Who's family at 'The Bear' wedding? John Mulaney, Brie Larson's links, explained

USA Today

21 hours ago

Spoiler alert! "The Bear" Season 4, Episode 7 wedding details are discussed below.
Nothing brings out the chaos in FX's "The Bear" like an extended Berzatto family blow-out.
Jealousy, unresolved pain and long-running feuds surface in Episode 7 of the comedy-drama's Season 4 (now streaming on Hulu/Disney+) as Richie Jerimovich (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) watches his ex-wife Tiffany (Gillian Jacobs) celebrate her marriage to wealthy, handsome and sensitive Frank (Josh Hartnett).
Carmy Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White) is among the family wedding guests, which also include matriarch Donna Berzatto (Jamie Lee Curtis), her gentleman friend "Uncle" Lee (Bob Odenkirk), actual cousin Michelle Berzatto (Sarah Paulson) and Michelle's husband Stevie (John Mulaney). Carmy's sister Natalie "Sugar" Berzatto (Abby Elliott) also plays a prominent role with her feuding childhood best friend, Francie Fak (Brie Larson).
Which wedding guests were in the 'Fishes' Christmas episode?
Many of these family members celebrated an explosive Berzatto family Christmas. The famed Season 2 "Fishes" flashback episode, released in June 2023, featured an argumentative Mikey Berzatto (Jon Bernthal) before his death by suicide, and Donna mentally falling apart while preparing the traditional Italian-American Feast of the Seven Fishes.
That critically acclaimed episode ends with Uncle Lee and Mikey being restrained during a dinner-table brawl, punctuated by Donna driving her car through the living room. It also garnered nine Emmy nominations and won four awards, including best guest actor for Curtis and Bernthal.
The wedding episode reunites the dysfunctional group. Richie, who is called "cousin" by Carmy despite lacking blood relations, is just one among the bombastic brood. Let's meet the rest of the family and how they fit in.
Brie Larson is introduced as the infamous Francie Fak
Family relations: Related by forever friendship to Natalie Berzatto, despite their deep disagreement.
Larson steps in to play the infamous Fak family member viewers had only heard about before the wedding. The childhood best friend remains locked in a heated longtime feud with Natalie, which is so toxic that it's referenced in shocked whispers during the "Fishes" episode.
The source of their bitter battle, which erupts immediately at the reception, is unclear. But the revelation that the duo had "hooked up" in the past, dropped at the wedding, is particularly telling. In Francie's eyes, no girlfriend has ever been good enough for her two brothers, Theodore (Ricky Staffieri) and Neil (Matty Matheson).
Tiffany (Gillian Jacobs) marries Frank (Josh Hartnett)
Family relations: Richie's ex remains close to the Berzattos.
Tiffany was pregnant and nauseous during the Christmas "Fishes" episode, when she was cared for by her then-husband Richie. Pain points in their marriage, mostly surrounding finances, are explored in the Christmas setting.
Two seasons later, their daughter Sophie is a beautiful wedding participant. But the marriage has fallen apart, and Tiffany has moved on to a new life with Frank (Hartnett). Her own family didn't show up for the wedding, highlighting Tiffany's love for the Berzatto clan, who roll in en masse. Richie is still gutted but supportive, helping Frank deal with dance-shy Sophie, who hides under a table during the reception.
Jamie Lee Curtis as a sober Donna Berzatto
Family relations: The troubled Berzatto matriarch.
Donna has sought professional help after her wine-fueled "Fishes" breakdown. However, she is visibly nervous meeting the family, especially Carmy. When offered a cocktail at the reception, Donna turns it down with a simple "I'm not drinking right now. I'm trying to be healthier."
Donna makes an early, quiet exit from the event with Uncle Lee. "There's a lot of pain in there," Lee tells Carmy in a key moment.
But Donna is learning to deal with it "before it builds up. I'm learning it too."
Uncle Lee (Bob Odenkirk) has an honorary family title
Family relations: Honorary uncle in the Italian-American family and Donna's on-and-off paramour.
Mikey had always been suspicious and resentful of Lee Lane, despite the "uncle" title and Lee's insistence that he's just a supportive friend to Mikey's mother, Donna. The "Fishes" episode blow-up is fueled by Uncle Lee prodding the dinner fork-throwing Mikey into a fight by lobbing truth bombs at the Christmas table.
Carmy is even more suspicious at the wedding, despite Lee insisting he and Donna are "just friends." Lee reveals to Carmy that he made peace and became good friends with Mikey after the Christmas fight, and "after I stopped trying to be his dad."
Cousin Michelle (Sarah Paulson) supports family, Carmy
Family relations: Michelle Berzatto is Carmy's cousin, who is married to Stevie (Mulaney).
The supportive Berzatto cousin and New York City restaurant owner, Michelle has been good to Carmy, allowing the then-aspiring chef to stay at her New York City home when he was a struggling chef – and urging him to come back to New York City. She leaves the wedding early to catch a flight, but not before bonding with the bride.
Stevie (John Mulaney) doesn't miss Berzatto family events
Family relations: Michelle Berzatto's husband, family drama spectator.
Stevie is a family in-law but doesn't miss Berzatto events, if not for the sheer spectacle of seeing the family fireworks. Stevie begrudgingly gives a poignant dinner-table blessing at the "Fishes" table before the fight really starts.
At the wedding, Stevie predicts more family drama. "There's no wording to sum up what this is going to be," he says.
Natalie 'Sugar' Berzatto (Abby Elliott) brings Francie feud to wedding
Family relations: Donna's daughter, Carmy's sister.
Natalie bore the brunt of her mother's pent-up anger in the kitchen on Christmas. The "Fishes" episode also revealed the source of her nickname, from the time Natalie poured sugar instead of salt into the gravy, making it taste like Hawaiian Punch.
Mother and daughter reconciled in the Season 3 finale, when Natalie gave birth to her son, Billy. At the wedding with her husband Pete (Chris Witaske), Natalie and Francie patch up their differences with a reception table heart-to-heart.
Pete (Chris Witaske) brings a smile to Berzatto events
Family relations: Natalie Berzatto's husband
Good-natured Pete made the mistake of bringing a fish dish to the Christmas "Fishes" dinner, which had to be immediately disposed of before his mother-in-law saw the proposed dinner addition.
At the wedding, Pete tries to make peace between his wife and Francie and is shocked to find out they had hooked up in the past. He gets over it quickly and dances happily with his beloved at the end.
The Fak brothers are back, now with their sister
Family relations: Family through forever friendship.
The Fak brothers are quick-talking rowdy merrymakers who dress in matching green plaid shirts with red sweaters over the shoulders at the "Fishes" holiday dinner. They hustle a baseball card money-making eBay scheme (which Stevie happily pays $500 just to watch unfold).
At the wedding, the brothers, this time wearing natty matching suits, have evolved. They now attempt to extract $500 from Pete through an art scheme. Theodore brings his first serious girlfriend, Kelly, to the wedding to meet the family and his sister.
James 'Cicero' Kalinowski (Oliver Platt) is transactional Uncle Jimmy
Family relations: Longtime family friend and business associate. The title of uncle is honorary.
Southside Chicago business hotshot James "Cicero" Kalinowski (Oliver Platt) is a longtime and highly transactional friend of the Berzatto family. He loaned Mikey $300,000 to fund his original Italian beef-sandwich restaurant and later made an even bigger loan to Carmy for fine-dining The Bear. Uncle Jimmy stays out of the family fire and refuses to take a side in any conflict. He warmly greets Francie in front of fuming frenemy Natalie, who angrily reminds him that he's her "uncle."