IT’S HARD TO think of an actor who’s had a bigger come-up in the last few years than Jeremy Allen White. The 33-year-old had certainly achieved a level of success thanks to his long-running role as “Lip” Gallagher on Showtime’s Shameless (and he had a number of underrated roles, like in the first season of Prime Video’s Homecoming), but he was without question thrust into a new level of stardom with the debut of The Bear. He’s at the very center of FX’s intense and chaotic culinary, holding things down as Carmy Berzatto, the talented chef with tons of problems everywhere he looks. The show has been a runaway smash hit, drawing a huge fanbase and earning all sorts of awards.
Case in point: White just won his second consecutive Emmy for his role in the show, beating out legends like Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Larry David for the honor. While The Bear released its third season back in June, this award was actually for his work in season 2; thanks to the Emmy eligibility windows, season 2 was eligible for this year’s show while season 3 will come up next year.
And while White gave a humble and wonderful speech (which you can read in full below), it’s actually more worth talking about the star persona that he’s taken on. With his laid back demeanor, luscious curly/wavy hair, and classic tuxedo, he was without question one of the shining stars of the night at the Emmys; part of the wonder of ‘becoming a star’ and ‘being cool’ is for someone to feel like whatever they’re pulling off comes naturally. With White, even when he’s surprised, shocked, and being humble—and expressing love and gratitude to his family, friends, and The Bear costars—it comes off with a genuine earnestness and with a laid back cool.
In a way, White feels like a kind of star plucked out of another era. Before the Emmys ceremony began, he was spotted rocking a pair of sunglasses, again, playing into the effortless cool. He’s an ascending star in 2024, but the relaxed, easygoing, nonchalant energy he gives off feels like a star from the New Hollywood era of the late ’60s and early ’70s. If you saw the guy in the photo above hanging out with young Jack Nicholson, wouldn’t it just feel natural?
While The Bear is returning for a season 4 next summer, White has also seen his rise expand onto the big screen. He played a key role in last year’s acclaimed wrestling drama The Iron Claw, and is currently preparing to play Bruce Springsteen in director Scott Cooper’s film Deliver Me From Nowhere, about the legendary rocker’s experience making his groundbreaking album Nebraska.
Below, you can watch the video of White winning the Emmy, and read his full acceptance speech:
“Thank you so much. My heart is beating out of its chest. Thank you, thank you to The Academy and my fellow nominees; I’m so honored to be in your company. Chris [Storer, The Bear creator and co-showrunner] and Jo [Calo, The Bear co-showrunner], thank you for choosing me. I am so, so lucky. I’m so grateful, thank you.
My beautiful cast: I love you forever, I love to work with you. I want us to be in each other’s lives forever—I love you so dearly. Jesus Christ, okay. This show has changed my life, it has instilled a faith that change is possible, if you are able to reach out you are never really truly actually alone. I thank this show… my parents, I love you. Annabel, my sister, you’re here, I love you so much. Thank you for coming with me tonight, Ezer and Louie [Delores, his children], I love you so, so much. You are my heart—thank you everybody.”
