Will Poulter had a memorable guest role in The Bear. How did he get the part, what's his past with Carmy, and what do his character's tattoos mean?
Summary
- Will Poulter "begged" to be included in The Bear, and his persistence paid off, leading to one of his favorite professional experiences.
- Poulter's character Luca has a history with Carmy and developed a heartfelt bond with Marcus throughout the episode.
- Poulter was involved in designing Luca's tattoos, each of which holds a deeper meaning related to Poulter's own life and Luca's passion for food.
Will Poulter played one of the most memorable guest roles in The Bear season 2 – how did he get the part, what’s his character’s history with the rest of the cast, and what do his tattoos mean? Through its story of award-winning chef Carmy Berzatto trying to turn his late brother’s sandwich shop into a success, The Bear captures the painfully relatable trials and tribulations of working in the food service industry. Poulter’s role is one of the most compassionate and likable in the show’s ensemble. He plays a dessert chef that Marcus works with while he’s training to become a pastry chef in Copenhagen.
A ton of high-profile guest stars appeared in The Bear season 2: Olivia Colman, Bob Odenkirk, Jamie Lee Curtis, John Mulaney, Sarah Paulson – the list goes on. Poulter was one of the most memorable guest actors in the season. During his appearance in season 2, episode 4, “Honeydew,” Poulter’s character Luca became a fully fleshed-out, well-rounded character with a self-contained arc. He’s tasked with training Marcus and initially seems gruff and standoffish. But as the episode goes on, Luca opens up to Marcus and they develop a heartfelt bond. The story of how Poulter got the part is almost as interesting as the episode itself.
Will Poulter "Begged" For A Role In The Bear
The traditional route to get cast in a TV show is to look out for casting calls and audition for the available roles – or, for established names like Poulter, simply wait for the producers to call with an offer for a guest-starring role. But Poulter was so taken with The Bear, and so determined to take part in the series, that he specifically asked to be included in an upcoming episode. He called the show’s producers and “literally begged” to be on the show. Season 1 had already featured such guest stars as Amy Morton and Molly Ringwald, and the season 2 guest roles were up for grabs.
Poulter asked for a meeting with series creator Christopher Storer and, after he praised Storer’s work and conveyed what an honor it would be to play a character in The Bear, Storer offered him the role of Luca in the fourth episode of the then-upcoming season. Sometimes, it pays to beg. For Poulter, it led to one of his favorite professional experiences of his life. After all that build-up – and all that begging – Poulter was satisfied by the experience of appearing in his favorite show. He said that guest-starring in The Bear changed his life, and might be the greatest work experience of his entire career.
Will Poulter's Character's History With Carmy
While it’s not explicitly stated, Luca is implied to have a history with Carmy. Luca explains that he first got involved with the restaurant business when he was caught trying to ditch a check and was forced to wash dishes to repay his debt. He learned how to cook by making mistakes, and when he started working as a commis in a great restaurant, he existed in the shadow of a “much, much better” chef, which is implied to be Carmy. Later in the season, Luca can be seen in a photo with Carmy, which seemingly confirms that his unnamed rival chef was, indeed, Carmy.
What Luca's Tattoos In The Bear Mean
Not only did Poulter will his role on The Bear into existence; he was also heavily involved in the creation of Luca’s tattoos (via Variety). The actor collaborated with tattoo designer Benny Shields and the show’s head of makeup, Ignacia Soto-Aguilar, to design Luca’s tattoos. Poulter did some rudimentary drawings of tattoo ideas related to important parts of his own life, and parts of the backstory he cooked up for the character. Shields then turned those drawings into the beautiful designs seen in the show. Luca’s tattoos were drawn on Poulter “about two weeks” after signing on to appear in the show, before he’d even signed a contract.
Each of Luca’s tattoos has a deeper meaning:
- The “A” tattooed on Luca’s hand is a tribute to Arsenal F.C., a football team that Poulter supports.
- The nurse tattoo is a tribute to the many nurses in Poulter’s family. Before he became a star of film and television, nursing was the family business.
- The tattoo of fish and chips isn’t just a broad reference to Poulter’s English heritage; Poulter used to eat a lot of fish and chips with his dad when he was a kid, so the tattoo was created to honor him. On a character level, it also ties into Luca’s passion for the culinary arts.
- The tattoo of a bottle of Tabasco is a nod to Poulter’s brother, who’s a huge fan of the iconic hot sauce. Character-wise, it has another link to Luca’s passion for food and cooking; Tabasco is one of the strongest flavors in the world.
- The silliest tattoo of the bunch – a rowboat with the spatula – was just created for fun. Poulter is considering getting this “whimsical” tattoo done for real.
Why Will Poulter's Role In The Bear Is So Important
Despite only appearing in one episode, Luca is a significant part of The Bear season 2. The series has kept audiences guessing about the specifics of Carmy’s backstory, and Luca’s role in season 2 provided a crucial piece of that backstory. But it’s not just that; Luca serves as a really strong contrast to Carmy. This is highlighted by his relationship with Marcus. Carmy tried to mentor Marcus before sending him to work with Luca in Copenhagen. His approach to mentoring Marcus is very different from Carmy’s. He’s much kinder and more compassionate, which ended up putting Marcus on a better path than he was on while working under Carmy.
Poulter also had a significant emotional reason for playing a chef. His mother went to culinary school, so he grew up with an appreciation for the art of cooking and the joys of food. This might be why he loves The Bear so much. While he was preparing for his role in The Bear, he worked with the show’s culinary producer, Courtney Storer. As a part of his research for the role, Poulter worked in three different restaurants across London: Trullo, St. John, and Black Axe Mangal. Playing the role of Luca and learning how to cook for the character connected Poulter to his mother.
Source: Variety
