When you first sit down to watch The Bear, you’re basically hit by a wall of sound. There’s the clanging of pans, the screaming of "Corner!", and the relentless, anxiety-inducing hum of a Chicago kitchen on the brink of collapse. But then there’s Natalie Berzatto. Or "Sugar." While everyone is busy wondering if Carmy is going to have a nervous breakdown or if Richie is finally going to grow up, Sugar is the one holding the actual glue.
So, who plays Sugar in The Bear? That would be Abby Elliott.
If that name sounds familiar, it’s probably because you grew up watching her on Saturday Night Live or you recognize her famous comedy lineage. But honestly? Her work as Natalie is a total departure from the broad sketches of Studio 8H. She isn't just a side character. She is the audience's surrogate in the middle of a family that defines the word "dysfunctional."
The Casting of Abby Elliott as Natalie "Sugar" Berzatto
The choice to cast Abby Elliott was actually kind of a masterstroke by creator Christopher Storer. Think about it. Elliott comes from a world of high-pressure, live performance. She’s the daughter of Chris Elliott and the granddaughter of Bob Elliott. Comedy is in her literal DNA. But in The Bear, she’s asked to play the "straight man" to a family of absolute tornados.
It’s a tough gig.
Natalie Berzatto is often the only person in the room trying to talk about feelings, taxes, or the fact that the family restaurant is literally bleeding money. Elliott plays her with this specific brand of "older sister fatigue" that anyone with a difficult sibling will recognize instantly. It’s that look in her eyes—half-terrified that the world is ending and half-resigned to the fact that she’s the only one who knows where the fire extinguisher is.
Why do they call her Sugar?
Wait, we should probably clear this up. If you're a casual fan, you might have missed the origin of the nickname. It’s not because she’s particularly sweet—though she is arguably the kindest person in the show.
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As revealed in the high-octane "Fishes" flashback episode, the nickname "Sugar" comes from a childhood incident where she accidentally put a massive amount of sugar into a gravy (or sauce, depending on which side of the Chicago/Italian divide you stand on). It’s a classic Berzatto move: a mistake that happened decades ago becomes your permanent identity. Abby Elliott plays into this beautifully. She carries the weight of a nickname that reminds her of her own perceived incompetence in a family of "perfectionists."
From SNL to the Chaos of The Beef
Before she was trying to get Carmy to go to Al-Anon, Abby Elliott was making a name for herself as the first second-generation cast member on Saturday Night Live. She was there from 2008 to 2012. You might remember her impressions of Zooey Deschanel or Meryl Streep.
Transitioning from sketch comedy to a gritty FX/Hulu drama isn't easy. Most people get stuck in the "funny friend" lane. But Elliott’s performance in The Bear is incredibly grounded. In Season 2, especially, we see her step up as the project manager for the new restaurant. She’s pregnant, she’s stressed, and she’s trying to navigate a relationship with her mother, Donna (played by the legendary Jamie Lee Curtis), that is basically a psychological minefield.
The scenes between Elliott and Curtis are some of the most uncomfortable, raw moments in modern television. Elliott doesn’t overplay it. She doesn't scream. She just... shrinks. It’s a very human reaction to a narcissistic parent, and it showed a level of dramatic depth that honestly caught a lot of critics by surprise.
What Most People Get Wrong About Sugar’s Role
A lot of viewers initially wrote Sugar off as "the nagging sister." That’s a lazy take.
If you look closer, Sugar is the CFO of the operation. Not just the financial one, but the emotional one. She’s the one who stayed in Chicago while Carmy was off winning Michelin stars and Michael was, well, doing what Michael did. She stayed. She dealt with the debt. She dealt with the phone calls from creditors.
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Abby Elliott portrays this through a series of subtle choices. Notice how she’s always cleaning something in the background? Or how she’s the only one who actually asks Carmy if he’s "okay" and doesn't accept "I’m fine" as an answer? That’s not nagging. That’s survival.
The Chemistry with Jeremy Allen White
The dynamic between Abby Elliott and Jeremy Allen White (Carmy) feels lived-in. It feels like two people who have a secret language built on shared trauma. They don't need a lot of dialogue to communicate. When they’re sitting on the floor of the half-finished restaurant, sharing a moment of quiet, you see the bond.
Elliott plays the "mom" of the group without being a caricature. She’s younger than Michael but older than Carmy, placing her in this weird middle ground where she has to be the bridge between the past and the future.
Key Moments That Defined the Character
If you want to see why Abby Elliott is so vital to the show’s success, look at these specific beats:
- The "Fishes" Episode: Watching her navigate the kitchen while her mother is spiraling. Her face when she asks, "Are you okay, Mom?" is a masterclass in anticipated grief.
- The "Sugar" Episode (Season 3): This is the one everyone talked about. It’s a bottle episode, essentially, focusing on Natalie giving birth. It’s harrowing, funny, and deeply moving. It centers her narrative in a way the show hadn't done before.
- The Contractor Negotiations: In Season 2, watching her try to handle the bureaucracy of Chicago construction. It’s a different kind of "chef" work—navigating the red tape while keeping the ego of the workers in check.
The Reality of Being a "Berzatto"
Being a Berzatto means you’re never truly relaxed. Even when things are going well, you’re waiting for the other shoe to drop. Abby Elliott captures that "bracing for impact" energy perfectly.
Some fans wonder if she'll eventually snap. We’ve seen Carmy snap. We’ve seen Richie go through a total "Stage" transformation. But Sugar? She stays steady. That’s her burden. She’s the anchor, and if the anchor breaks, the whole ship goes down.
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It's also worth noting that Elliott was actually pregnant in real life during some of the filming, which added a layer of literal physical weight to her performance. The stakes weren't just about a restaurant anymore; they were about the next generation of this broken family.
Why Abby Elliott Matters for the Future of The Bear
As we look toward future seasons, the character of Natalie is only going to get more complex. She’s a mother now. She has to decide how much of the Berzatto "curse" she’s going to pass on and how much she’s going to break.
Abby Elliott has turned what could have been a thankless "concerned sibling" role into the most relatable character on the screen. While we all love the spectacle of the kitchen, most of us are actually "Sugars"—the ones trying to keep the lights on and the people we love from falling apart.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Aspiring Creators
If you're interested in the craft of acting or just want to appreciate the show on a deeper level, keep these things in mind:
- Watch the background: In ensemble scenes, look at Abby Elliott when she’s not talking. Her reactions to the chaos around her often tell the "real" story of the scene.
- Study the "Straight Man" role: Comedy and drama both need an anchor. Elliott’s performance is a perfect example of how to be compelling without being "loud."
- Follow her career beyond the show: If you've only seen her as Sugar, go back and watch her SNL sketches. It highlights the incredible range required to go from parody to the raw realism of The Bear.
- Pay attention to the costume design: Natalie’s wardrobe is deliberately different from the rest of the cast—softer, more "professional" but still slightly lived-in. It reinforces her status as the outsider/insider of the kitchen world.
Abby Elliott isn't just "the girl from SNL" anymore. She is the heart of one of the most intense shows on television, and the Berzatto family—and the show itself—would be lost without her.