Liza Colon-Zayas is an Emmy winner. The Puerto Rican actress prevailed in a category that included names like Carol Burnett for Palm Royale, Hannah Einbinder for Hacks, Janelle James for Abbott Elementary, Sheryl Lee Ralph, also for Abbott Elementary, and Meryl Streep, for Only Murders in the Building and won her first Emmy in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series category for her role in The Bear at the 2024 Emmys.
This was Colón-Zayas’s first Emmy nomination. The Bear is the most nominated comedy in Emmy history.
In The Bear, Colón-Zayas plays Tina Marrero, who goes from a disgruntled cook just getting by in a struggling restaurant to someone who goes to culinary school and is promoted to sous chef.
The Bear recently premiered its third season, though the eligibility for this year’s Emmy nominations is specifically for The Bear’s second season, which was released in 2023. That means Colón-Zayas has not yet been nominated for Tina’s breakthrough third-season episode, “Napkins.” She will be eligible to be nominated for that episode in next year’s Emmy Awards.
The actress thanked her mami, her family, and the cast of The Bear before sending a message to “all the Latinas who are looking at me. Keep believing and vote. Vote for your rights” in an emotional acceptance speech.
You can watch her entire speech below:
The reactions to her win were very emotional, with people going on social media to say things like: “I am over the moon for Liza Colón-Zayas! she deserves the world, and all the awards”
And “Liza Colón-Zayas winning and everyone being happy for her has me in tears. And yes to her telling Latinas to vote for their rights. Love her!”