Yo … Cousin? A Guide to The Bear’s Sprawling ‘Family’ Tree

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heads up: The information below contains spoilers regarding characters and storylines from Season 4 of ‘The Bear’, which debuted on June 25th.

The Madrigals. The Sopranos. The Thrombeys. The Pritchetts.

Many films and series often portray complex extended families. However, none seem as tangled as the one featured in “The Bear”. In Christopher Storer’s dramedy, we follow the Berzatto siblings and their assorted relatives who work at what was initially an Italian beef stand called The Beef and potentially could transform into a Michelin-starred brasserie named The Bear. However, the term ‘relatives’ isn’t always used in its traditional sense with the Berzattos. They often provide shelter to strays and have a tendency to consider anyone from a longtime friend to a pastry chef as an uncle or cousin.

Viewers of the Emmy-winning series might find it challenging to decipher their family lineage, but we’re going to give it our best shot. As cousin-by-marriage Stevie (John Mulaney) put it in season four’s wedding/family reunion episode, “Everything will work out just fine.

The Berzattos

The first Bears that the other Bears go to if they need a kidney.

The oldest brother in a lively, if not somewhat rowdy, Chicago family, Michael “Mikey” Berzatto (portrayed by Jon Bernthal), was both adored and despised by numerous individuals, which even included himself.

Jeremy Allen White’s character, Carmy Berzatto, is known as the one who “escaped” by becoming a top-notch chef. Upon returning home following his older brother’s demise, he aims to help save their family’s sandwich shop. However, rather than focusing on preservation, he persuades everyone around him to assist in transforming the shop into a renowned dining establishment. He exhibits a hint of a messiah-like attitude.

Natalee “Sugar” Berzatto is referred to as Abby Elliott here. She’s the middle child of the Berzatto siblings, but she carries an aura of an eldest daughter, which translates to a need (and desire) to solve problems for everyone around her. Recently, she welcomed a new addition to her family, a daughter named Sophie, who might grow up to mirror her mother’s characteristics.

Pete Katinsky, portrayed by Chris Witaske, is married to Natalie. He’s generally disliked by her family. Some might even call him a bit of a goofball. However, he’s predominantly a good person and an excellent shoulder to lean on when it comes to absorbing pain.

In this rephrased version, Donna Berzatto, portrayed by Jamie Lee Curtis, is a self-centered matriarch in the primary family. She works as a real estate agent and has a knack for ruining holiday dinners. Additionally, she had an unsatisfactory mother figure of her own.

A man, known only as Berzatto’s father, abandoned his family some time during the 1990s and maintains minimal interaction with them. He had a fondness for an Irish pub called Kerrigan’s. Natalie apparently inherited his physical build.

Cousins

People who grew up with the Berzattos and are therefore de facto family.

Originally portrayed as the embodiment of middle-aged white men who attribute their failures to external factors, Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) was Mikey’s closest friend and initially resistant to Carmy’s ambitious overhaul ideas for the restaurant. In a bid to reform himself, Richie is now stepping into the role of a charismatic manager at the revamped eatery.

Although Tiff (Gillian Jacobs) wasn’t a part of the Berzatto clan during her upbringing, her experiences as Richie’s ex-wife and mother to their daughter Eva (Annabelle Toomey) have left such a lasting impact that she can be considered a permanent cousin. Post-divorce, she’s now with the more financially secure Frank (Josh Hartnett), but this doesn’t mean that Tiff or Frank are detached from the family circle, nor does it imply they won’t extend invitations to every single Berzatto for their wedding. Given her own family complications (her mom is mostly absent in her life), losing her family ties during her split with Richie was one of her greatest concerns.

The main characters are Neil (Matty Matheson), Teddy (Ricky Staffieri), Sammy (John Cena), and Francie (Brie Larson). Neil and Teddy hold different roles at the restaurant. Sammy works for Matter of Fak Supply, the family’s repair company. Francie and Natalie were once close friends but had a disagreement that lasted until Tiff’s wedding. The reason behind their falling-out doesn’t really matter, but Francie can be quite difficult to get along with.

Claire Dunlap, who’s a dedicated medical resident, has had a deep affection for Carmy for quite some time. They went out together, but their relationship ended when he opted for his work commitments over her. Her roommate, Kelly, is currently seeing Teddy Fak. Francie dislikes this arrangement.

Stevie (John Mulaney) is explaining to Frank at the wedding that Michelle (Sarah Paulson), much like Spooky, is a cousin of Big Phil’s wife Estelle in an unconventional way; Spooky has something to do with motorcycles these days. Unfortunately for Tiff and Frank, Michelle had to leave their wedding early due to work commitments, but Stevie decided to stay back to poke fun at their former NYC roommate Carmy, and because he enjoys the chaos of the Berzatto family.

Uncs

The older generation

Jimmy “Cicero” Kalinowski, portrayed by Oliver Platt, is an ordinary individual who earned his wealth through legitimate means. Currently residing in Wilmette, Illinois with his second spouse, Carol, and their child, he also maintains a friendly relationship with the father of the Berzatto kids. Due to some unspoken patriarchal responsibility, he’s open to financing this seemingly bottomless eatery venture.

The brilliant mathematician, often referred to as “The Computer,” was known for calculating the precise moment a restaurant should close. However, it appeared that his calculations did not take into account the profitable sandwich-selling hours of the establishment. (Brian Koppelman)

A long-time companion of Donna’s, rumored to have developed a relationship with her following her husband’s departure. There seemed to be tension between him and Mikey, but according to Lee, they reconciled prior to Mikey’s demise.

The Bears

The team is eager to set aside their individual lives for a moment, once they catch a glimpse of Chef Carmy’s captivating blue eyes.

Sydney “Syd” Adamu (Ayo Edebiri) is Carmy’s gifted kitchen assistant who is emulating her mentor by putting aside her father, Emmanuel (Robert Townsend), and cousin, Chantel (Danielle Deadwyler), as well as her own financial standing, in a bid to keep the restaurant afloat.

Tina, portrayed by Liza Colón-Zayas, swiftly embraced Carmy’s idea, even without any formal culinary education. Her bond with the Berzatto family originates from when Mikey noticed her tears at the Beef and gave her a position. She shares a wonderful marriage with a man played by David Zayas, her real-life spouse, and has a child who, as she puts it, can sometimes be a bit of a troublemaker.

As a devoted enthusiast, I’d say that Marcus Brooks, or Lionel Boyce as he’s known, wholeheartedly embarked on the journey to master the art of pastry. This choice brought him some remarkable achievements (he was honored among Food & Wine’s outstanding new chefs) and heartbreaking setbacks (his mother passed away, leaving him with a heavy sense of guilt for not being able to be there for her more). His relationship with his father is also complex and strained.

In addition, Marcus shares living quarters with a design-savvy individual named Chester, or Carmen Christopher as some call him. On the side, Chester engages in real estate ventures. While Chester plays a minor role in this narrative, he unexpectedly received an invitation to Tiff and Frank’s wedding.

Ebraheim, originally known as Edwin Lee Gibson, was an experienced kitchen worker from the Beef establishment. Despite struggling under the kitchen pressure at the Bear, he virtually transformed the restaurant’s lunch counter into a sought-after spot on his own.

Ebraheim is said to have done this task mostly independently as his team consists of these two jokers, who are portrayed by real restaurateurs. James operates Uncle Paulie’s Deli in Los Angeles, and Zucchero runs Mr. Beef, the Chicago eatery that served as inspiration for the series.

In a similar vein to Marcus with his pastries, Sweeps, who goes by Corey Hendrix, started off as an unskilled sommelier but proved to be a fast learner. By the end of the fourth season, he appeared knowledgeable and confident in his expertise.

A seasoned pastry chef who is an old friend of Carmy’s, dating back to their time together in gourmet dining. He consistently supports Marcus.

The Evers

Richie had a week-long internship at the prestigious restaurant, Ever. Now, he finds it difficult to function without the team there.

The woman who ensures the service runs smoothly may appear prickly initially, but she operates efficiently as long as you don’t hinder her pace. She shares her father’s passion for car racing and excels at calming Richie down when he gets overly dramatic.

Or:

The woman who keeps the service running on schedule might seem prickly to start with, but she works smoothly if you don’t slow her progress. Her love of car racing, a trait inherited from her father, also allows her to effectively soothe Richie when he gets carried away.

Rene Gube and Andrew Lopez, also known as Rene and Garrett, were among the employees that The Bear inherited upon Ever’s closure. Many of them hold qualifications far beyond what is required for their current positions.

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2025-06-28 01:54