The Bear has become one of television’s most celebrated comedy series, earning critical acclaim and multiple awards. Across four seasons, the series evolved from a small-scale kitchen drama into one of FX’s flagship productions. In an interview with Firstpost, acclaimed American actor, Edwin Lee Gibson talks about the show , Bollywood and more.

Edwin, how much has your role evolved in Season 5 of _The Bear_?I think it’s evolved a lot. You see him in season one, and he’s one of the necessary clogs in the wheel that’s only operating in this certain weight. Then season two, the wheel starts to take a different shape, and he’s thrown off about where he fits into that. Season three, he has an epiphany about how he can help. In season four, he begins to implement that idea on his own. And season five, it just keeps growing. So, he’s grown as a person through.

Your role has evolved a lot as a person. What was the preparation of the role for this particular season?Well, it was just more of the same. It was just really keeping things seamless. What he’s done in season four is he’s reached out for help with an idea that no one was asked him to create, that he created on his own, and he’s trying to see if it will work.And then I think in season five, you see the further manifestation of this idea in his head. So, I think that’s how you see him going from Season 4 to 5.

The show shows a lot of pressure in the hospitality industry. So how much do you relate to or what was the homework that you had to do when, not for just this season, but for the other seasons two?Well, I think the production and the writer, the creator kept things very, very small so that we would understand that we didn’t have to be so ancillary in our illustration of the industry. We were able to just kind of keep it in this really tight space. And when you are able to keep it there, then what you begin with, you end with, you’re just evolving what happens in that little space. So, it was helpful. And how this character fits into that. Because it’s a small place, it’s not so huge, and when it gets so huge, he recoils. But he’s able to kind of really keep living in that space in the way it works for him.

You come from a strong stage background. What is it that you like about the stage and what is it that you like about the small screen or the digital platforms?

Games

One thing I found about doing this show for so long is that it’s much like doing a repertory theatre. And in repertory theatre, you’ll work on a play, you’ll present it for a certain amount of time, then you go away, and then the next year it comes back and you do the show again. Some of the cast members may change, you know, depending on people’s schedules. But I really found similarity between working on the show for this long as opposed to just coming in and doing a part on a show that already exists.

I found a meeting with how I worked in the theatre when I was doing a repertory work, you know, so it was it that I tapped into that to really help me stay locked into the character and to remember what the story is.

Do you watch Indian cinema? And if so, what is your favourite Indian cinema that you’ve seen so far?There was one Indian film I was watching, sorry it was a series. I can’t remember but it was a couple of years ago. But I love Indian cinema because of the vibrance of it. You know, the storytelling is so quick, yet intense.

Any Indian actor you like from Bollywood?Sridevi is my all-time favourite. She passed away a couple of years ago. She was brilliant and I really liked her performances.

The ‘The Bear’ Season 5 series will be on JioHotstar on June 26

WATCH The trailer of ‘The Bear’ Season 5 here: