Sarah Ramos hit The Bear’s final season premiere circuit eight-plus months pregnant and, somehow, glowing. The actress—known for her breakout on Parenthood, HBO’s Winning Time and the viral COVID-era digital shorts she made with Dylan O’Brien—is having a moment that feels cosmically timed and utterly packed. She’s wrapping one of television’s most beloved series, gearing up for Netflix’s Little Brother with John Cena and growing an actual human being, all while fielding the kind of press week that would exhaust anyone at full capacity. In between it all, the 35-year-old talked to us about product, premieres and why the hardest part is “just getting there.”
You’ve been doing press all week—hair, makeup, styling, interviews, the whole thing—while very pregnant. What’s been the hardest part?
“It’s like going to the gym. The hardest part is getting there. Before you start, you’re dreading it…and then once your hair and makeup people are working away, you’re like, this is actually fun. I forget I’m pregnant, and then I see the pictures, and I’m like, ‘Oh. Right. Right.’”
Any pregnancy-safe products or beauty go-tos that got you through all the appearances?
“I honestly love when makeup artists bring skin care I’ve never heard of before—these cooling metal tools, face masks, high-tech stuff. It puts my own routine to shame, honestly.
At home I just use a tinted moisturizer I picked up in Paris. It’s called the Caudalie Vinocrush Skin Tint. It’s incredible, but they don’t sell it in the U.S. I went to Sephora to restock, and the Caudalie rep told me, ‘We don’t do makeup.’ I said, ‘Yes, you do! Just not here.’ So, that was a big disappointment. But when I see what the makeup artists do on set, it was a whole new level. Mad respect.”
The Bear, Little Brother, the baby…everything is landing at once. How are you feeling heading into July?
“Really grateful! It’s been an incredibly busy year. We were filming Chicago Med and a One Chicago crossover at the same time as The Bear, all while I was pregnant. Matt, my husband, was in New York working on post-production for Little Brother. And honestly, all of that is harder than any press week. The Bear starts shooting early; you’re at set by 5 a.m. to be camera-ready by 7. It’s early! The hard part and the fun part just go hand in hand. I genuinely don’t know what’s going to happen once the baby actually arrives. I assume I’ll be down for the count for a bit. [laughs] For now, I’m just having fun until then.”
The Bear has such a devoted following. What’s it been like being part of the final season?
“It’s so fun. Fans are incredibly observant. They catch things I didn’t even notice on my first watch. Someone on social media pointed out that in one scene, when Richie and Jess touch hands, she actually runs her thumb over the top of his hand. It’s a wide shot. People had already rewatched the whole show and caught that. That’s the kind of detail-oriented audience this show has, and it’s just a privilege to be part of something people care about that much. As for the ending—no spoilers—but I was really moved by it.”
I’ve been watching you since Parenthood; I think a lot of us have. That show meant so much to so many people. Looking back at your career, on the eve of becoming a mother, how does it feel?
“It’s insane. [laughs] I wish I had something more profound to offer, but that’s genuinely where I land: This is insane. When I saw Peter Krause and the rest of the Parenthood cast recently, we just kept saying, ‘Can you believe it?’ I can’t! I think once the baby actually comes, I’ll be imbued with some great wisdom and have a whole new perspective on everything. For now, I just know I’ll look back on this chapter and understand it a lot more clearly.”
