Better Call Saul's Bob Odenkirk is set to appear in the fast-approaching second season of FX's hit Hulu original series The Bear.
As broken by Variety, Odenkirk has joined the cast of The Bear Season 2 in what is being described as a guest role. That being said, the actor's character in the comedy-drama series is currently unknown. Nevertheless, the Chicago-set The Bear will mark something of a homecoming for Odenkirk, who is himself a native of the Chicagoland area.
Odenkirk is predominantly known for his comedic roles, having cut his teeth as a writer and actor for Saturday Night Live in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He subsequently worked on The Ben Stiller Show and co-created Mr. Show with Bob and David, in addition to landing a number of other film and television roles. It was in the 2000s and early 2010s that Odenkirk began to more firmly establish himself in the drama scene by portraying Saul Goodman on AMC's Breaking Bad. He subsequently reprised his role for the prequel/spinoff series Better Call Saul, which ran from 2015 to 2022.
While his time as Saul Goodman has come to an end, Odenkirk has shown no signs of slowing down. In addition to his upcoming guest role in The Bear, he currently plays the lead in AMC's black comedy series Lucky Hank. He was also recently confirmed to be playing the lead in a greenscreen remake of Tommy Wiseau's infamous 2003 film The Room being made to benefit charity. Moreover, a sequel to Odenkirk's 2021 action thriller film Nobody is currently in the works at Universal.
The Bear Returns for Season 2
Created by Christopher Storer, The Bear premiered the entirety of its eight-episode first season on June 23, 2022 under the FX on Hulu banner. The show's 10-episode second season is itself slated to arrive on Hulu sometime this coming June. The Bear centers on Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White), an award-winning New York City chef who returns home to Chicago to run his family's failing Italian beef sandwich shop following the suicide of his older brother. Season 1 was met with widespread critical acclaim upon its premiere last year, with White securing a Golden Globe win for Best Actor in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy.
Much like Odenkirk, the main cast of The Bear appears to be staying hungry. White, for instance, is currently attached to star as real-life figure Kerry Von Erich in A24's The Iron Claw, a biopic about the fabled Von Erich professional wrestling family. Meanwhile, White's The Bear co-star Ayo Edebiri has been cast in Marvel Studios' upcoming Thunderbolts film. Additionally, fellow The Bear actor Ebon Moss-Bachrach recently appeared as Arvel Skeen in Disney+'s acclaimed live-action Star Wars series Andor.
FX's The Bear Season 1 is currently streaming on Hulu. Season 2 will premiere on the streaming platform in June 2023.
Source: Variety