FX Comedy ‘The Bear’ Begins Filming in Chicago, Led By ‘Shameless’ Star Jeremy Allen White

It’s shaping up to be a very busy 2022 for the Chicago television production industry. SCREEN reported back in October that the FX comedy series The Bear had received a series order, and now the new comedy is ready to roll. The Bear will begin filming in Chicago this week, and continue through March 31st.

Shooting locations for this first week of filming include residences in Chicago’s popular Wicker Park neighborhood, near North Avenue and Damen.

The first season will consist of eight half-hour episodes, and there will be approximately 30 shooting days needed to fill that order. And the episodes will center on a young chef who returns to Chicago to run the family restaurant.

The series marks a return to Chicago for Jeremy Allen White, who is coming off an 11-season run on Showtime’s Chi-Town Emmy winner Shameless, where he played eldest brother “Lip Gallagher.”

If you’re just hearing about Jeremy or are a perennial Shameless die-hard, you’ll appreciate this quick cinematic swing through his choice moments on the critically acclaimed comedy from Showtime…

Chicago UPM at the Helm

Sources tell SCREEN the Unit Production Manager and Co-Producer of the series will be Chicago’s Carrie Holt de Lama, a cornerstone of the television and film production community in town. de Lama helmed the pilot for The Bear which shot in Chicago this past July. de Lama’s recent credits include Unit Production Manager of the popular Chicago-made Showtime series Work in Progress, which filmed and premiered its second season earlier this year. de Lama also served as UPM of several episodes of the Emmy-nominated HBO series Lovecraft Country and Showtime’s Emmy winner Shameless.

All-Star Cast and Crew for The Bear

De Lama has a top-shelf squad joining her in Chicago this February. Supporting cast includes Saturday Night Live alum Abby Elliott, Ebon Moss-Bachrach (NOS4A2), Ayo Edebiri (Dickinson), Lionel Boyce (Hap & Leonard), and Liza Colón-Zayas (In Treatment); Edwin Gibson and chef Matty Matheson (Workin’ Moms) will recur.

The pilot was written and directed by Christopher Storer (Ramy, Dickinson), who will executive-produce the half-hour series alongside Hiro Murai (Atlanta, Station Eleven) and Nate Matteson (Station Eleven) of Super Frog, Joanna Calo (Bojack Horseman, Undone) and Josh Senior. Matheson serves as a consulting producer.

“The Bear delivers, thanks to the ferocious performances of Jeremy Allen White and fellow cast members Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ayo Edebiri, Lionel Boyce, Abby Elliott, Liza Colón-Zayas, Edwin Gibson and Matty Matheson,” Nick Grad, FX’s President of Original Programming, said in a statement. “The series gets off to a fantastic start in the pilot and we know this creative team including Hiro, Nate and Joanna has the comedy chops and producing experience to deliver the latest in a storied line of FX comedies.”

The Bear is slated for a 2022 premiere. Check back here at Screen Magazine for the latest on specific premiere dates, shooting locations, additional supporting cast, local production team, and much more as this series forges ahead. You can also click right here to subscribe to our weekly email newsletter.