IN CONVERSATION WITH SARAH RAMOS

interview by JANA LETONJA

Actress, screenwriter and web series producer Sarah Ramos can currently be seen reprising her role in the new season of ‘The Bear.’ She broke on the scene in NBC’s beloved series ‘Parenthood,’ and also appeared in Showtime’s ‘The Affair’ and in HBO's 'Winning Time'.  Sarah's limitless pop cultural knowledge has been the inspiration for most of her projects, including her pandemic web-series, ‘Quaranscenes,’ DIY-produced recreations of her favorite films and TV shows.

 You’re back for Season 4 of ‘The Bear’, and this time with an expanded arc. What can you tell us about where your character is headed this season? 

Richie hires Chef Jess to be The Bear's expediter, which is basically the conductor of the restaurant. The Bear has one or two issues, and Jess is there to pay forward the training, encouragement, and tough love she received while she was working her way up the restaurant ranks.

Your character has growing romantic tension with Richie. How did you approach building that chemistry on screen? 

In the script for 'Forks', the first episode Jess appears in in season two, writer Alex Russell included a beat where Jess is leaving a conversation with Richie. She turns back to say something to him, then turns away again and exits without saying it. In season four, Jess and Richie silently adjust each other's ties. Whatever tension people are picking up on comes from what's left unsaid and undone, just like in life.

What’s it been like joining a show with such high critical acclaim and such an intense, chaotic energy? 

Having known Chris Storer for 10 years before ‘The Bear’ existed, it's been a thrill to watch it take over TV and for his talent to be celebrated. Earlier this year, he mentioned how lucky we all are that anyone even watches and talks about this show, whether they like or hate it, just that they feel anything at all, because so much of the time when we make things, even good things, they don't find their audience. And since this is a show about making art, it's meta too.

How does working on ‘The Bear’ compare to your past ensemble experiences? 

It surprised me that ‘The Bear’ is a family show. As someone who grew up acting in family dramas, I was like "Wait, I got tricked into this again...," but it's a nontraditional, chosen family.

You’ve been part of iconic series like ‘Chicago Med’, ‘Parenthood’, ‘The Affair’, and ‘Winning Time’. How do you choose roles at this point in your career?

They choose me.

How do you feel your perspective as a performer has evolved as you’ve taken on more creative control in writing and producing?

Acting is more fun and free because I know how long and slow the rest of the process is.

Your ‘Quaran-Scenes’ web-series went viral for a reason. It was hilarious, timely, and creative. How did that project come together?

Before the pandemic, I'd been watching people use TikTok creatively and wondering how I could do that. Thanksgiving weekend of 2019, I edited myself performing a scene from ‘Bring It On’. My friend Ben Lewis requested I do the same thing with a scene from ‘The Morning Show’ and it wasn't until the first week of lockdown that I had the time do it. Making those videos every week gave me a schedule and something positive and fun to focus on in a dark time.

You clearly have an encyclopedic love of pop culture. How do you decide which moments or scenes to parody or recreate?

We all have lines that stick in our heads or scenes we've memorized from seeing so many times, maybe from childhood. When you know, you know. 

What kind of stories are you most excited to tell as a writer or producer going forward? 

I like to write about things that make me cringe.

Do you think the industry is finally ready for more comedic, female-driven stories in the tone of your own work?  

We're dying for it. People used to think I was weird, but now the world is weirder than I am.

What’s next after ‘The Bear’? Any projects you’re excited to share or hint at?

My film 'The Napa Boys' is premiering at the Toronto Film Festival.

CREDITS

photography JJ GEIGER