Liza Colon-Zayas: 5 Things About the Emmy-Winning Actress From ‘The Bear’

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Liza Colón-Zayas captivated viewers of The Bear in her role as Tina Marrero. The former line cook-turned sous chef got her foot in the door of cooking when she stumbled upon Chicago’s The Beef, which, of course, became The Bear after Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) took over his late brother Michael’s restaurant in the show. The more viewers learned about Tina, the more Liza captured audiences’ hearts. Now that she’s won her first Primetime Emmy Award for her performance, Hollywood Life has rounded up all the details you need to know about Liza, her career and more!

Liza Studied Theatre in College

Lisa got her start as an actor by studying theatre at SUNY Albany. The Bronx native earned her Bachelor’s Degree in the major and went on to explore opportunities off-Broadway.

She Is Also a Playwright

The New York City native wrote, produced and starred in her own one-woman show, Sistah Supreme, off-Broadway. The play was semi-autobiographical, as it focused on the trials and tribulations of growing up in the Big Apple as a Latina in the 1970s and ’80s.

Liza Has Starred in Movies

Liza’s first big-screen role was in 1995. From there, she steadily climbed her way up the ladder of Hollywood. Among her most notable film credits are United 93, Righteous Kill and The Purge: Election Year.

She’s Appeared in Several TV Shows

Before she landed her breakout role in The Bear, Liza appeared in numerous guest roles and cameos in different TV shows. Her most popular credits were on the shows Law & Order, Sex and the City, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Dexter, Blue Bloods, Louie and countless others.

Liza Is the First Latina to Win an Emmy in Her Category

The Hulu actress took home her first Emmy Award at the 76th Primetime Emmy Awards in September 2024. As she accepted her award, Liza delivered a powerful speech. but first, she admitted that even though her husband, David Zayas, encouraged her to write a speech, she didn’t because she wasn’t expecting to win.

“After thanking her cast and crew members and her family, Liza concluded, “And to all the Latinas who are looking at me — keep believing and vote. Vote for your rights.”