"There's Always a Connection": Gillian Jacobs on Her 'The Bear' Character's Ongoing Relationship With Cousin

Gillian Jacobs

By Rahul Malhotra

Published Feb 4, 2025

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Image via FX

One of the most memorable scenes in Hulu's The Bear came at the end of the seventh episode of the show's second season. Titled "Forks," the episode was centered entirely around the fan-favorite character of Cousin Richie, played with great vulnerability in the show by Ebon Moss-Bachrach. The character was introduced as a bit of a lovable knucklehead, but through the course of the second season, he evolved into the best version of himself, both professionally and personally. The season also introduced audiences to Richie's ex-wife, Tiffany, played by Gillian Jacobs. In a red carpet interview with Collider's Aidan Kelley, on the sidelines of the Season 3 premiere of Invincible, Jacobs addressed the bittersweet relationship shared by Richie and Tiffany.

Jacobs referenced the landmark episode's bombshell revelation about Tiffany's engagement, which left Richie shattered, but also committed to being an ideal father to their daughter, Eva. She said, "Well, they're always connected because they have a child who they both really love, and are very committed to being good parents to. So, there's always a connection there. She's engaged, which is not easy for Richie. But they treat each other with a lot of love and kindness even though there's a lot of sadness and regret there."

While Richie's emotional struggles have been explored with tremendous care through The Bear's three seasons, it's the quiet moments like his interactions with Tiffany that make the narrative even richer. Richie views himself as inadequate, mainly because he can see Tiffany moving on with her life while he's stuck as the same dissatisfied person. But he takes a moment to pat himself on the back in Episode 7 when he scores Taylor Swift tickets for Eva and belts out "Love Story" in his car. The Bear is a flagship title for Hulu and has won a total of 21 Emmys. A fourth season is in the works and will premiere later this year.

'The Bear' Will Return for a New Season This Year

Jacobs rose to fame as a part of the ensemble of Community, the cult hit comedy series that ran for six seasons on various networks. She also headlined the Netflix series Love, co-starring Paul Rust and executive produced by Judd Apatow. Jacobs has appeared in supporting roles in the HBO series Girls, as well as the three Fear Street films. She reprises her role as Atom Eve in Invincible, which will return for a third season on Prime Video this week.

Stay tuned to Collider for more updates and more from the Invincible premiere.