The Bear casting director recalls receiving bizarre audition tapes for season two

It seems everyone was desperate to be a part of Hulu’s sleeper hit The Bear . The series stars Jeremy Allen White as Carmen, a young chef who leaves his high-flying job in the fine dining world to run his family sandwich shop in Chicago following a death in his family. After its release in June last year, Christopher Stoner’s comedy-drama became a word-of-mouth success on Hulu, adored by critics and fans alike. The show also stars Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Ayo Edebiri. The second season, which is currently out in the US but not yet in the UK , has seen a number of high-profile celebrities join its ranks. Oscar winners Oliva Colman and Jaimie Lee Curtis both make an appearance in season two, as well as Black Mirror: Bandersnatch star Will Poulter. Bob Odenkirk, Jon Bernthal, Sarah Paulson, John Mulaney, and Gillian Jacobs also all appear. It seems that every chef and actor wanted the chance to star in the series. In an interview with Vulture , one of the casting directors Jennifer Rudnicke recalled how she once had ‘a young man send me a tape of himself making scrambled eggs’. ‘It was literally just a video in his kitchen of him begging to be on the show,’ said Rudnicke. According to the publication, attempts to fill one recurring role turned into ‘a bit of a feeding frenzy’. The role in question was that of Claire, Carmen’s former high-school acquaintance. ‘No one even knew what the role was, that it was a potential love interest,’ said Jeanie Bacharach, another casting director on the show. ‘It was just a new character on The Bear ,’ said Bacharach. ‘I mean, agents and managers lost their minds. I literally have never had that many phone calls and emails on a recurring role in my life.’ Jeremy Allen White won a Golden Globe for ‘The Bear’ The role eventually went to Molly Gordon who made her debut as Claire in season two of The Bear . Fans will recognise Gordon from films such as Olivia Wilde’s 2019 comedy Booksmart and 2020’s Shiva Baby . New subscribers only. £6.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free New subscribers only. £6.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free The synopsis for season two states: ‘As they strip the restaurant down to its bones, the crew undertakes transformational journeys of their own, each forced to confront the past and reckon with who they want to be in the future. ‘Of course, it turns out the only thing harder than running a restaurant is opening a new one, and the team must juggle the insane bureaucracy of permits and contractors with the beauty and creative agony of menu planning. ‘The transition brings a newfound focus on hospitality as well. As the entire staff is forced to come together in new ways, pushing the boundaries of their abilities and relationships, they also learn what it means to be in service, both to diners and each other.’ The Bear is currently one of the most acclaimed shows of 2023, with a 100 per cent Rotten Tomatoes score after 48 reviews. The Bear season two will premiere on Disney Plus on 19 July.