The Real Life Partners Of The Cast Of The Bear

When "The Bear" premiered on Hulu in June 2022, it was an immediate breakout hit with fans and critics alike. Viewers were glued to the everyday goings-on of the Chicago sandwich shop's staff and their manager, Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto, who quit his fancy NYC chef gig to run his family's business, per IMDB. Onset, despite flirtatious exchanges and banter, there's a distinct lack of romance, but what about when the cameras stop rolling and the real-life partners of "The Bear" cast enter the scene?

Variety reports that "Shameless" actor Jeremy Allen White, who plays Carmy, and Ayo Edebiri, who portrays sous chef Sydney Adamu, have known each other for ages. They met years previously when the now-actors both attended the Institute of Culinary Education. There's real chemistry cooking between them. Still, despite the kitchen heat, things never get steamy between the two characters — or any of the other stars. Instead, there's a genuine camaraderie and a strong focus on platonic relationships, just as the show's creators intended.

"The relationship that Ayo and Jeremy have is so special and really different from the relationship that she has with Ebon and the relationship that she has with Lionel," showrunner Joanna Calo told Variety. "There is this really special thing where they all took the assignment really seriously and became friends in different ways." 

So, what about the real-life partners of the cast of "The Bear?" Who's cooking up a storm with whom offset?

No romantic connections are simmering in "The Bear." Most of the cast is too busy turning the rundown sandwich joint into a gastro delight while also working on their personal demons. Per Mashable, Carmy, played by Jeremy Allen White, is battling grief over his brother's sudden death—the reason for his reluctant return to Chicago to run the family business.

In real life, Jeremy's romantic life has proven to be an equally emotional rollercoaster. People reports that the actor welcomed his first child with "Californication" star Addison Timlin in 2018. The two married in 2019, and their second child arrived in 2020. They appeared to be the perfect Hollywood family — Jeremy and Timlin's daughters, Ezer and Dolores White, even share a famous godmother, Dakota Johnson. "I love you deep in my bones," Jeremy told his wife during his 2023 Golden Globes best actor acceptance speech. "Thank you for all that you do. Thank you for everything that you've done." However, Stylecaster reports that just four months later, Timlin filed for divorce amid anonymous allegations of a cheating scandal.

Meanwhile, Ayo Edebiri remains cagey about her love life. She told Glamour that the only person who's "slid into her DMs" is her mother. "My mom will message me," she said. "I think this isn't what you're looking for, but my mom does send crazy responses to things. She's an active responder." Edebiri also confessed that she likes to spend her alone time scrapbooking with random stickers purchased from Etsy.

The rest of "The Bear" cast is definitely luckier when it comes to love. Per The New Yorker, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, who starred as Desi Harperin in the cast of "Girls," and plays Richard "Richie" Jerimovich in "The Bear," has two daughters with his wife, photographer Yelena Yemchuk. He said he taught himself to cook after his first daughter was born, and like his onscreen character, he loves to while away the hours in the kitchen—albeit with a lot less stress.

Matty Matheson, who plays Neil Fak, also comes from a culinary background like his costars, Jeremy Allen White and Ayo Edebiri. Unlike them, though, he's happily married with three kids. Amo Mama reports that after two decades of dating, Matheson married his high school sweetheart, Tricia Spencer, in 2014. He's been open about his struggles with addiction and credits Spencer for always being by his side and helping him get through the darkest periods in his life.

Abby Elliott portrays Natalie "Sugar" Berzatto in "The Bear." Per Page Six, the comedian dated her former "Saturday Night Live" costar, Fred Armisen, for a year before meeting her husband, Bill Kennedy. The two married in 2015 and welcomed their first child, daughter Edith Kennedy, in October 2020. Elliott shared the news of their second child's arrival on Instagram. "William 'Billy' Joseph Lunney Kennedy IV. 6 lbs 7 oz June 9, 2023, 5:10 pm," she captioned pics of the newborn. "hearts bursting; we love you so much," she added.