Sebastian Bear-McClard grew up immersed in the arts. His father was an artist, and his mother was a filmmaker. This creative New York upbringing set the stage for his future career in show business.
Bear-McClard went on to produce several acclaimed films, such as 2019’s Uncut Gems and 2017’s Good Time. He also directed a couple of short films and acted in a few projects.
He met Emily Ratajkowski through mutual friends. After a brief few weeks of dating, the model and producer surprised everyone by getting married in 2018.
In March 2021, they welcomed their first child together, a baby boy named Sylvester Apollo. The following year, Ratajkowski filed for divorce after four years of marriage.
In a 2023 podcast interview, Ratajkowski candidly discussed the challenges she faced at the end of her marriage. She explained that while unhappy for quite some time, she initially lacked the courage to leave.
From his successful filmmaking career to his former relationship with Ratajkowski, that covers the key aspects of Sebastian Bear-McClard’s background.
Sebastian Bear-McClard is Actor And Producer
Bear-McClard has an impressive list of indie film credits. In 2017, he produced the thriller Good Time, starring Robert Pattinson. His other indie works include 2014’s Heaven Knows What and the 2006 film Still Life.
In 2014, Bear-McClard teamed up with writing/directing duo Joshua and Ben Safdie and producer Oscar Boyson. Together, they launched the production company Elara Pictures.
Bear-McClard’s films have earned him various honors. Good Time was nominated for Best Feature Film at the Gotham Independent Film Awards. For his work on Heaven Knows What in 2014, Bear-McClard received a nomination for the prestigious Independent Spirit Awards.
He Had An Integral Role In The Making Of Uncut Gems
One of Bear-McClard’s most recent producer credits is the 2019 crime thriller Uncut Gems. He collaborated with writers/directors Joshua and Ben Safdie on this tense film starring Adam Sandler and Julia Fox.
In Uncut Gems, Sandler’s character, Howard Ratner, navigates New York’s dangerous diamond district on a high-stakes mission. Behind the scenes, Bear-McClard embarked on his quest – to find the perfect prop gemstone.
As Bear-McClard told The Hollywood Reporter, “We had trouble sourcing a real one and trouble figuring out how to get the art department to build what was in our heads.”
So Bear-McClard took over the prop design himself. He did extensive research and worked closely with artists to recreate iconic opals. He even met with visiting Australian opal experts, wining and dining them late into the night to convince them to lend special stones. These became pigments in the film’s dramatic focal point – a large rock opal.
He Comes From A Family Of Artists
Bear-McClard was raised immersed in New York’s vibrant arts scene. His father is artist Michael McClard. He moved to New York City after graduating with honors from the San Francisco Art Institute.
As Bear-McClard’s uncle Peter McClard shared with PEOPLE, “Michael was a teen rebel in the ’60s who decided he was an artist.” The elder McClard built a successful career as an artist in New York.
In the 1970s, Michael met Sebastian’s future mother – acclaimed filmmaker and art magazine co-founder Liza Bear. Due to his parents’ involvement, young Bear-McClard frequently attended gallery openings and industry events.
His uncle Peter described Sebastian’s upbringing: “He was a great, totally New York-bred kid who spent his youth being dragged to cool art events and parties, surrounded by the hippest of the hip New York art scene in the 80’s and 90’s.”
He Is Friends With The Founder Of The Fat Jewish Meme Account
Josh Ostrovsky, the founder of the popular meme account The Fat Jewish, was a witness at Bear-McClard’s wedding. As Bear-McClard’s uncle Peter McClard shared with PEOPLE, the two go back to their high school days.
Back then, Bear-McClard befriended Ostrovsky and others who had a rap group called Team Facelift. As McClard tells it, “Sebastian was their official videographer. They were hilarious and talented, and their frontman was the Fat Jew.”
Years later, Ostrovsky attended Bear-McClard’s wedding to Emily Ratajkowski. The two couples also bonded during the pandemic when Ratajkowski hosted a backyard wedding for her dog Colombo and Ostrovsky’s dog Happy.
As Ratajkowski wrote in a since-deleted 2020 post: “Quarantined together, so why not marry our children? They love each other so much. Congrats, Happy and Colombo.”
He Kept His Relationship With Ratajkowski Low-Key In The Beginning
Rumors of a romance between Bear-McClard and Ratajkowski surfaced in February 2018. They were spotted being affectionate in public on Valentine’s Day. However, the new couple kept their relationship private initially. They hadn’t officially gone public before suddenly announcing their wedding.
After their surprise nuptials, Bear-McClard and Ratajkowski made appearances together at various events. Ratajkowski also shared photos with her husband on Instagram for her followers. This social media exposure marked the first public confirmation that the two were officially a couple.
He And Ratajkowski Split After 4 Years Of Marriage
In July 2022, a source close to Ratajkowski shared news of the couple’s split with PEOPLE magazine. As the insider divulged: “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.”
Rumors of marital troubles began that month when Ratajkowski was spotted without her wedding ring, as Page Six first reported. She also stopped wearing the ring on Instagram over the summer.
By September 8th, Ratajkowski formally filed divorce paperwork in Manhattan Supreme Court, court records confirmed to Page Six.
He Was Accused Of Sexual Misconduct
In May 2023, two women accused Bear-McClard of sexual misconduct, according to a Variety report.
The report stated that Bear-McClard recruited a 17-year-old woman to act in a nude scene for the film Good Time. She was asked to perform the scene with an actor in front of nearly a dozen male cast and crew members. This included directors Josh Safdie and Benny Safdie.
