When Amahle “Amy” Wheeler (Zoe Saldaña) and Lino Ortolano (Eugenio Mastrandrea) embark on a life-changing romance in From Scratch, Sicilian chef Lino tells his American amore, “I think we can be something great.”

The stirring line will not only rouse the hearts of viewers falling in love with Amy and Lino for the first time in the limited series, but will also move devoted readers who have been eager to see Tembi Locke’s New York Times-bestselling memoir go from the page to the screen.

Amy and Lino’s journey takes them far beyond the streets of Florence where they first meet, and their interracial, intercultural love story is as replete with challenges as it is with joy. But their roots are planted firmly among the families who raised them — Amy’s from Houston, Texas; Lino’s from Sicily — bolstering the pair with the strength they need to transcend life’s struggles.

Meet the extended Ortolano-Wheeler family tree of From Scratch below.

Jessica Brooks/Netflix

Zoe Saldaña

Zoe Saldaña plays the on-screen protagonist based on author Tembi Locke, her name changed here to Amy Wheeler. In From Scratch, Amy has the heart of an artist, not a lawyer like her father wishes she’d become. She heads to Florence, Italy to test her mettle in a once-in-a-lifetime art program, but after unexpectedly finding love with Sicilian chef Lino, she soon realizes her mettle will need to prove mightier than she ever thought possible. Saldaña, who has Dominican and Puerto Rican roots, has quite the full slate this fall, as she also stars in the film Amsterdam and will reprise her role of Neytiri in the long-awaited Avatar sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water. You may have first seen Saldaña in her early film roles as a dancer in Center Stage, road trip buddy to Britney Spears in Crossroads, or a seafarer in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. She’s well known for her performances in the Star Trek film series as Nyota Uhura, and also for her portrayal of Marvel superhero Gamora, starting with the first of the Guardians of the Galaxy films in 2014.

You can follow Saldaña on Instagram and Twitter.

Aaron Epstein/Netflix

Eugenio Mastrandrea

Eugenio Mastrandrea plays the lovestruck Lino Ortolano, who is taken with Amy the minute he bumps into her in the narrow streets of Florence, Tuscany. The descendant of Sicilian farmers, Lino first strayed from the family path to express himself through food as a professional chef. And that less-traveled road extends all the way across the Atlantic when he moves to the US to be with Amy. As he tells her, “People eat all over the world.” Born in Rome, Mastrandrea is a native speaker of Italian and Spanish and a theater actor at his core, who’s performed in plays directed by legends such as Robert Wilson (Hamletmachine) and Emma Dante (Le Baccanti). A graduate of the Silvio D’amico National Academy of Dramatic Art of Rome, Mastrandrea made his big screen debut at a young age in the cult film A.C.A.B. Prior to From Scratch, he portrayed the male protagonist of the Rai series La Fuggitiva. 

You can follow Mastrandrea on Instagram.

Jessica Brooks/Netflix

Danielle Deadwyler

Danielle Deadwyler shows up in every way imaginable as Zora, Amy’s rock of a sister. She not only supports Amy’s artistic dreams when the rest of her family struggles to understand them, but also forges a bond with the love of her sister’s life (especially when he and Amy move into Zora’s spare bedroom in LA). While Zora sometimes feels like her sister’s life overshadows her own, she still cares for Amy like any good-hearted older sister would and crafts a meaningful life for herself in the process. You’re going to be hearing Deadwyler’s name a lot for the rest of the year: The Atlanta native is an awards favorite for her performance as Mamie Till-Mobley in the film Till. She played Cuffee in the Western film The Harder They Fall and Miranda Carroll in the post-apocalyptic miniseries Station Eleven. Deadwyler has also appeared in the series P-Valley, Paradise Lost, The Haves and the Have Nots, Watchmen and Atlanta, and films including Jane and Emma and The Devil to Pay.

You can follow Deadwyler on Instagram and Twitter.

Jessica Brooks/Netflix

Keith David

Texan Hershel Wheeler would be unmissable if you saw him in Firenze in his cowboy boots and hat. While he disapproves of his daughter’s desire for a life in the art world instead of a stable law career, he can’t deny the steadfast love she and Lino share and comes to view Lino as a son. Keith David’s deep voice is a notable one, especially as Mr. Rager in Kid Cudi’s newly released animated project, Entergalactic. He’s also shared his Emmy-winning voice as Dr. Facilier in The Princess and the Frog, Al Simmons/Spawn in Todd McFarlane’s Spawn (and later reprising the role in the Mortal Kombat 11 game) and Goliath the gargoyle in Gargoyles. You may have also seen him on-screen this summer in Nope, or in many other films including The Thing, Platoon, Armageddon, There’s Something About Mary, Requiem for a Dream, Agent Cody Banks, Barbershop and Crash. He’s also been in series like Community, Greenleaf, The Job, The Big House, ER, 7th Heaven and Belle’s. David received a best supporting actor Tony Award nomination for his stage work in Jelly’s Last Jam in 1992. He also has performed in productions of August Wilson’s Seven Guitars and Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, as well as The Wiz, Hot Feet, Paul Robeson, Toast and Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus and The Winter’s Tale as part of the New York Shakespeare Festival.

You can follow David on Instagram and Twitter.

Aaron Epstein/Netflix

Kellita Smith

Kellita Smith’s Lynn brings her own food to Thanksgiving dinner, which pretty much tells you everything about this woman. While her vegan, New Age parenting approach doesn’t always mesh with her daughters’ lifestyles, she’s always at their doorstep when they call (and especially when they don’t). Smith has been lighting up TV screens since her debut in an episode of In Living Color, but you may best know her for her portrayal of Wanda McCullough for five seasons on The Bernie Mac Show or for co-starring with Jamie Foxx in The Jamie Foxx Show and with Mo’Nique in the film Hair Show. Most recently, she was featured in In the Cut, Z Nation, The First Family and This Is Us. She also appeared in Martin, Sister, Sister, Malcolm & Eddie, Living Single and Moesha. 

You can follow Smith on Instagram and Twitter.

Philippe Antonello/Netflix 

Judith Scott

Judith Scott plays Maxine, a pillar of maternal warmth in her position as Amy’s stepmother. She deftly navigates the Wheeler family’s complicated dynamics, especially when she needs to open Hershel’s eyes to the realities of what brings his daughter joy. Before joining the Wheeler clan, Scott portrayed Helen in Dear White People, Janelle Cooper in All American and Claudia Crane in Snowfall. She also appeared in series including Castle, Lincoln Heights, Dexter, Jake 2.0 and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. You may also have seen her in films like Fracture, Guess Who, Flightplan, The Little Things, Bad Hair, Blue and Vampires Anonymous.

Jessica Brooks/Netflix 

Paride Benassai

Paride Benassai plays Giacomo, a proud Sicilian patriarch and farmer who’s dismayed when his son Lino branches off on his own. And when Lino weds a foreigner, he tells him, “I have no son.” But after Lino’s health takes a turn, Giacomo forgoes his stubbornness to finally be there for him. Born in Palermo, Sicily, Benassai has performed onstage since 1976 and served as artistic director of the Piccolo Teatro Palermo from 1983 to 1988. As of late, he considers the Teatro Biondo Stabile in Palermo “his home.” A playwright, director and actor, he’s starred in Shakespeare’s La Tempesta, Pirandello’s Liolà and many of his own works. He can be seen in films including Ore diciotto in punto and Giuseppe Tornatore’s Barrìa, and on television in the Detective Montalbano and The Young Montalbano series.

You can follow Benassai on Instagram and Twitter.

Stefano Montesi/Netflix

Lucia Sardo

Lucia Sardo portrays Lino’s mother, Filomena, who reluctantly follows her husband’s lead in keeping with the traditions of their close-knit Sicilian community. She’s wary of the new world her son has built with Amy, but after spending time with the couple in Los Angeles and Sicily, recognizes herself in her daughter-in-law’s devotion to family — and to her son. Sardo was born in Francofonte on the island of Sicily, and has been nominated for Italian critics’ awards for her roles in the films One Hundred Steps and Alone with Her Dreams. She’s also performed in the series Romanzo siciliano, L’onore e il rispetto and Callas e Onassis. Her extensive film work also includes Malena, Aclà and The Whores. 

You can follow Sardo on Instagram.

‘From Scratch’ Main Trailer