The Berzattos fromThe Bearare one of the most complex, confusing families on television. The lineage includes core family members, extended family members, and, what might surprise fans to know, many of whom aren’t technically related at all, at least not by blood.
They all come together for occasions, good and bad, and have one another’s backs, even if they also fight like cats and dogs. Isn’t that what family is all about, after all? Carmy Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) is, of course, at the center of the story. But the extended family stretches far and wide.
The Actual Berzattos
Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto (Middle Child)
The plot begins whenCarmy (Jeremy Allen White)returns to Chicago to fix the local sandwich shop his now-deceased brother owned.He’s the middle child of three, the one who had big dreams of one day becoming a famous chef. What he most wanted, however, was to get out of the toxic family situation he was in and start a business with his brother. While his relationship with his mother is strained, they finally have a heart-to-heart in season four that puts them on a road to forgiveness.
Michael “Mikey” Berzatto (Oldest Child)
The eldest child is Michael (Jon Bernthal), whose death by suicide kicks off the premise of the series. He was the owner of The Original Beef prior to his death and suffered through many personal demons, notably addiction. Carmy looked up to his brother, desperate to prove himself to him and start a business together. But it’sevident through flashbacksthat Michael recognized Carmy’s potential and felt like he would hold him back.
Sydney Made the Right Decision in ‘The Bear’ Season 4, and I’ll Die on This Hill
‘The Bear’ ended its fourth season with a big decision for Syd, and while some think she made the wrong choice, it was the only choice to make.
Natalie “Sugar” Berzatto (Youngest Child)
Natalie “Sugar” (Abby Elliott) is the third and youngest child, the only daughter. She suffered the same fate of both her brothers, growing up in a fractured household. Her relationship with her mother was deeply troubling, but the pair worked through their issues when Sugar went into labor and Donna was there with her in the hospital. Sugar was called in to help with The Beef, now The Bear, when Carmy took over. She handles the financials as well as plays mediator between the battling sides, functioning in a management-type role. She has a husband and a newborn daughter.
Donna “Dee Dee” Berzatto (Mother)
Donna (Jamie Lee Curtis) is Carmy, Mikey, and Sugar’s mother. She was married to Carmy’s father, and details about him remain a mystery. In fact, the father’s name is never mentioned in the series, nor whether he’s still alive but estranged, or has died. Either way, the marriage was tumultuous, to say the least. Suffering from addiction and mental health issues, Donna was never a great mother to her kids, something she tearfully apologizes to Carmy for in the show’s fourth season. Now in recovery and one year sober, she’s trying her best to turn her life around. But Donna is still considered difficult to deal with, portrayed beautifully by Curtis in one ofthe show’s best guest-starring roles.
Peter “Pete” Kasinsky (Son-in-Law)
Natalie is married to Peter (Chris Witaske), a lawyer who occasionally helps the family and the restaurant with legal matters, despite most of them (Carmy excepted) not necessarily being fond of him. Together, they have a newborn daughter named Sophie, who is Carmy’s niece.
The Extended Family Is Complicated
When it comes to the extended family, the list is smaller than viewers might realize.
Jimmy “Cicero” Kalinowski (Unknown but Related)
Even though everyone calls Jimmy (Oliver Platt) “Uncle,” he’s not really their uncle. At least not directly. It’s implied he’s related somehow to the Berzatto dad, but it’s unclear if this is by blood or marriage and in what way. “We were so close in age,” he comments in season one, “that we were more like friends than family.” This implies they’re related, but how is never explicitly revealed.
They were certainly close, though, and Cicero often stepped in to help Donna and the kids when they needed it. In season four, Carmy realizes how much Uncle has helped them through their lives, both in the past and present. He makes an emotional phone call to thank him.
‘The Bear’ Cooks Up a Massive Season 4 Update
‘The Bear’ is back in the kitchen for its fourth season.
“Uncle” Lee Lane (Unknown but Likely Related)
“Uncle” Lee Lane (Bob Odenkirk) was in business with Cicero and the Berzatto dad, and it’s implied that he was somehow related to the Berzatto father. But it’s not confirmed how. They owned a company together called Kalinowski, Berzatto & Lane (KBL), the very same initials found on the tomato cans with money hidden in them that Carmy finds at the restaurant. KBL is also the company Michael was sending payments to prior to his death.
In the current day, Lee is Donna’s on-again, off-again boyfriend. He has a sharp tongue and often causes conflict, which results in much of the family disliking him. But he also has a heart-to-heart with Carmy in season four, confirming that he and Michael actually started to get along prior to his death, and that Michael spoke the world of his brother and talked about him all the time.Odenkirk earned an Emmy nominationfor his appearance in the show’s second season.
Michelle and Stevie (Cousin, Cousin-in-Law)
The only other actual Berzatto is Michelle Berzatto (Saral Paulson), who is Carmy, Michael, and Sugar’s cousin. However, she’s not blood-related as she was adopted. She lives in New York withher husband Stevie (John Mulaney). They provided Carmy with a place to stay when he was going through culinary school. Stevie, related by marriage, warns newbies into the family about what the Berzattos are like and has long since become acclimated to their antics.
Family Friends
The rest of the gang? It’s made up of “family” that isn’t technically related in any biological sense.
Richard “Richie” Jerimovich (Close Friend of the Family)
Carmy calls Richard “Richie” Jerimovich (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) “cousin,” but they aren’t technically related. However, Richie grew up around the Berzattos and was Michael’s best friend. He was an only child and didn’t have a great home life. Donna saw him as a son, given that he often spent time with their family. Atthe end of season four, Richie and Carmy have a heart-to-heart where Carmy reassures his friend that he is true family and should never feel like an outsider.
Neil and Teddy Fak, Plus Sammy and Francie, Too (Close Friends of the Family)
Neil (Matty Matheson) and Theodore “Teddy” (Ricky Staffieri) Fak are brothers who grew up in the neighborhood as well and were close friends with the Berzattos. Friends since they were all kids, Neil and Teddy are viewed as brothers, and Donna sees them as being like her own sons. Third brother Sammy Fak (John Cena), who only appeared in a cameo, and sister Francie Fak (Brie Larson), introduced in Season 4, are close as well, but not as close as Neil and Teddy to the Berzatto family.
10 Small Details in ‘The Bear’ That Are Really Easy To Miss
Let’s look back at some of the small details of the first three seasons of ‘The Bear’ and see what fans might have missed.
Claire and Tiff (Close Friends of the Family)
Claire Dunlap (Molly Gordon)ran in the same circles and was close with the family; she eventually becomes Carmy’s romantic partner. There’s alsoTiffany “Tiff” Jerimovich (Gillian Jacobs), a childhood friend who married (but later divorced) Richie and with whom they share a daughter,Eva (Annabelle Toomey). Not having a close family of her own, she relied on others, including the Berzattos, as her makeshift family. And she’s forever grateful for them being there for her.
So, in terms of genetics, the core Berzatto family is not as big as it looks. But despite being filled with negativity, trauma, and personal strife, so many others in the neighborhood were drawn to the family. Through business, school, childhood, and extended family connections, the “family” transcends the name.
StreamThe Bearon Hulu.
