Abby Elliot Does Think ‘The Bear’ Is a Comedy: ‘A Lot of People Find Comedy in The Darkness’

On the first season of “The Bear,” Abby Elliot’s sister to Jeremy Allen White’s flawed, but masterful chef Carmy Berzatto, Natalie (mostly referred to as Sugar or Mom), didn’t get a lot of time to stand out. There may be intention in this. For all the characters, that first season represents a moment where everyone’s lives were upended by grief and shifting power dynamics. If there’s anyone who Carmy doesn’t want to disappoint, it’s Natalie, so facing her at a moment when he can’t face himself feels impossible.

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By season 2 though, something has reopened inside of him. A passion. Maybe even a faith. It’s at this point that Carmy needs Natalie most. Though Richie and the Fak may have been around the Berzattos for a while, Natalie and Carmy have ridden the whole wild ride out hand-in-hand. In a recent interview with The New York Times , Elliot admitted that, having come from a sillier comic background with stints on “Saturday Night Live” and the sitcom “Odd Mom Out,” she didn’t really know what she was getting into.

“I kind of went into it like, Oh, should I do a voice? Or I could do a little catchphrase? That could be fun,” Elliot said of being approached for the part by FX, later adding, “I didn’t really quite understand how high the stakes would be.”

Despite these stakes and despite mass commentary that argues the contrary, Elliot does still think “The Bear” qualifies as a comedy .

“It’s just like real life. A lot of people find comedy in the darkness and the stress. It’s so relatable in that way,” she said. At the same time, she understands “The Bear” is a different beast entirely from what she’s done before and relishes the opportunity to perform emotion over dialogue.

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“My career has been all text,” Elliot said to The New York Times. “I’ve done things where I’m explaining exactly how I’m feeling, like so many times.”

With the recently released Season 3 of the hit TV series, Elliot continues to be an integral part of the cast, even getting a solo episode towards the back half. However, don’t expect her to be donning an apron anytime soon.

“I would love to cook,” Elliott said of her real-life desires. “But I’m barely showering every day. It’s all air fryer and Target orders.”