Lionel Boyce talks about ‘The Bear’ season 5 and Marcus’ candle trick

Has “The Bear” changed your relationship with food?

There it is. I’m a more adventurous eater now than I was before the show. Even if I don’t put it into practice, I have the curiosity to research like a chef.

The final season just ended and people started binge drinking. Is there anything you think would surprise people?

Personally, I was concerned. “Anxious” is the wrong word, but there are risks involved in characters that people are obsessed with. After a show runs for four seasons, everyone knows these characters and anticipates the direction things will go. What Chris and the writers have always done well is find ways to zigzag in a way that feels organic. So every time a season comes around, I wonder how people are going to take it.

This season, that was further amplified thanks to Marcus’ arc. Through all of the ups and downs, he’s stayed consistent and kept people on their toes – and this season, he’s kind of on his toes.

The season ends almost overnight. Did you shoot in chronological order?

We shot the first few episodes in sequence, which was difficult because Ayo (Edebiri) and Ebon (Moss-Bachrach) were in a Broadway play. We moved things around, but there were some episodes that we shot in sequence after that, like episode six. The first 10 or 12 minutes had very few cuts and was almost real time, so a high degree of choreography was required.

I think it would be easy to let Marcus’ anxiety build up until it boils over in episode five.

What I love about making this show is that it’s a fully functional kitchen. Even with the kind of rain this season, they built this whole rig on stage to make it rain. It’s very easy to get immersed. When they take action, all five senses are used simultaneously. There’s this inherent tension because it feels like the walls are closing in. You hear six people screaming, you smell food, and everywhere you look, it looks like someone is stressed out. It doesn’t take much to build up that tension. They captured the season with tight shots and quick movements. This was personally the most intense shoot for me.

Is it because of the way it was filmed or because of the emotion behind the final season?

I think it’s both. Emotionally, you’re dealing with emotions that you know are over and are trying to suppress. Every time I went on set, I thought, “This is it.”

Can we talk about Marcus yelling at Luka? What is happening at that moment?

There are four or five layers that he is aware of, and there are many more below the surface. He feels lost and hurt. It feels as if the restaurant is closing and two of the people closest to him have abandoned him. Luca and Carmy were two formative figures who shaped the way he approached his craft, bringing technique and passion, opening doors and encouraging him. And now they feel like they’re jumping ship at the moment when all hope is gone. There’s no food, no money, everything is going to hell and they don’t care. He has no one to rely on. The people he leant against and looked into for comfort are no longer there.

Marcus watched his mother get sick and die, and has been dealing with everything on his own without any siblings. And the people he relied on as family leave too. Add to that the pressure of a bad day, will there be enough food, will there be work tomorrow, and you have the perfect conditions for someone to lash out. Add to that the door he opened with his father. It’s all the history that’s not on the surface. I have to give credit to Harry Lennix here. Because it’s a testament to how great he is that he played such a loaded character in so few scenes and did it the way he did. When I met him, there was a human being in place of that idea. He has a very big voice and a very big presence. It’s scary because he reminds me of my father in many ways.

How much backstory did you create for Marcus’ relationship with his father?

I always asked Chris questions about what his family was like. When you are acting, you draw your own conclusions. And as the writers write more, “I know you thought he had two brothers, but it’s really just him and his mother.” Chris told me that Marcus had only seen his father a few times and that was the limit. His father was not even there for a moment with his mother. So I took that and built it. He is like a ghost in life. When you lose one parent, you only think about the other parent.

I had more doubts in season 4 when his father reached out after his mother died. I remember wanting Marcus to meet him. I wish we could have had the conversation there. I was angry that Marcus bailed. Chris and I talked about it, but for Marcus it was about doing things on his own terms. Marcus was always adaptable. He always makes things easier for others, so I thought it was very powerful that he stands firm in the moment when he could have fulfilled his father’s feelings, but instead decides to protect himself.

Marcus decides to reunite with his father by serving him. It’s an interesting dynamic.

Now it depends on Marcus’ conditions. From Marcus’ point of view, his father may simply want to clear his conscience and guilt. It’s like, “I wasn’t there, but it’s okay if we meet once and do this.” Marcus doesn’t want that. Everyone dreams of doing what they love, showing people what they have achieved and expressing it. For me, Marcus’ entire journey was truly a journey of expression. This season, he won the award and is thinking, “I’m going to invite my dad over and show him that this is me and this is my job.” Even that moment where he brings himself dessert and serves his father and insists that he sit down, he’s like, “No, we’re doing this my way. Sit down. You don’t have to talk. Don’t use words, just show me who I am.” You can choose not to listen to the words, but you cannot ignore your other senses.

It is a continuation of the nonverbal communication he had with his mother.

Yes, that’s right. you are 100% correct. What I love most about Marcus are the quiet moments with him. He communicates with his father through Sunday.

The scene where he cuts the candle in half to reveal the hot caramel inside is kind of breathtaking.

It’s fun. I remembered who Marcus was in the first episode of the show. He’s like a child inside. It’s like a child performing a magic trick.

Do you think there was anything left unsaid regarding Marcus and Luca’s final scene at the airport, or was there a resolution between those characters?

I think I was prepared. There is an understanding that “we are brothers.” You fight with your family. They will meet again someday. It’s a bittersweet farewell. Marcus came to understand that he was not alone. He has people and everything is fine. He’s moving on to what’s next.

Over five seasons, Marcus grew in confidence and in many ways found himself. I was wondering if your experience as an actor is reflective of what’s happening on the show?

Yes, 100%. I’ve always felt like life imitates art, or art imitates life. I don’t know who is in charge anymore. Every season, there were different things I was afraid to try, but this show made it as easy as deciding, “I’m just going to do it.” They believe I can do it, so I would rather do it than push myself. That was my mentality for the first two seasons.

As I got through it, I learned a lot from conversations with people on the show like Ebon and Liza (Colon Zayas). They gave me a lot of confidence. I remember that I didn’t really talk about things in the beginning, even when it came to press work, which I didn’t like in the early days. Then Ebon said something that felt like a small thing at the time. “Why don’t you talk more? You have a lot of good ideas, just don’t think about them too much.” That gave me the confidence to channel my curiosity rather than my fear.

That’s the similarity with Marcus. In the early days, his approach to desserts was to try things fearlessly. In Season 1, he offered something to Carmy and Sid and watched them try it, asking, “Is this delicious?” And as I continued, I stopped asking them for that validation. He focused only on his own curiosity and passion.

I think that’s what’s great about a show where the characters keep progressing. Writers explore a wide range of emotions, and I have to find my own entryway to those emotions. Some of them are things I don’t normally express, but by doing it on the show I was able to bring more of them into my life. It feels like an organic extension, each one advancing the other.

How do you say goodbye to a character like Marcus? Do you have any rituals?

I’m probably one of the worst at saying goodbye. “Maybe it will be easier if we pretend to meet again tomorrow,” I think. It still finds a way to sneak up on you, and that’s what’s happening to me with this show. To tell you the truth, I don’t know how to say goodbye. I want to leave it there until someday I look up and it’s no longer there.

Do you know in your heart that this is the last time you will play this character?

I think so. It would be as surprising to me as it would be to others. Maybe it will come back, but I don’t think so. I think that’s what’s cool about it. That makes me happy. The trip felt very fulfilling. There’s nothing I’d like to go back and explore. This feels like a satisfying place to step away from the characters. There was nothing left on the table.

Did you take any souvenirs with you from the filming location?

I should have taken more. We’ve selected some of our favorite pieces from Marcus’ wardrobe. I brought a few aprons with me. I picked up some books. I wanted to pack as much as I could fit in my bag, but since it was the last day, I was a little excited. The moment I yelled “Rap” and said goodbye, my mind went blank. It’s empty all day. I felt like my feelings had left me. I tried to remember everything—I tried to record it with my eyes so I could think about it later—so I was in no sane state stealing everything I needed to steal.