There’s lots of “sibling” love between The Bear stars Abby Elliott and Jeremy Allen White on and off the screen.
On the hit FX series, Elliott, 36, plays Natalie “Sugar” Berzatto, the doting older sister of chef Carmy, portrayed by White, 32. The siblings’ relationship is both strengthened and tested when their brother Michael dies by suicide and leaves his struggling restaurant, The Beef, in Carmy’s care.
Although Sugar and Carmy may have a bit of a complicated relationship, there’s nothing but adoration between the two actors who play them.
“I really feel like Jeremy could be my brother in real life,” she tells PEOPLE in this week’s issue. “I adore him. I showed a picture of my grandfather when my grandfather was younger to Jeremy, and they look so similar, it’s eerie almost. And he showed me a picture of his sister and was like, ‘You guys look alike.’”
The duo had no trouble getting into sync right off the bat, either. “I think we instantly got into the rhythm of the eye-rolly brother-sister stuff,” she says.
Elliott also says that she’s “excited” for fans to learn more about Sugar and Carmy’s relationship in the upcoming season, premiering on Thursday.
“I’m excited for [viewers] to get to know the character a little more, and get to know where she’s coming from and more about her family and her relationship with Carmy,” the former Saturday Night Live cast member shares. “This next season really dives into a lot of the characters that people were curious about. I think people will be very excited.”
“[Sugar’s] been through so much s—. She’s been through a lot with her brother,” she continues. “She has this desire to make everything nice and to have a healthy relationship to talk about things. I think that’s really admirable in a person to be an open book like that. I think Sugar strives for that and wants to get that out of Carmy.”
Teasing a bit of what’s to come, the actress says her favorite scene to shoot in season 1 was when Sugar and Carmy were talking on the phone, having an intense conversation as she cooked their mother’s recipe for chicken piccata.
“That scene, it just explains so much about our relationship and about our characters,” she explains. “I’m asking about [our] mom. I have this allegiance to my mother, and he blows that off. … I’m trying to connect the family again.”
Season 1 of The Bear was a hit amongst audiences and critics alike, with White being awarded at the Critics’ Choice Awards, Golden Globe Awards and Screen Actors Guild Awards for his efforts.
Looking back now on the show’s early success, Elliott believes that the “heart” of the series is what ultimately won viewers over.
“I think most people at some point have either worked in a restaurant themselves or known someone who worked at a restaurant, and they could relate to just how chaotic that lifestyle is. And with all the restaurant chaos, the show also has this family story and this heart to the show,” Elliot says. “I think people can connect to that as well of loving someone or knowing someone that had addiction issues or just family drama in general.”
“Also visually, the show is shot so beautifully — and there’s food,” she adds. “And we all love food, right?”
All 10 episodes of The Bear season 2 will premiere on Hulu Thursday. Season 1 is available to stream now in its entirety.
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