Is Richie actually Carmy's cousin in 'The Bear'?

The two share a strong bond

The Bear season two well and truly upped the ante for the kitchen-based drama, treating audiences to multiple Emmy-worthy performances. But it was Ebon Moss-Bacharach who arguably stole the show as the fiery cousin Richie.

The series, which aired on Hulu in the US and Disney+ in the UK, follows chef Carmen “Carmy” Berzatto (played by Jeremy Allen White) as he swaps fine dining restaurants for his family’s sandwich shop – The Original Beef of Chicagoland – after the death of his brother.

In the second season, Carmy, his sous-chef Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) and cousin Richie strive for something bigger as they transform The Beef into a fine dining restaurant. But as the pressure mounts and old family wounds re-open, the team struggle to hold themselves, and the business, together.

Even though Carmy and Richie refer to each other as ‘cousin’, they’re not actually related. In season one, Sydney asks Richie about their connection and he confirms that there’s no relation.

Richie was the best friend of Mikey (Jon Bernthal), Carmy’s older brother who tragically took his own life. So while there’s no blood relation between the two, Carmy and Richie still have a strong bond and very much view each other as family.

Season two features a number of A-list additions to the cast, including Jamie Lee Curtis, Bob Odenkirk, Sarah Paulson, Will Poulter, and Olivia Colman.

Poulter, who plays pastry chef Luca, said he “literally begged” the show’s producers to cast him in the second season.

“He was kind enough to gift me with the offer to play Luca, and it really changed my life, to be honest,” the actor told Variety.

In a four-star review of the second season, NME wrote: “Rather than hone in on Carmy and his struggles, these new episodes develop the other characters further and give them a chance to grow… It’s another intense ride, but it’s served up so deliciously, you’ll definitely be craving more come the end.”