Get plenty of tissues ready before you watch Netflix's heartfelt drama From Scratch. Based on Tembi Rock's "From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home" (opens in a new tab), the show follows an artist named Amy Wheeler (Zoe Saldanha), a Sicilian chef ( Eugenio Mastrandrea), falls in love with her and together they build a life that transcends culture, language, and life's greatest challenges. The show has become an instant favorite for its portrayal of romance, family love, and parent-child love, making viewers shed tears of joy and heartbreak in equal measure.

Many Marvel fans are familiar with Sardinha, whom she plays in this series alongside a cast of gorgeous black and Italian actors. Before you fall in love with the characters (or even if you already have), let me introduce you to the cast of From Scratch.

Amy, based on memoir author Locke, is a loving daughter and sister who grew up in Houston, Texas. At the start of the series, this law student took a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study art in Florence, where she met Reno.

Sardinha is best known for her work in sci-fi franchises such as Marvel's "The Avengers," "Guardians of the Galaxy," the "Avatar" series, and the recent "Star Trek" film series. She has also appeared in the films "Center Stage," "Crossroads," "Columbiana" and "The Adam Project. Fun fact: She is married in real life to Italian man and artist Marco Perego Saldana (open in new tab).

Chef Lino is the son of a Sicilian farm family and works as a professional chef out of the family business. He meets Amy on a street corner in Florence, falls in love at first sight, and decides to come to the United States to be with her.

Mastrandrea was born in Rome and is a native speaker of Italian and Spanish. He graduated from Rome's Silvio D'Amico National Academy of Dramatic Arts, where he is a renowned theater actor, and in addition to theater, he has appeared in the 2012 film A.C.A.B. and the Italian series La Fuggitiva. (To keep up to date with him, follow him on Instagram at @eugeniomastrandrea (opens in new tab).)

Amy's older sister Zora is a school teacher who lets Amy and Reno stay with her when they move to Los Angeles. She is always Amy's rock, supporting her artistic dreams when the rest of the family struggles to understand them, and also building a great life for herself.

An Atlanta native, Deadwyler is in the midst of her breakout role, having won accolades for her role as Mamie Till-Mobley in the film "Till." She has also recently appeared in the HBO Max miniseries "Station Eleven" and the Netflix western "The Harder They Fall". He previously appeared in the series P-Valley, Watchmen, and Paradise Lost.

Amy and Zora's father, Hershel, is a proud Texas cowboy who wants Amy to follow a stable law career. He does not understand her decision to pursue a career in the arts, but he cannot deny her and Reno's happiness and comes to see Reno as his son.

David is an Emmy Award-winning and Tony Award-nominated actor who has worked in film, television, and stage since the 1980s. Many may have recently seen him as Otis Haywood Sr. in Jordan Peele's Nope, but he has also appeared in films such as The Thing, Armageddon, There's Something About Mary, Requiem for a Dream, Barbershop, and Community," "Greenleaf," "ER," "Seventh Heaven," and "Bells," among other series.

Amy and Zora's mother, Lynn, is devoted to her daughters, but sometimes disagrees with her New Age parenting style. She is not afraid to speak her mind and is a devout vegetarian who brings her own food to restaurant openings and Thanksgiving dinners.

A Chicago native, Smith made her television debut on an episode of In Living Color, and has appeared on Martin, Sister, Sister, Living Single, Moesha, The Jamie Foxx Show, and other beloved She has appeared in several black sitcoms. Best known for her role as Wanda McCullough on "The Bernie Mac Show," her recent credits include "In the Cut," "Z Nation," "First Family," and "This is Us.

Amy and Zora's stepmother, Maxine, has been married to Hershel since he divorced Lynn when she was a child. She deftly balances the complex dynamics of the Wheeler family and is the voice of reason when Hershel's stubbornness gets in the way of Amy's happiness.

A North Carolina native, Wheeler has appeared in films such as "The Santa Clause," "Guess Who" (with Sardinha), "Bad Hair," and "Little Things," and shows such as "Dexter," "Anna Snow," "All American," "Dear White People," and

She has also appeared in "The Lost Boys.

Filomena, Lino's mother, follows the traditions of her small, tight-knit Sicilian community and reluctantly submits to her husband's wishes. However, she eventually comes to understand Amy, and the two women are united in their love for Lino.

Sardo is from Francofonte, Sicily, and has been nominated for the Italian Film Critics Award for "The Hundred Steps Staircase" and "One Man's Dream". He has also appeared in the series Romanzo siciliano, L'onore e il rispetto, Callas e Onassis, and the films Malena, Aclà, and The Whores.

Lino's father Giacomo is a proud Sicilian farmer who is disappointed in his son's failure to take over the family business. When Lino marries a foreigner, his stubborn father shuns him, but Giacomo's stubbornness finally wanes in the face of tragedy.

Benassai was born in Palmero, Sicily, and has been a stage actor since 1976; from 1983 to 1988 he was artistic director of the Piccolo Teatro Palermo, where he directed the films Ore diciotto in punto and Barrìa, the television shows Detective Montalbano and Young Montalbano" series, among others.

Colbert, a child actor and model, has also appeared in the series "Station 19," produced by Shonda Rhimes, and the film "Motorvacation." She also shares adorable behind-the-scenes photos of the shoot on her Instagram (opens in new tab) (maintained by her mother).