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After a great premiere season last summer, The Bear was renewed for a second season and production begins this month. Since the first season, the internet has been thirsting over Jeremy Allen White and a lot of people want his Carmy character and Ayo Edebiri’s Sydney character to kiss. Ayo has said before that she doesn’t think it would be a good idea and the series’ creator told Variety that wasn’t his intention and that he actually wanted to do a show without a romantic plotline. But people keep asking! Ayo talked to US Weekly at the Golden Globes and made the answer sound like more of a “maybe eventually” than the previous statements. Hm.
Not yet chef. Ayo Edebiri has a message for The Bear fans hoping to see a Carmy and Sydney romance — you will need to wait.
“They got a lot of trauma on both sides. Like if even that [was explored] — I don’t think that window is open,” Edebiri, 27, exclusively told Us Weekly during an interview at the 2023 Golden Globes on Tuesday, January 10. “But if it were, there would need to be like two seasons where it’s just them doing therapy individually before that would even be an option.”
According to the actress, The Bear didn’t initially plan to explore a romantic story line between the coworkers.
“I think when we were making it, neither of us [me nor Jeremy Allen White] were thinking about that,” she shared with Us. “It did feel really nice to get to do something that felt different. There aren’t that many platonic male [and] female relationships.”
One month after the show’s premiere, White, 31, hinted at the obstacles the pair still needs to face. “You’ve still got this tension, with Carmy and Sydney, and this power balance that they’re still gonna be struggling with. Yes, he apologized, kind of. Yes, she sort of accepted it. Yes, they both have a shared passion for this thing,” the Shameless alum told Collider in July 2022. “But there’s certainly a lot for them to sort out with one another still left.”
Creator Christopher Storer also addressed whether Carmy and Sydney would take their relationship to the next level in the future.
“We wanted to make something that was about friendship and a partnership,” he told Variety earlier this month. “It really is so funny that that is one of the things that people took away — of all the heavy s—t that’s going on in the show! It was interesting because Ayo and Jeremy, since they are our friends and are such wonderful people, I think there is this charisma that comes off both of them.”
He added: “From the beginning, it was like, ‘We should just show people being really good at their jobs and pushing each other.’ Selfishly, I hadn’t seen a show without a romantic plot and was like, ‘That could be kind of cool and interesting.’”
As the cast prepares to film season 2, Edebiri said she was excited to see where the show would go from here. “We’re going back next month to [film] it,” she teased to Us on Tuesday. “Chris hasn’t really told us too much yet. … I trust the writers so much. I really, really do. So, I have no input until we get on set and then I’m like, ‘I have 700 opinions.’”
I’ve said before: I don’t think they should go there. I get why people want this. They’re both attractive people in a high-tension environment. But that’s the perfect reason not to get together. Also, Sydney is Carmy’s sous chef. I like that they have a serious professional connection and I like that this show isn’t all about relationships. I agree with the creator that it’s more interesting this way. Pretty much all shows have some other romantic plotline and there’s more to life than that and some people simply don’t have that in their lives at times. But Ayo’s response now sounds like they are vaguely leaving the door open for the future, in several years, once the characters have dealt with their trauma. I wonder if that’s legit or if she’s just saying what people clearly want to hear so they’ll stop asking. “Maybe eventually” is more hopeful than a “nope.” Regardless of how the show unfolds, I’m still skeptical of whether this will work, even eventually. Law and Order seems to be trying to shoehorn Benson and Stabler together as the loves of each other’s lives now for fan service and it seems forced. The vibe might be the similar with The Bear.
They do look great together, but they also look like BFFs!
I love them both so hard in this show. I hope they don’t turn it romantic. If anything to demonstrate that non-romantic relationships are JUST as important and complex and nuanced as romantic ones.
There is so much emphasis on romantic love relationships already and it perpetuates this notion that it solves all problems and replaces all relationships in terms of life importance.
Life is RICH with relationships! Let’s highlight and celebrate that!!
I love this take! I agree, relationships turning sexual doesn’t solve anything, I think finding or simply accepting their each other’s culinary soulmates would be enough. Just a lovely relationship. I often find that more touching than a romantic relationship. It reminds me of the book “Eleanor oliphant is completely fine”. I openly WEEPED on a flight because the mere kindness of friendship to someone in great need MOVED ME.
Exactly my thoughts, I loved the show and I don’t want them to get romantic together. I like the idea of them having a professional relationship and working on the new restaurant together.
Such a good take.
God I love this show, the best of 2022 for me.
Absolutely agree. There is so much more to life than just romance, and these are two very driven, ambitious, and talented characters, it is refreshing and different that we get to see THAT kind of relationship alone. And it’s enough. Both actors are great, the show is so good, it’s enough. I would be disappointed if their relationship turned romantic. Watching them learning from and challenging each other as chefs is too good.
Eh, there’s no need for it to get romantic. Their characters are both strong, accomplished people doing their craft. It’s nice for them to have the platonic space to do that as colleagues and friends.
I’ve been against this because the mentor/mentee vibe is so strong I honestly thought they were like 15 years apart! Turns out the actors are very close in age but still… I’m not for it.
Horniness is extremely overplayed in restaurant fiction, I like the dysfunctional family aspect they’ve gone for here which is a much closer vibe to all the kitchens I ever worked in
Honestly, I want Sydney and Ritchie to get together for some reason! I have no idea why, but I think they could have good enemies-to-lovers chemistry.
So glad The Bear was renewed for another season, and I can’t wait to watch it!
I’m on board with this!
Excellent show, but I have a tendency to over-identify with the emotional aspects in intense dramas. It upped my anxiety and I couldn’t do more than a few episodes!
I might need to really space out my viewing.
It was so good but way too intense for me. I stopped watching but I’m still a big fan. I’m rooting for the show to continue and for everyone else to keep watching lol. He’s ridiculously attractive.
That kind of work brings intimacy and a tight bond. Toss in sexual tension and you’re golden. Don’t ruin it by acting on it. That’s good TV 101.
Absolutely agree, I want to see a work tv relationship with as much chemistry and tension as a romantic tv relationship for once!
I liked her as an actress, but after reading her interview in the gawker, I have to say it changed my mind. She came across as pretty much terrible.
No. I get why people want this, but it would ruin the show in my opinion. Maybe I need a re-watch, but I thought they were trying to set up something with her and Marcus if anything.