Photo: Kevin Mazur/Getty
Sebastian Bear-McClard was born to an artist father and filmmaker mother, which gave this New York native a creative environment during his youth. He pursued a career in show business, having produced a number of hit films such as 2019’sUncut Gemsand 2017’sGood Time. He’s also directed a couple of shorts and accrued a few acting credits as well.
Bear-McClard metEmily Ratajkowskiafter running in the same circle of friends. They were romantically linked in 2018, and after dating for only a few weeks, the model and producer tied the knot in asurprise ceremony.
From his filmmaking career to his split with Ratajkowski, here’s everything to know about Sebastian Bear-McClard.
He’s an actor and producer
Emily Ratajkowski/Instagram
Bear-McClard produced the 2017 filmGood TimestarringRobert Pattinson. He has also worked on several indie films includingHeaven Knows Whatin 2014 andStill Lifein 2006.
In 2014, Joshua and Ben Safdie, a New York-based writer/producer/director duo, launched Elara Pictures with Bear-McClard and producer Oscar Boyson as partners.
Bear-McClard has been nominated for multiple Gotham Independent Film Awards, including Best Feature Film forGood Time.He was also nominated for an Independent Spirit Award in 2014 forHeaven Knows What.
He had an integral role in the making ofUncut Gems
While the movie centers around Sandler’s Howard Ratner and his dangerous mission around NYC’s diamond district, Bear-McClard embarked on a similar quest in search of the most perfect prop.
“We had trouble sourcing a real one and trouble figuring out how to get the art department to build what was in our heads,” he toldThe Hollywood Reporter. “So, I ended up taking over the design and execution.”
It turned out to be quite the task as he went to great lengths to replicate the iconic opals, undergoing much research and collaborating with the artists. He even schmoozed industry experts!
“In the middle of the night after a shoot, I had to wine and dine some opal traders who were visiting from Australia to convince them to lend us their very special opals that ended up being little pigments in our larger rock opal,” he told the outlet.
He comes from a family of artists
Bear-McClard’s dad is an artist who moved to New York after graduating from the San Fransisco Art Institute.
“Michael was a teen rebel in the 60’s and decided he was an artist and graduated with honors from San Fransisco Art Institute and moved to New York,” Peter McClard, Bear-McClard’s uncle, told PEOPLE. “He is an amazing artist. Some time in the ’70s he met Sebastian’s future mother, Liza Bear, a filmmaker and co-founder ofAvalanche, an art magazine.”
Because of his parents' involvement in the N.Y.C. art scene, Bear-McClard grew up going to galleries and industry parties.
He is friends with the founder of the Fat Jewish meme account
Josh Ostrovsky, founder of the famedFat Jewishmeme account, served as a witness at Bear-McClard’s wedding ceremony, but the two go way back.
“In high school or shortly thereafter he met some friends and they had a rap group called Team Facelift and Sebastian was their official videographer,” Peter McClard tells PEOPLE. “They were hilarious and talented and their frontman was the Fat Jew.”
Ostrovsky also joined the former couple in 2020, when the model hosted abackyard wedding ceremony for her dogColombo and Ostrovsky andCaitlin King’s dog, Happy.
“Quarantined together so why not marry our children? They love each other so much. Congrats Happy and Colombo 💍🎩✨5.2.20,” Ratajkowski captioned the since-deleted post.
He kept his relationship with Ratajkowski low-key in the beginning
Emily Ratajkowski with her husband Sebastian Bear-McClard.Emma McIntyre /VF20/WireImage
Rumors began swirling that Bear-McClard and Ratajkowski were an item after they were spotted showing PDA on Valentine’s Day in 2018. The two had yet to go public until their wedding announcement.
The model and producer later made public appearances at several events and even posed together for social media snaps posted to Ratajkowski’s Instagram.
He and Ratajkowski split after 4 years of marriage
In July 2022, a source close to Ratajkowski told PEOPLE thatthe couple had broken up. “They split recently. It was Em’s decision. She is doing okay. She is strong and focused on her son. She loves being a mom,” the insider said.
AsPage Sixfirst reported, rumors of a separation began that same month when Ratajkowski was seen without her wedding ring. She also was not wearing it in her Instagram photos throughout the summer.
He was accused of sexual misconduct
The outlet reported that Bear-McClard recruited a 17-year-old woman to act in aGood Timescene that required her to be naked.
According toVariety, the woman was asked to perform a nude scene with an actor in front of “nearly a dozen male cast and crew members,” including directors Josh Safdie and Bennie Safdie.
source: people.com
