Ayo Edebiri is expanding her behind-the-scenes footprint on The Bear — and she’s bringing a familiar face along for the ride.
After making her directorial debut with the emotional Season 3 standout “Napkins,” Edebiri is now co-writing an episode for Season 4 alongside fellow cast member Lionel Boyce. That’s right — Sydney and Marcus are teaming up in a whole new way.
Edebiri confirmed the news on a recent episode of Deadline’s Crew Call podcast (which hasn’t dropped yet), but kept the episode’s details close to the vest. What we do know: Sydney will have a pivotal decision to make next season, one that could take her away from The Bear’s kitchen entirely.
With this move, Edebiri and Boyce become the only two cast members to write for the show — and Edebiri still holds the title as the only one to ever direct an episode. Boyce, who plays the thoughtful pastry chef Marcus, was nominated for an Emmy last year for his performance. Edebiri, meanwhile, snagged the 2023 Emmy for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series and recently earned a DGA nod for her work directing “Napkins.”
That episode was a fan favorite and a powerful pivot — showing how Tina (played by Liza Colón-Zayas) found her way to the Original Beef. It unpacked job loss, resilience, and the kind of quiet, human moments that have become The Bear’s calling card. A prequel of sorts, “Napkins” gave us 11 raw, uninterrupted minutes of conversation between Tina and Michael Berzatto (Jon Bernthal), sealing her future in the kitchen and breaking a few hearts in the process.
While FX and Hulu haven’t set an official premiere date for Season 4, all signs point to a June release. A Hulu promo video from March included a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it tease of new Bear footage, where Sydney can be heard saying, “Sometimes I feel like your work family is part of your family-family.” Same, Syd. Same.
As for what’s ahead? Details are still under wraps, but expect the fallout from that much-hyped Chicago Tribune review to take center stage — plus lingering tension around Carmy’s relentless standards, the restaurant’s finances, and Sydney’s job offer from rival chef Adam (Adam Shapiro). Season 4 may also deepen storylines for Carmy, Richie, and Claire. Actor Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Richie) hinted in an interview with Rolling Stone that Season 4 will be “exciting, chaotic, and cathartic.”
Returning cast includes Jeremy Allen White (Carmy), Ayo Edebiri (Sydney), Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Richie), Liza Colón-Zayas (Tina), Abby Elliott (Natalie/Sugar), Lionel Boyce (Marcus), and Matty Matheson (Neil Fak) — with some surprise guests reportedly in the mix.
ICYMI, Season 3 was a whirlwind: the restaurant finally opened its doors, only to be met with Carmy’s perfectionism, communication breakdowns, and personal losses. Marcus lost his mother. Sugar had her baby. Sydney got a tempting offer to leave. And Carmy confronted his abusive ex-boss in one of the season’s most intense moments.
Now with Edebiri and Boyce stepping further into the creative kitchen, all eyes are on what Season 4 will cook up — and if Sydney’s future lies within the chaos of The Bear, or somewhere new entirely.
Stay tuned.