The Bear Season 3 guest stars: Josh Hartnett, John Cena & more

The Bear Season 3 comes with a fresh helping of A-list guest stars, including Josh Hartnett and John Cena, appearing alongside more than a few familiar faces.

Season 2 – specifically Episode 6, ‘Fishes’ – left viewers spinning when it revealed Carmy’s wider family, mostly played in The Bear cast by some of the most famous actors in the world.

This included (but certainly wasn’t limited to) Jamie Lee Curtis, Bob Odenkirk, and Sarah Paulson, and that’s before we get to the likes of Will Poulter and Olivia Colman, both of whom appeared elsewhere in the TV show in small yet crucial roles.

With The Bear Season 3 release date finally here, here are two things you should know: lots of characters return, but there are plenty of new The Bear guest stars to look forward to. Spoilers to follow…

Josh Hartnett

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Josh Hartnett makes his debut in Season 3 Episode 4 of The Bear. He plays Frank, the fiancé of Richie’s (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) ex-wife Tiffany (Gillian Jacobs).

Frank talks to Richie after he drops off his daughter Eva, admitting that he’s “feeling really sh*tty” about not talking to him before he proposed.

“I also know that like, this can be a little weird. And I don’t want to add to the weirdness. I want things to be good. And you and I are probably gonna spend a lot of time together… and I like that,” he tells him, and Richie says he’s “sure” he’s okay with it all.

John Cena

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John Cena appears in Episode 5, playing Sammy, one of Fak’s (Matty Matheson) many siblings.

“Anybody seen a ghost?” he asks as he walks into the restaurant, before telling Ted (Ricky Staffieri) that he “knows he took the SD cards.”

After an amusing back-and-forth with his brothers, he helps Carmy and co. with getting the restaurant ready for service.

Jamie Lee Curtis

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Jamie Lee Curtis returns as Donna, the formidable matriarch of the Berzatto family.

She was introduced in ‘Fishes’, trying (and failing) to keep a handle on Christmas dinner before crashing her car through the living room. In the Season 2 finale, she was spotted outside The Bear on its opening night, but never went inside to see Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) and Sugar (Abby Elliott).

John Mulaney

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John Mulaney makes a brief appearance as Stevie in the opening episode of Season 3, seen placing a blanket over Carmy as he sleeps on his couch in New York (he also comments that he “smells like a goddamn donkey”).

However, Sarah Paulson doesn’t return as his wife Michelle (unless you count flashbacks to things we’ve already seen… which we don’t).

Jon Bernthal

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Jon Bernthal also returns as Mikey, Carmy’s late brother. For example, in Episode 1 we see him showing Tina (Liza Colón-Zayas) a photo of Carmy’s food from Copenhagen; he doesn’t know what it is, but he seems proud of him.

His death is what forced Carmy to return to Chicago in the first place, and the impact of his loss remains a big theme in Season 3.

Will Poulter

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Will Poulter returns after being introduced in Season 2, playing Carmy’s friend Luca, whom he met while working at Chef Terry’s restaurant.

He was last seen teaching Marcus (Lionel Boyce) how to bake in Copenhagen, and while he doesn’t have quite as big a role in the third season, he appears in Episodes 1 and 10.

Olivia Colman

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We won’t get into too many details, but Olivia Colman is back after her fan-favorite appearance in Season 2. She plays Chef Terry, a key figure in Carmy’s career who nurtured his talent, taught him to “keep the spoon” and sent him to Copenhagen.

In the second season, Carmy sends Richie to her restaurant to learn more about the fine dining experience – and he calls on her help again in Season 3.

Brian Koppelman

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Brian Koppelman, the creator of Billions, makes a small appearance in Season 3 as ‘Computer’, a pal of Uncle Jimmy’s (Oliver Platt).

He “runs some analytics” on Carmy’s outgoings and helps him organize the restaurant’s finances.

Joel McHale

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Joel McHale returns as ‘NYC Chef’, Carmy’s former boss who scolds and mocks him in front of the whole staff every time he tries to plate a dish (or do anything, really).

While only brief appearances, they’re hugely important to Carmy’s arc in Season 3, illustrating why he’s so passionate (to a fault) about cooking.

Chefs… lots of chefs

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The Bear Season 3 features major appearances from several famous chefs — including Thomas Keller.

The restauranteur (who has seven Michelin stars across his establishments, including The French Laundry) appears in Episode 10 in a flashback, teaching Carmy at culinary school. This is a notable cameo, considering Joel McHale’s performance was inspired by Keller.

We also see Daniel Boulud and René Redzepi in Episode 1, as well as Grant Achatz, Anna Posey, Genie Kwon, and Kevin Boehm in the finale.

There is also a very minor Bradley Cooper cameo you might have missed in the background of one shot.

With The Bear Season 3 out now, check out other new TV shows streaming this month, and the best TV shows of 2024 so far. We’ve also written The Bear Season 3 recaps.