Is Ebon Moss-Bachrach Dating His Co-Star Matty Matheson or Did They Just Kiss at the Emmys?
Published Jan. 16 2024, 10:56 a.m. ET
The wildly popular TV show The Bear took home a big prize at the 2024 Emmys, besting its competitors to win the coveted Outstanding Comedy Series award.
But more than the big win, fans are talking about the passionate lip lock between the actors who play Neil Fak and Cousin Richie.
Indeed, Ebon Moss-Bachrach kissed Matty Matheson right there on the stage while accepting the Emmy, prompting cheers from the audience. And we're not talking a peck on the lips. This was a kiss that lasted at least 10 seconds.
So are the stars in a relationship with one another or was this makeout sesh a product of pure excitement over the win? Details ahead.
So, is Ebon Moss-Bachrach dating Matty Matheson?
It was the kiss seen 'round the world, and one that later went viral online.
Per Variety, with the cast of The Bear behind him, the real-life chef began an acceptance speech, saying, “I just want to thank restaurants as a whole, hospitality as a whole… I just love restaurants so much!”
That's when Cousin Richie planted one on him, and Matty reacted by saying, "I love you Ebon."
Another highlight of the speech was when Matty said, "The good, the bad. It’s rough, we’re all broken inside and every single day we gotta show up and cook and make people feel good by eating something and sitting at a table. And it’s really beautiful and all of us here get to make a show together. And we get to make people feel good or filled with anxiety or triggered… it seems.”
But there's no tea here. Ebon, who won Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series as well, has been with his wife Yelena Yemchuk for years, per Hollywood Life. They share two kids.
Meanwhile, Matty is betrothed to Trish Spencer, and they have three kids together, per The U.S. Sun.
So the stars aren't a couple, just co-stars and friends who are clearly very happy to have their show honored by the Emmys.
Many fans loved the kiss between 'The Bear' co-stars, but some were left triggered.
Although Hollywood peers and the show's cast on stage seemed thrilled by the smooch, and some fans thought the moment was all in good fun, others didn't agree.
One viewer tweeted the sentiment shared by many by saying, "This is not funny or cute! This is sexual assault."
"OK… but like… that was assault. Ask for consent," someone else echoed.
To be fair, at the time of writing, Matty hasn't condemned the move, and in fact, told reporters post-kiss about the lip lock, "It was nice.”
For his part, Ebon said, “Time stopped. I don’t know how many years went by.”
You can watch both actors, as well as lead Jeremy Allen White, in The Bear, now in its second season, streaming on Hulu.
The show had already been greenlit for a third season before its awards season sweep began.