Jamie Lee Curtis Deserves An Emmy For Her Haunting ‘The Bear’ Performance

By Nicole Gallucci Twitter @nicolemichele5
Published June 23, 2023, 12:15 p.m. ET

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Actor, producer, scream queen, and newly-minted Oscar winner Jamie Lee Curtis is coming for an Emmy after wholly letting it rip in The Bear Season 2.

Joining an unexpectedly long list of high-profile guest stars who appeared in the latest 10 episodes of Christopher Storer’s FX dramedy, the legendary actor brings the infamous Donna Berzatto — mother of Carmy (Jeremy Allen White), Natalie (Abby Elliot), and the late Mikey (Jon Bernthal) — to life in Episode 6, “Fishes,” and again in the Season 2 finale, “The Bear.” Sharing scenes with fellow Hollywood greats Bob Odenkirk, Sarah Paulson, John Mulaney, Gillian Jacobs, and more, Curtis embodies a complex force, delivering a standout performance that lingers long after the end credits roll.

“Fishes,” a hefty 66-minute episode that breaks The Bear’s traditional format, takes us back in time nearly five years and shows the Berzattos celebrating, or suffering through, Christmas at Donna’s house. After Carm and his siblings seek solace in the front yard, bonding over a shared inability to handle their mother, they head back inside where Curtis is commanding a kitchen full of overwhelmingly crowded counters and all the ingredients for an Italian feast of seven fishes. With a cigarette or glass of red wine in hand for the majority of her time on screen, her portrayal of the Berzatto matriarch morphs from lighthearted and fun to tragic and affecting as the night drones on. 

Jamie Lee Curtis on 'The Bear'
Photo: FX / Hulu

Whether frantically reacting to an army of kitchen timers, screaming in foulmouthed fashion, picking fights, or exploding into short-lived giggle fits, Curtis’ incredible versatility keeps characters and viewers alike holding their breath from start to finish. Her facial expressions take you on a journey, and lived-in depictions of Donna’s inner turmoil, fear, and pain are simultaneously agonizing and awe-inspiring. As the episode’s core source of conflict, Curtis swings the span of an emotional pendulum throughout, showing Donna clawing for composure amidst heartbreaking spurts of vulnerability and loss of control. In her darkest moments, she expresses suicidal ideation, curses her daughter and guests at the dinner table, smashes a plate on the ground, and drives her car through the house and cackling until the end credits roll. 

Curtis’ exceptional performance continues to evolve in the Season 2 finale when Donna shows up to The Bear’s friends and family night only to back out at the last second after an emotional conversation with son-in-law Pete (Chris Witaske). She shuts down his warm welcome, admitting she’s proud of both Nat and Carmy but doesn’t think she can take confronting them on such a high-stakes night.

Jamie Lee Curtis on 'The Bear'
Photo: FX/Hulu

“I want you to go back in and don’t tell them you saw me,” she says. “I love them so much, and I don’t know how to show it. I don’t know how to say I’m sorry. So please just go in and tell them it’s ok. I don’t deserve to see how good this is. I want them to have this good thing and I don’t want to hurt it.” Curtis convincingly presents the Berzatto matriarch as more clear-headed and self-aware; someone who’s grown, who actively put in the work to appear outside that restaurant, and who has been her own worst critic for quite some time. But after realizing her own daughter hasn’t told her she’s pregnant yet, Donna struggles to put on a brave face with Curtis delivering a final raw, scene-stealing gut punch.

Can’t get enough of The Bear Season 2? For more insight, analysis, GIFs, and close-ups of Carmy’s arms, check out all of Decider’s episodic recaps:

Though at times laughable, it stands repeating that The Bear’s Season 2 is stacked with talented guest stars, many of whom are elevated by Curtis. In a season with multiple Emmy-worthy performances and a remarkable main cast, Curtis still manages to shine, haunt, and raise the bar; and for that, she deserves to snag that Outstanding Guest Actress award.

The Bear Season 2 is currently streaming on Hulu.