As we gear as much as return to the kitchen for Season 4 of FX‘s The Bear, we’re looking again at considered one of Season 3’s greatest episodes, “Ice Chips,” with star Abby Elliott, who performs Natalie Berzatto, affectionately known as Sugar by these closest to her within the kitchen dramedy.
“I name her each,” Elliott tells TV Insider, referring to the way in which she addresses her character. “Carmy calls her Sugar for probably the most half, generally Nat, however Pete, for probably the most half, calls her Nat,” Elliott provides, noting her onscreen brother and husband’s names for her. Whether or not you name her Sugar, Nat, or Natalie, there’s no denying she’s one of many true hearts on the heart of this culinary sequence. Supporting her brother, Chef Carmy Berzatto (Jeremy Allen White), Natalie retains the books at their up-and-coming titular restaurant as they try and earn a Michelin star.
Within the third season’s eighth installment, Natalie finds herself caught in site visitors after going out to choose up provides when she goes into labor. Together with her husband, Pete (Chris Witaske), out of city and unavailable by way of cellphone, she tries ringing Carmy’s accomplice, Sydney (Ayo Edebiri), her brother, and several other of the kitchen employees with out luck, unaware that every one their telephones are in a locker till the top of dinner service, forcing her to name on mother Donna (Jamie Lee Curtis).
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What follows is a shifting half-hour of tv as Natalie tries to work with what she’s acquired, making an attempt to lean on Donna for assist, however in the end having to make a number of changes earlier than she finds a cushty place each figuratively and actually. Under, Elliott displays on the episode by revealing how her personal delivery expertise influenced her efficiency, sharing how she tapped into feelings for the candy musical second, and the importance of Natalie calling on Sydney first.
If you had been informed there could be a Natalie-centric episode, did that increase anxiousness or pleasure?
Abby Elliott: I feel each. I knew that it was going to occur earlier than we began taking pictures, clearly, however once I was giving delivery to my precise son in actual life… I recorded my contractions to return and watch, as a result of I had this process of getting to truly convey labor in a sensible means, and likewise to have this stunning emotional episode. I used to be able to get to work, and so excited for the episode. Additionally understanding that it was with Jamie, I knew that I’d be utterly snug, protected, and supported as an actor. She’s simply so unbelievable to work with, and having labored together with her in the course of the “Seven Fishes” episode, I knew what to anticipate in the way in which of how she works, and she or he makes you are feeling so snug straight away. In order quickly as I heard [about the episode], I used to be like, “That is simply such a present and let’s f**king go.”
You introduced up giving delivery to your real-life son. Did having that have previous to this episode make approaching filming simpler?
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Yeah, I feel that was such a giant focus of mine to make it appear extraordinarily life like and have you ever virtually really feel the ache with me. And yeah, it positively helped having executed it twice now, you will have these excruciating contractions after which they finish, and also you’re similar to, “Effectively, what now?” You’re feeling advantageous. And so Sugar is now caught in a birthing room with the final particular person she needs to be with, but in addition the individual that she wants there, who’s the closest to her, who’s additionally gone by means of labor. And so she must really feel reassured on this calm method. After which Donna will go on a rant about her having her father’s ass and Sugar’s like, “What? That’s not what I want from you proper now.” After which she surprises her and tells her this comforting delivery story and holds her.
The entire thing was simply such a present, and I had by no means actually seen labor depicted on digicam in a sensible means that didn’t actually finish with happiness, there’s a child in my arms. And so I believed that was actually cool and particular after I learn Joanna Calo’s script. This isn’t what this episode is about in any respect. It’s not in regards to the outcome. It’s the journey and the connection, and even their relationship on the finish.
Whereas within the hospital room, Natalie tells Donna she’s been pushed to illness over worrying about her. And Natalie additionally admits her largest concern is that she simply needs her child to “be okay,” which is the same sentiment to her concern for Donna in Season 2’s “Seven Fishes” episode. Is Natalie’s hyper-empathy her largest weak spot, or do you assume it’s a superpower?
I feel you hit the nail on the pinnacle. It’s a weak spot, nevertheless it’s additionally her superpower. I feel it’s one thing that plenty of ladies can relate to, too, being the fixer, and particularly in a household of chaos and trauma, making an attempt so desperately to convey everyone collectively and have issues be okay. And that’s all Sugar has actually needed. They’re choosing, choosing up the items nonetheless from Mikey’s dying, and she or he’s specializing in Carmy a lot as a result of that’s how she will be able to cope with this. If I give attention to my brother, then I’ve handled my s**t, so I’m simply going to give attention to my brother, which isn’t essentially…
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Specializing in herself.
Precisely. And I feel additionally with Sugar, earlier than she had the infant, her anxiousness she put into the restaurant as a result of she beloved her brother, so she form of ignored the truth that she was pregnant for a very long time and centered solely on the restaurant, I feel with a view to make Carmy blissful and make it work for him as a result of he wants this. It’s a common theme amongst plenty of ladies, and I’ve had so many individuals come as much as me and say that they relate to Sugar as a result of they’re the Sugar of their household.
When Donna performs The Ronettes‘ “Child, I Love You,” she and Natalie share a candy second of connection. Was it straightforward falling into the feelings of that scene with that track as an support?
Yeah, I imply, it’s such a common factor. You consider your individual dad and mom or your daughter in that second, too. That was, for me, what I used to be eager about. And simply everyone’s a child of any individual. It’s kind of like if you see your father or mother as a human for the primary time, I feel Sugar in that second was seeing her mother [as a human] for the primary time, as somebody who birthed her into the world and had desires and hopes for her and beloved her in that second. After which there may be that connection of like, “Oh, wait, we each need the most effective for our child, and you’ve got f**ked this all up, however you’re nonetheless making an attempt.” And that’s simply what’s so devastatingly haunting about it. She’s desperately tried to not repeat her mother’s patterns, after which I feel she actually sees her in that second.
Earlier than Natalie arrives on the hospital, she’s caught in site visitors and calling everybody she will be able to consider to attempt to accompany her to the hospital. What’s the importance of her calling Sydney first?
I feel going again to the omelet, that’s in all probability the catalyst for what she was considering when she referred to as Sydney first. She is aware of that there’s no means that Carmy goes to be out there at this second. And Sydney is the competent one within the group, which says one thing about how Sugar feels about Carmy. Going to Sydney first was positively going again to the omelet of all of it. [Sydney] cared on this second, she’s going to alert everyone, she’s the chief right here, after which she goes down the listing.
That driving scene… I used to be truly panicking that day on set as a result of I had damaged my ankle that weekend in Chicago. I had solely gone to the ER, so that they had been like, “You’re going to should be on crutches.” And I used to be like, “I’ve acquired to movie.” And so then I went to the physician the subsequent day, they had been like, “It’s advantageous, you could possibly be in a boot for a few weeks and also you’ll be advantageous.” So I used to be simply in a boot. However anyway, that day I believed I wasn’t going to have the ability to stroll for the rest of taking pictures for the season.
Natalie is adamant she’s going to provide delivery with out medication. Does that stem from a necessity to manage issues in her life?
Yeah, she is available in with this listing, she is aware of what she needs and what she doesn’t need, so she thinks she does. After which she additionally wants a sounding board. She wants somebody there to assist her. And Donna’s like, “No, no, no, [you need the drugs].” However it’s that feeling of needing management. And I bear in mind with my first, particularly, I actually needed issues to go a sure means, and so they didn’t. And with a second, I used to be like, “Yeah, no matter.” I feel that’s completely her want for management, and likewise to stay it to her mother a bit.
Natalie is proof against Donna’s recommendation initially, however she rapidly learns her mother is aware of what she’s speaking about. How essential is it for Natalie to acknowledge her mom’s good recommendation, particularly after shutting her out of sharing in Natalie’s being pregnant journey?
It can be crucial for her to have that realization. I feel the massive factor is the shared expertise of delivery, and as, sure, “he-he-he” works, the ice chips are the most effective factor she’s ever had in that second, and mom is aware of greatest on this second, and that’s terrifying and scary for Sugar. And as headstrong as Sugar goes in, I feel in the direction of the top of it, it’s this kind of softening of, “Okay, you had been right here, you had been in the identical place as me,” and Sugar has empathy for her mother, as a lot as she has shut that a part of her herself down. On the subject of Donna, she’s positively very guarded, and so in that second, that wall breaks down.
FX’s The Bear, Season 4 Premiere, Wednesday, June 25, Hulu