Inside ‘The Bear’ Star Liza Colón-Zayas’ Hollywood Career: From Forgotten DC Role to Starring in Will Smith’s $88 Million Hit
- Liza Colón-Zayas creates history with her first Emmy win for The Bear.
- The actress says despite being rejected numerous times, she didn't give up.
- Ebon Moss-Bachrach wins Emmy for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series.
Actress and playwright Liza Colón-Zayas is recognized for her exceptional work as Tina Marrero on Hulu’s critically acclaimed comedy-drama series The Bear. The show starring Jeremy White Allen, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Ayo Edebiri, and more, has received a lot of love from critics and the audience for its writing, direction, performances by the actors, and production values.
The Bear actress, who has shared in a lot of interviews, has been rejected for projects a lot of times, but those rejections could never break her spirit to fight back again. Starting her career on Broadway, the actress has managed to finally shine under the spotlight as her hard work gets recognized and rewarded. But Liza Colón-Zayas did not have it easy.
The Bear actress Liza Colón-Zayas talks about trusting and believing in herself despite rejections
Liza Colón-Zayas is a very successful actress and playwright and is popularly known for her work on Hulu’s The Bear. The actress received critical appreciation for her work as Tina Marrero on the show, but she always did not have it easy.
She started her career off-Broadway and went ahead to not only write but also star and produce a semi-autobiographical play titled Sistah Supreme. The play followed the life of a Latina woman growing up in New York in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s.
The actress appeared in the Philip Seymour Hoffman-directed play In Arabia, We’d All Be Kings, followed by her work Between Riverside and Crazy. In 2021, the actress was honored at the Dramatists Guild Foundation with the Madge Evans and Sident Kinglsey Awards.
Turning from stage to screen, the actress appeared in 2006’s United 93, 2008’s Righteous Kill, and 2016’s Collateral Beauty, which starred Will Smith, and more. Liza Colón-Zayas has also been on television shows including Law & Order, Sex and the City, House, Unforgettable, Blue Bloods, Dexter, and more.
The actress-playwright has always been appreciated for her work, whether it’s on stage or screen. Zayas also played a role of police officer on 2018’s DC’s Titans. Despite being appreciated for her work, she only managed to appear in small parts in movies until the Hulu show. In an interview with Vanity Fair, The Bear actress touched upon the subject of her rejections in the industry. She said,
I had to accept it when I was ready. I had to grow, and I had to get to trust myself. Even with all these years of doing theater, it’s a different medium. I needed to grow and know who I am and know what my value as an artist and as a human being.
She added that she could not just blame the industry for crushing her while noting that she just had to trust herself and believe in her talent and what she had to offer. The actress further added that she feels like she’s at the point where she is today because she was able to keep digging deep and growing, honing and believing that someday someone would see her and her talent.
Liza Colón-Zayas creates history with her first Emmy Award
The 76th Primetime Emmy Awards were held on September 15, 2024, at the Peacock Theatre, in Los Angeles, California. The actress won the Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series award for her work on The Bear. It’s not only her first Emmy Award, but she also becomes the first Latina to win in the given category.
Liza Colón-Zayas was nominated alongside Meryl Streep, Sheryl Lee Ralph, and Janelle James. Carol Burnett and Hannah Einbinder. Upon receiving the award, the actress said during her acceptance speech,
Thank you to my husband, David Zayas; he told me to write a speech, and I didn’t, because I didn’t think it would be possible. How could I have thought it would be possible to be in the presence of Meryl Streep and Carol Burnett and Janelle and Sheryl Lee Ralph? I love you all. I revere you from the bottom of my heart.
She thanked her family before she encouraged Latina women to keep believing and voting. The show also swept awards for Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, along with Jeremy Allen White and Ayo Edebiri winning for Best Actor and Actress in a Comedy Series.
Later in her interview with Variety, the actress mentioned that with her first Emmy win, her decades-long career feels validated. She went ahead to appreciate her fellow nominees and mentioned that being in the company with an exceptionally talented woman is beyond.
The Bear is streaming on FX on Hulu.
