Even though some The Bear scenes can be so suspenseful that they feel unbearable to watch, there are several reasons why fans can’t get enough of the TV show. Of course, The Bear features many stunning performances, incredible storytelling, and there is no denying that the show looks gorgeous. On top of all that, many viewers also watch the show for its many celebrity cameo appearances, including from Jamie Lee Curtis, who impressed the show’s cast.

During The Bear Season 4, fans saw Rob Reiner become the latest famous actor to join the show’s cast. As it turns out, however, Rob only agreed to take his The Bear role on the advice of an unexpected and beloved acting legend.

Jamie Lee Curtis Convinced Rob Reiner To Cameo On The Bear

Throughout The Bear’s first four seasons, fans of the show have been surprised to see a slew of celebrities appear. In many of those cases, however, the cameo appearance hasn’t meant that much to the long-term storytelling of The Bear.

That said, it could be argued that Jame Lee Curtis has had more of an effect on The Bear than any of the show’s other cameo guest stars. As a result of how impactful her character has been, Jamie Lee Curtis has appeared in seven episodes of The Bear.

Given that Jamie Lee Curtis has returned to appear on The Bear so many times, she has clearly enjoyed the experience. With that in mind, it makes perfect sense that Jamie Lee Curtis convinced Rob Reiner to make his The Bear cameo appearance.

In July 2025, Rob Reiner spoke to People about his The Bear Season 4 cameo.

During that discussion, Rob told the outlet that his initial instinct was to reject the chance to appear on The Bear. However, while talking to People, Rob explained that Jamie Lee Curtis convinced him that turning down The Bear would be a mistake.

“She had told me she was on the seasons before, and then when I was asked to do it, I said, ‘I don’t know,’ and she said, ‘No, you’ve got to do it! It’s really fun!'”

Considering the mark Rob made on The Bear during Season 4, it is fascinating to know that he almost didn’t appear at all.

While still talking to People, Rob went on to reveal more about his The Bear role.

Since so many celebrities have appeared on The Bear, it seems obvious that acting on the show is an enjoyable process for them. With that in mind, it makes sense that Rob spoke about how great it was filming his The Bear role.

While he continued to talk to People, Rob revealed part of the reason why he enjoyed his The Bear role so much.

The Best Movies Rob Reiner Has Directed, According to Gold Derby

• LBJ
• Ghosts of Mississippi
• Flipped
• The Sure Thing
• The Bucket List
• The American President
• Misery
• A Few Good Men
• Stand by Me
• When Harry Met Sally…
• This Is Spinal Tap
• The Princess Bride

During his discussion with People, Rob explained that he enjoys acting in general because it involves a lot less stress than directing.

“It’s fun to act, and I love acting because it’s no worries. You just show up and do your work.”

Rob Reiner And Jamie Lee Curtis Have A Shared History

When Rob Reiner told People that he listened to Jamie Lee Curtis’ advice about The Bear, that made sense at first glance. After all, why wouldn’t Rob listen to a legend like Jamie. However, it is interesting to keep in mind that Rob and Jamie Lee Curtis have built a bond over the years.

As a part of People’s article, the outlet states that Jamie Lee Curtis and Rob have been friends for many years.

That makes a lot of sense since the duo have a clear connection. Jamie Lee Curtis’ husband, Christopher Guest, starred in Rob’s classic movie, This is Spinal Tap.

Rob and Jamie Lee Curtis also share an amusing onscreen bond since they played exes on the sitcom New Girl.

Rob and Jamie portrayed New Girl’s Bob and Joan Day respectively, the parents of the show’s titular character, Jessica “Jess” Day.

The Bear’s Biggest Fans Have Praised Rob Reiner’s Cameo Role

Throughout The Bear’s first four seasons, there have been some cameo appearances that were divisive at best and hated at worst. As a result, it certainly would have been possible that Rob Reiner’s The Bear cameo could have inspired a backlash. However, a post on the r/TheBear subreddit shows that Rob has received praise for his The Bear role.

Since it takes a dedicated fan to join a subreddit that focuses on a show, the opinions of r/TheBear users should be taken seriously. With that in mind, it is interesting that a post on the subreddit that got many upvotes was focused on how great Rob was on The Bear.

The top most-upvoted response to the subreddit post also called Rob’s The Bear performance “perfect” praising another one of his roles. “He was perfect for this and Wolf of Wallstreet.” Another one of the responses to the post focused on how Rob’s comedic timing fit The Bear.

Based on sentiments like that, it certainly seems like a lot of The Bear fans immensely enjoyed Rob on the show.