Meet Karluk – The Realistic Grizzly Bear
Karluk is a commanding grizzly bear costume designed to deliver striking realism and versatility on screen and in person. Standing at 6’3″ (190 cm), Karluk fits naturally into a wide range of productions, from dramatic storytelling and cinematic realism to lighter, more playful moments. With worldwide availability, Karluk can travel to almost any production, making him a flexible choice for projects across film, television, commercials, and live events.
Key Features
- Realistically detailed claws and paw pads
- Advanced animatronic head for lifelike expression
- Performer-controlled mouth with natural opening and closing
- Placeable eyelids for sleeping or resting scenes
- Extra facial movements operated by external puppeteer, including:
• Radio-controlled ear movement
• Radio-controlled nose and upper lip movement
Professional Support Included
Every booking comes with one of our experienced actors and a dedicated coordinator, ensuring consistent performance, smooth logistics, and the best possible results for your production.
A Reliable and Striking Presence
His lifelike design and responsive features make him a standout choice for film, television, marketing campaigns, and special appearances.
Photo Gallery
Video Highlights
Don’t Go Full Mama Bear! Mama Bear Legal Forms
When Mama Bear Legal Forms needed a memorable campaign, Karluk was ready to step in.
This two-day shoot in Salt Lake City packed in plenty of bear action, resulting in a full series of commercials later cut into 15 and 30 second spots for TV and digital.
Fun fact: Karluk was completely unfazed by the 9ºF exterior scenes, proving once again he is built for all kinds of productions.
When Our Grizzly Bear Met Emily Atack
This project took us deep into the forest for a hilarious shoot with Emily Atack on her hit comedy series The Emily Atack Show, filmed and broadcast in the UK in 2021. Our lifelike grizzly bear made his appearance in Season 2, Episode 1 “Holidays,” bringing plenty of laughs to the screen.
As fun as the scene was, we could not help but imagine what local walkers and joggers must have thought when they stumbled across a full-sized grizzly bear casually filming in the woods.
Hey Karluk! Hands off the Honey!
Our very first trip to Turkey brought us to the legendary city of Istanbul for a shoot that was as sweet as it sounds. Karluk starred in a commercial for Balparmak honey and was more than happy to lend a paw in making those little sachets look irresistible.
The glamorous Turkish spokeswoman may have towered over the crew, but Karluk stood tall and confident, unfazed by the spotlight. Even with a language barrier on set, our grizzly delivered a playful performance that won everyone over.
Working with TERfilm on this project was a true pleasure, and the finished ad was later enhanced with a swarm of animated bees to complete the scene.
6 Commercials in 3 Days? No Problem for Karluk!
Our next adventure took us all the way to Ecuador, where we teamed up with Golden Bear Lubricants for an ambitious challenge: film 6 commercials in just 3 days.
It was a whirlwind shoot but also an absolute blast. From set to set, Karluk gave it his all, even stepping into some unusual roles including piloting a speed boat. Not exactly a typical day in the life of a grizzly but he pulled it off in style.
The Spanish tagline for the campaign translates to “Put the power of the bear in it” and Karluk delivered every ounce of that bear power on screen.
Golden Bear Lubricants was a fantastic agency to work with and we were lucky enough to be invited back for more collaborations in later years.
Cast Karluk today
Reach out to learn more about availability and how Karluk can be part of your production.