Yes, Chef! Star of The Bear doubles his pay packet... to $750k an episode
SIZZLING hot actor Jeremy Allen White, who set the world on fire last week with that Calvin Klein underwear campaign, has more than doubled his money to return as Carmen ‘Carmy’ Berzatto for a third season of The Bear.
White, 32, will start filming in Chicago next month. Apparently, he is even now brushing up on his knife skills at Michelin-starred Santa Monica restaurant Pasjoli — he lives nearby.
Sources say he and the rest of the cast have received substantial pay increases to reprise their roles in the hit show, with White’s pay rocketing from $350,000 per episode to $750,000. His publicists did not return requests for comment.
The pay bump means New Yorker — and trained dancer — White, who scooped a Golden Globe for the role this week and won the award last year as well, is now one of the TV industry’s best-paid stars, alongside the likes of Kevin Costner, Jennifer Aniston and Brie Larson.
The Bear was named best TV series (musical or comedy) this year — and White’s co-star Ayo Edebiri was voted best actress in a TV series (musical or comedy).
The programme follows tormented chef Carmy, who takes over his brother’s struggling restaurant and re-opens it as a fine dining establishment. The creators have confirmed that Carmy’s look — the messy curls and just-so white T-shirt — are based on the iconic look of British chef Marco Pierre White in the 1990 book White Heat.
Last season ended with Carmy freed after being trapped in a walk-in fridge. But it was not a happy moment (spoiler alert!). While cooling his heels he missed the restaurant’s relaunch... and managed to accidentally insult and break up with his girlfriend.
THE show was a surprise success for FX when it debuted on Hulu to wide acclaim in 2022 — it is shown on Disney+ in Ireland. Last season Jamie Lee Curtis, Bob Odenkirk, Will Poulter and Olivia Colman were guest stars and there is speculation that even bigger names will pop up in season 3.
Last year Jeremy split from wife Addison Timlin and it has been reported that he agreed to daily alcohol testing when with daughters Ezer and Dolores as a part of a custody agreement, plus to attending two Alcoholics Anonymous meetings a week. He is now dating the singer Rosalia.
Meanwhile, the Brooklyn-born actor stars alongside Zac Efron in The Iron Claw, a film about the Von Erich wrestling family. He put on 40lb of muscle to play troubled wrestler Kerry Von Erich, by eating ‘almost constantly’ and working out for four months.
Director Sean Durkin says that of all the cast, White had genuine talent in the ring. ‘He could wrestle professionally!’ Durkin said. ‘He had this natural ability that our wrestling coaches said was just really, really rare.’
The film, by super-indie studio A24, is released in cinemas on February 9.