CHICAGO — As ‘The Bear’ continues to soar in popularity, one of its actors spoke with WGN News about its impact.
Joining WGN Evening News at 4 p.m. via Zoom from Los Angeles, Witaske is no stranger to Hollywood. He has a hand in beloved Chicago-centric creations such as ‘Chicago Party Aunt,’ but the dramatic chops displaced in the hit series ‘The Bear’ have taken him to another stratosphere.
“You know, it’s been great,” Witaske said Friday. “I auditioned for this show a couple of years ago and when I booked it, I was like, ‘Great, this looks like a fun show.’ Now, it’s huge and a part of the culture. People are loving it. We just had the premiere in Hollywood, and they shut down the street, and everybody was there. It’s been a cool thing for me to be a part of.”
While reflecting on his time in Chicago, the St. Charles native called ‘The Bear’ a love letter to the city, penned by show creator Christopher Storer, a Park Ridge native.
“It makes me miss the city so much,” Witaske added.
Maybe that’s why Witaske has appeared on WGN-TV twice in one week.
“I think it’s about time WGN puts me on the payroll … I can be the new Skilling,” he joked with Evening News anchors Ray Cortispassi and Lourdes Duarte:
All episodes of ‘The Bear’ are available to stream on Hulu.
Watch the full interview in the video player above.
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