appearance, which continues to stick with us after Season 4.
10. Robert Townsend
The legendary director and actor known for The Parent ‘Hood stepped in to play Sydney’s father, Emmanuel in Season 2, and despite his reservations about her career, he remained a supportive parent. And that continued for the most part in Season 3 as he tried guiding her through the next phase of her life in finding an apartment for herself, as much as he didn’t want her to. Their sweet dynamic is certainly something we’ve enjoyed, so it was tough seeing it put to the test when Emmanuel suffered a heart attack in Season 4. Thankfully he survives and it leaves him and Sydney seemingly closer as they dined together in Season 5’s finale.
9. Sarah Paulson
In a house full of chaos, Paulson‘s role as Berzatto cousin, Michelle, was a welcome one in the Christmas episode, as she provided some solace for Carmy by offering to house him in New York City where viewers know he eventually ended up. Despite not appearing in Season 3, she made a triumphant comeback in Season 4 as a wedding guest.
8. John Mulaney
It’s difficult to rank guest stars, but what sets Mulaney a notch above some of his fellow Christmas episode cohorts was the speech he delivered over the dinner table. It’s no secret that viewers were moved by his words and delivery as Stevie. And thankfully, that wasn’t the last of his screen time as he reemerged at the start of Season 3 in flashbacks with Carmy as he’d cover him with blankets after late shifts in New York City. He also returned for Season 4’s wedding-set episode as a guest, much to our delight. And in Season 5, he helped Carmy get an interview at an architectural firm.
7. Gillian Jacobs
The former Love and Community star was revealed to be Richie’s ex-wife Tiffany and appeared in both the past and present during Season 2’s run. Jacobs‘ arrival on the show helped viewers better understand Richie’s story and she continued to do so in Season 3 through both flashbacks and present-day scenes. Her wedding to Frank in Season 4 set the stage for one of the show’s most heartwarming storylines yet, and their family reunion at her daughter’s birthday in Season 5 was certainly a memorable closing scene.
6. Will Poulter
When Marcus (Lionel Boyce) was sent to Copenhagen as an apprentice, he was taught by Poulter’s Chef Luca, a friend of Carmy’s. The Dopesick actor got a lot of screentime alongside Boyce in the episode, which offered viewers more insight into Carmy’s past and gave Marcus a chance to build his skills. And it seems that he’s a guest star who is sticking around as he reappeared in Season 3, hinting at plans to stick around Chicago for a few months as he’s visiting his sister and came to town for Chef Terry’s restaurant “funeral.” Ultimately, Season 4 revealed that he followed through on that sentiment as he stepped in to lend a hand at The Bear. And Season 5 saw him become a full-on team member, but his stay was short-lived as his story concluded with a return to Copenhagen.
5. Rob Reiner
A classic is a classic, and that’s exactly what Rob Reiner is, making his guest appearance as Albert Schnurr in Season 4 one of the show’s best by far. Working closely with Ebraheim (Edwin Lee Gibson), the business manager discusses the idea of franchising the titular restaurant’s sandwich counter. Had the late actor been alive for Season 5 filming, he certainly would have been included as Albert plays a prominent role in the final chapter’s episodes, through phone calls with Ebraheim.
4. Olivia Colman
Despite only appearing for one scene, Oscar-winning actress Olivia Colman may as well have stolen the show in Season 2’s “Forks,” as her character Chef Terry provided Richie with some insightful conversation about how it’s never too late to start over in life. Her words of wisdom clearly had an impact making her a crucial guest star for the plot. And she became a more central figure in Season 3 as she made the bold choice to close her restaurant leading to a “funeral” that brings Carmy, Sydney, and many other chefs together.
3. Bob Odenkirk
Fresh off of Better Call Saul, Odenkirk embraced his Illinois roots for his role as Uncle Lee who is clearly disliked by some members of the Berzatto family, particularly Mikey (Bernthal). When he got into a screaming match at the dinner table in Season 2’s Christmas episode, it was clear that Odenkirk was putting his all into the guest appearance, which thankfully wasn’t his last as he returned in Season 4’s wedding-set episode. During a candid conversation with Carmy, Lee reveals that despite his and Mikey’s volatile dynamic, the duo got quite close before Mikey’s death. And in Season 5, he was included when celebrating Richie’s daughter’s birthday.
2. Jon Bernthal
Revealed in Season 1, Bernthal’s role as Carmy’s late brother Mikey was among one of the biggest guest-star reveals on the show overall, and his return in Season 2 only continued to elevate the show. When Bernthal is onscreen, there are no crumbs left on the metaphorical table as he eats up the scenes he’s a part of. He’s a guest star who may as well be a recurring performer because it isn’t The Bear unless Bernthal is there. And that remains in Season 3 as he features in the flashback episode “Napkins,” where viewers learn about Tina’s (Liza Colón-Zayas) backstory. And he kicked off Season 4 strong with a flashback scene between himself and onscreen brother White. Along with the special episode “Gary,” Bernthal’s return in a flashback capped off Season 5.
1. Jamie Lee Curtis
Months after her Oscar win for Everything Everywhere All at Once, Jamie Lee Curtis threw fans into a fit when she stepped in to play Berzatto family matriarch, Donna in Season 2. Her introduction in the Christmas episode easily eclipsed the ensemble she appeared alongside, elevating her to an elite status as the show’s most major guest appearance yet. And her heartbreaking appearance in the Season 2 finale only further piqued interest in where she might fit into present-day storylines. Ultimately, she remains a key guest star following her emotional performance in Season 3’s “Ice Chips,” in which she supports daughter Natalie through the birth of her first child. And in Season 4 she makes a serious breakthrough with Carmy, leading to even more familial reconciliations in the final season.
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