Matt Jones grew up in Southern California, but when he attends Sunday night's game at the Los Angeles Coliseum, he'll be cheering vociferously and unapologetically for the Bears to defeat the Rams.
An actor who has appeared in dozens of TV and movie roles but is best known for portraying Brandon "Badger" Mayhew on the popular AMC crime series "Breaking Bad," Jones is an avid lifelong Bears fan. His love for the Monsters of the Midway came from his stepfather, a diehard Chicago sports fan who lived near the Cubs' spring training facility in Arizona.
Jones, 38, has attended about a dozen Bears games, including last Sunday's win over the Lions at Soldier Field. He watched the game from the stands while wearing a navy blue No. 52 Khalil Mack jersey. Jones is hopeful that the Bears will salvage this season but remains traumatized by the team's loss to the Packers in the winner-take-all 2013 season finale.
"Of course I have faith because we have a young defense and there are so many great pieces," Jones said.
Jones attended the Lions game last weekend with his fiancée, actress Kristen Hager. They star together in the movie "The Turkey Bowl," which will be released this Friday. The comedy is about a bunch of friends who persuade their old quarterback to return to their hometown to replay an unfinished game against their hated rivals from high school.
It's just the latest project for Jones, a raspy-voiced actor who has appeared in dozens of films and shows, including "The Office," "Mom," "Hawaii Five-0," "Key & Peele," "Gilmore Girls," "Reno 911!," "How I Met Your Mother," "Community" and "NCIS: Los Angeles."
Jones has garnered the most attention, however, for his role as Jesse Pinkman's friend in "Breaking Bad." That's especially true after appearing this year in the film, "El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie."
"It's never-ending," Jones said of his association with "Breaking Bad." "My first episode was 2007. So it's been 12 years. I was a kid when I started and now I have a son, I'm divorced and I'm getting remarried. So much has happened. It's weird. It's such a big part of my life. It's like this weird pseudo-family thing."
Jones is eager to spend time with another pseudo family he's proud to belong to—the huge contingent of Bears fans who live in Southern California, many of whom will be attending Sunday night's game.
"I'm really excited," Jones said. "I'd say that L.A. is the No. 2 Bears city in the United States. Everybody I know in L.A. is a Bears fan. This is going to be like a home game for the Bears in a lot of ways."
With the Bears set to play in Los Angeles Sunday for the first time since 1994, senior writer Larry Mayer ranks his top 10 celebrity Bears fans.
(10) Matt Jones
The actor, best known for starring as Badger on the crime drama "Breaking Bad" and Baxter on the TV show "Mom," grew up in Los Angeles but has been a lifelong Bears fan because of his father.
(9) Jeff Garlin
The actor and comedian, best known for starring in "The Goldbergs" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm," grew up in Morton Grove and is currently a Bears season-ticket holder.
(8) Jake Johnson
The actor and comedian is a Chicago area native who graduated from New Trier High School. When Johnson starred on the sitcom "New Girl," frequently messages were made to his love of the Bears.
(7) Tim Duncan
The longtime NBA star has followed the Bears closely from afar. When a Bears playoff game went into overtime in 2006, Duncan made the San Antonio Spurs team flight wait to takeoff until the Bears game ended.
(6) Seth Rollins
The popular WWE superstar has been an avid Bears fan since growing up in Davenport, Iowa. Rollins attends a couple games a year and frequently posts about the Bears on his social media platforms.
(5) Dwyane Wade
The longtime NBA star and Chicago native has been a lifelong Bears fan. Wade has developed a friendship with Khalil Mack and gave Mack his autographed Miami Heat jersey after a game last season versus the Bulls.
(4) Vince Vaughn
The actor, producer and screenwriter graduated from Lake Forest High School, which is about four miles away from Halas Hall. Vaughn served as the executive producer and narrator of "30 for 30: The '85 Bears."
(3) Bill Murray
The iconic actor, who grew up in Wilmette and attended Loyola Academy, has been a lifelong Bears fan who often attends games. Murray began his career at Second City in Chicago, an improv comedy troupe.
(2) Ashton Kutcher
The popular actor and venture capitalist, best known for appearing in "That '70s Show" and creating the TV show "Punk'd," has been an avid Bears fan since growing up in Iowa.
(1) Barack Obama
The 44th President of the United States moved to Chicago in 1985 and has been a huge Bears fan ever since, even welcoming the Super Bowl XX champs to the White House in 2011.
