Sebastian Bear-McClard is an American film producer, director, and actor born on January 21, 1981, in New York City. He is best known for producing Good Time and Uncut Gems alongside the Safdie brothers.
He is also known as the ex-husband of model and actress Emily Ratajkowski.
Who is Sebastian Bear-McClard?
Sebastian Bear-McClard is an American film producer, director, and occasional actor from New York City. He co-founded the production company Elara Pictures in 2014 alongside filmmakers Josh and Benny Safdie.
Through that partnership, he produced several acclaimed independent films.
His producing credits include Heaven Knows What, Good Time, and Uncut Gems. He also worked as an actor and director on smaller projects earlier in his career.
Early Life of Sebastian Bear-McClard
Sebastian Bear-McClard was born in New York City on January 21, 1981. His mother, Liza Bear, works as a filmmaker, writer, and activist who co-founded the art magazines Avalanche and Bomb.
His father, Michael McClard, is an artist whose work has been exhibited at New York’s Museum of Modern Art.
Both of his parents came from artistic backgrounds. That environment shaped his early interest in film and visual storytelling.
Sebastian Bear-McClard Age
Sebastian Bear-McClard is 45 years old as of 2026, born on January 21, 1981. Their zodiac sign is Aquarius.
He has stepped back from high-profile producing work in recent years following his departure from Elara Pictures.
Sebastian Bear-McClard Ethnicity and Nationality
Sebastian Bear-McClard holds American nationality. He was born and raised in New York City.
He grew up in the same downtown Manhattan neighborhood where his artist parents had lived for years.
Sebastian Bear-McClard Career
Sebastian Bear-McClard began his entertainment career as an editorial assistant on the 2005 film Broken Flowers, directed by Jim Jarmusch. He made his acting debut years earlier, appearing as a young boy in the 1990 film Force of Circumstance.
Breakthrough Role
Bear-McClard’s first major producing credit came with Heaven Knows What in 2014. The film premiered at the 71st Venice Film Festival and won the CICAE Award.
That same year, he co-founded Elara Pictures with Josh and Benny Safdie.
The partnership brought together three collaborators with a shared interest in gritty, character-driven storytelling. It went on to produce some of the most acclaimed American independent films of the following decade.
Notable Films
In 2017, Bear-McClard produced Good Time, starring Robert Pattinson, which premiered in competition at the Cannes Film Festival. He followed that success by producing Uncut Gems in 2019, starring Adam Sandler.
Uncut Gems earned widespread critical acclaim and grossed over 50 million dollars worldwide.
Both films earned him nominations at the Film Independent Spirit Awards and Gotham Awards. He also produced the 2022 horror film Bodies Bodies Bodies, along with the 2021 series Chillin Island.
Recent Work
In March 2023, Variety published a report detailing sexual misconduct allegations against Bear-McClard made by multiple women. A spokesperson for the Safdie brothers confirmed that Elara Pictures had terminated him in July 2022 after becoming aware of the allegations.
No criminal charges have been filed against him as of this writing.
Benny Safdie addressed the allegations publicly in a 2023 GQ interview, calling the situation “disgusting.” Bear-McClard has not produced any major theatrical releases since his departure from Elara Pictures.
Sebastian Bear-McClard Filmography
Sebastian Bear-McClard has worked primarily as a producer across his career.
- Heaven Knows What (2014) – producer
- Good Time (2017) – producer, actor
- Uncut Gems (2019) – producer
- Chillin Island (2021) – executive producer
- Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022) – producer
Sebastian Bear-McClard Awards and Recognition
Sebastian Bear-McClard received a nomination for the John Cassavetes Award at the Film Independent Spirit Awards for Heaven Knows What. Good Time later earned him a Gotham Award nomination for Best Feature Film.
Uncut Gems brought him another nomination at the Independent Spirit Awards in 2020, this time for Best Feature.
None of these nominations resulted in a win, but they reflected consistent industry recognition for his producing work throughout the 2010s.
Sebastian Bear-McClard Ex-Wife
Sebastian Bear-McClard married model and actress Emily Ratajkowski on February 23, 2018, in a private ceremony at New York City Hall. The couple had been dating for only a few months before their wedding.
Ratajkowski filed for divorce in September 2022 following reports of infidelity.
Their divorce was finalized in the summer of 2025. Ratajkowski has since spoken publicly about the end of the marriage in interviews and a personal essay for The Cut.
Sebastian Bear-McClard Children
Sebastian Bear-McClard shares one child with Emily Ratajkowski, a son named Sylvester Apollo Bear. Sylvester was born on March 8, 2021.
He primarily lives with his mother following his parents’ divorce.
Sylvester continues to spend time with his father several times a week under their custody arrangement.
Sebastian Bear-McClard Net Worth
Sebastian Bear-McClard’s estimated net worth is $12 million as of 2026. His income comes mainly from his producing credits and his ownership stake in Elara Pictures projects.
Past acting and directing work has also added to his earnings.
His net worth built up over his years producing acclaimed films through Elara Pictures before his 2022 departure from the company.
The Bottom Line
Sebastian Bear-McClard co-founded Elara Pictures in 2014 and went on to produce Good Time in 2017 and Uncut Gems in 2019. Both films premiered to strong critical acclaim and industry award nominations.
He grew up in New York City as the son of two artists, which shaped his early creative path into filmmaking. His work with the Safdie brothers defined a distinct era of gritty American independent cinema.
Bear-McClard has stepped back from major producing work following his 2022 departure from Elara Pictures. His finalized divorce from Emily Ratajkowski in 2025 closed another chapter of his public life.
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