The Bear: “The series redefined the culinary genre”

While the final season 5 is online on Disney Plus, Lionel Boyce (Marcus) tells Première about the last service at the restaurant. Interview.

End of service for The Bear.

The Disney+ culinary series ends today with the release of season 5. All eight episodes are available. A final chapter as tense as ever, especially as it takes place over a single day, after the heavy decision of Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) and while the brigade is now led by Sydney (Ayo Edebiri), more determined than ever to win a star in the Michelin Guide… In the kitchen, we obviously find Marcus, still in the oven and at the mill to conclude The Bear adventure in apotheosis. Actor Lionel Boyce tells us how he experienced the end of the series and what will remain once the lights go out. Interview.

PREMIERE: The series ends today. What does that make you?
LIONEL BOYCE: I’m sad and happy at the same time. There is also a lot of pride. We have to imagine how our emotions yo-yo in these moments. We filmed the season at the beginning of the year and we were so excited to be back at this moment. Then, quickly, sadness began to appear because we realized that we were nearing the end. We wanted to slow down time. Then there is a feeling of emptiness when the filming ends. We’re a little lost. We pace back and forth for a few days wondering what meaning to give to our life. And now everything is digested. We are especially delighted that it is coming out and to be able to show the ending we chose.

How was the last day of filming?
There were two final days, because we didn’t all finish together due to each other’s schedules. On my last day, I had all my senses alert, with the desire to remember as many things as possible. Two days earlier, it was the last day of the entire team together. It was fantastic. Everyone was looking around and saying, “We did it!” And at the same time, we had to say goodbye. It was quite a poignant moment.

What legacy do you think The Bear will leave?
It’s hard to say now, but I can’t wait to see what’s left of The Bear in a few years. Every season is different and I don’t know what people will remember. But I really believe that it has become a reference. The series redefined the culinary genre on television, no matter what.

Season 5 picks up right after season 4. The restaurant is in total chaos. A normal day for The Bear, in short?
That’s one way of looking at things, indeed! (laughs) Everything happens in one day and, during this very special day, we get back to basics. Everyone comes back to what really matters.

What are the challenges of this final season?
In season 4, there’s this clock that acts as a countdown to the destruction of the restaurant’s parachute, in a way. And in season 5, there is no more parachute! Carmy has decided to leave and we arrive at this very special day where he has to announce to everyone that he is resigning. Everything goes into a tailspin. It’s a bit like Murphy’s Law at the start of the season: everything that can go wrong will go wrong… (laughs) The whole question is how they will bounce back and recover from all these troubles.

Why is getting a Michelin star so important for The Bear?
It’s a bit of a last chance objective. This is the only way they now have to save the restaurant. The star would bring them so many people and so much money that they could turn the business around. There’s no more money anywhere, so it’ll be this star… or nothing.

From season 1 to season 5, how do you think Marcus has evolved?
He found a balance between his life, his passion and his work. In season 1, he discovers his passion and only thinks about that, to the point of neglecting everything else. In season 2, we see the full weight of his past and, in season 3, he loses his mother. In season 4, he wins this award and, in the last season, we see how he manages to make all the elements of his life coexist.

Exactly, this prize won at the end of season 4, what does it change for him?
The award itself is recognition of his work. But in concrete terms, this leads to a fairly human reaction, a little stupid even. This price opens a real Pandora’s box. His ego grows and he puts even more pressure on himself. Especially since he invited his father to the restaurant, a man with whom he has never really spoken, and this is perhaps the worst possible day to invite someone to this restaurant…

Would you say you’ve become a much better cook than you were before The Bear?
Of course I do much better in the kitchen! But even beyond that, I gained confidence as a person. It made me want to explore new areas. Ultimately, Marcus’ journey in the series largely echoes my own journey and my own career.

Do you see restaurants differently today?
I go to restaurants more often, that’s for sure. And the series gave me a different way of looking at restaurants and appreciating food. Afterwards, the other side of the coin is that when I go to friends’ houses, they ask me to cook them something! They expect me to make a dish worthy of Marcus. Expectations are very high! (laughs) That said, once, I made dumplings at a friend’s house and they were amazed. But that’s about the best I can come out with!

The Bear, season 5, online on Disney Plus since June 26, 2026