Quick Links
Perhaps one of the most honest things on the internet is Jeremy Allen White reacting to fans thirsting over him. Of course, the obsession with Jeremy's hair, eyes, biceps, and general "I don't give a s***" demeanor began when he first started playing Lip on Shameless.
And it's only gotten more intense.
Playing Carmy on FX and Hulu's The Bear only further catapulted Jeremy into a major swoon territory.
But given his level of success, there's no doubt that he could find himself in roles that are far, far, far higher profile. AKA anything superhero or Jedi related.
At one point in Jeremy's career, this was exactly what he wanted. In a fantastic interview with Vulture, he said that he once dealt with an unhealthy relationship with fame that has since evolved. Had he not, that charming reaction to fans drooling over him may have been far more pompous. Here's the truth about Jeremy's former obsessions with success and why he takes the roles that he does...
Why Jeremy Allen White Wanted To Star In The Bear
The FX and Hulu series will return for a second season thanks to its growing popularity; in part due to the meme-ification of some of the most thirst-worthy stills from the show.
But Jeremy didn't choose to star in the show because he thought it would catch on. He chose to do it because he connected deeply with his character, Carmy.
"I knew immediately how much I cared for Carmy and how much my heart really hurt for Carmy, and I don’t think I knew exactly why yet," Jeremy said to Vulture of his first feelings when reading the script.
"In retrospect, it’s because I saw this lonely man whose identity was so wrapped up in this thing, and if he didn’t get it, he really felt like he was going to die. That was something accessible to me."
Not only was it "accessible" it was something Jeremy could relate to in a profound way.
"I’m older now, and my life’s gotten bigger and better. But there was a time as an actor, a young actor, that I felt very wrapped up in my profession. If I wasn’t succeeding, or I wasn’t getting everything I wanted, it was like the end of the world. That’s a sad existence if you can’t find joy outside of your profession. That clicked with me early on and helped me get into it."
Jeremy Allen White Loves Playing "Explosive" Characters
There's no doubt that both Carmy Berzatto and Lip Gallagher on Shameless are both explosive characters. Each deal with different issues, but many see connections between the two. For one, their journeys take place in Chicago and are centered around family.
Despite Jeremy admitting to being "drawn to the kind of characters that tend to be a little bit explosive", in an interview with The Rental, he sees a difference between the two men.
"Where I see a really big gap between them is their confidence. Lip was so fun to play because I had faith in him. He had a good sense of self. He knew how smart he was, how gifted he was, to the point of being obnoxious," Jeremy explained.
"Yes, Carmy’s gifted. He’s a talented chef. He’s worked very hard at it. But I don’t think he had that same confidence or sense of self. While Lip and Carmy can both be considered fragile characters, Carmy is on edge all the time. Everything is life or death for him. If he fails, it’s the end of the world, and if he succeeds, maybe he gets everything he wants."
Jeremy Allen White Was Once Desperate For Fame And Success
Despite being a young, beloved, attractive, and talented actor, Jeremy Allen White has not made the same career choices that some of his contemporaries have. As pointed out by the interviewer at Vulture, Jeremy easily could have found himself in a Marvel Cinematic Universe or DC Extended Universe project by now.
While Jeremy claimed that he hasn't been invited to join such projects, he also stated that he prefers more indie and character-driven projects.
"[Marvel and DC is] not where my interest necessarily lies, either," Jeremy said before admitting that at one stage he would've done anything to be in such big-budget, high-profile works.
"At one point in my career, I wanted so much success so quickly. It was the time in my life that I clicked into with Carmy. I felt like I was really good at this thing and wasn’t getting what I deserved. It was such an ugly place to be coming from. I would want these movies so bad, or I would want these other jobs so bad, and I wouldn’t get them and it felt so terrible."
One such example of feeling horrible about losing out on a job was The Spectacular Now. Jeremy claims to have been devastated that he lost out on the role to Miles Teller.
Fortunately, in part thanks to a loving relationship with his wife and baby mama, Addison Timlin, Jeremy is no longer in this place.
"Now I’m in a place where consistency is more important to me, longevity is more important to me. I don’t feel like I need to have a breakout, whatever a breakout means. If I can work consistently with talented people, with good story, that’s all I need."
