Emmys 2024: 'The Bear' Star Liza Colón-Zayas Becomes the First Latina to Win Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series

Liza Colón-Zayas wins the Emmy for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy, at the 2024 Emmys.

(Image credit: Leon Bennett/WireImage)

published 16 September 2024

The Bear actress Liza Colón-Zayas gave an important call to action while making history at the 2024 Emmys.

The Puerto Rican actress was surprised when she won this year's award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, becoming the first-ever Latina actress to win the category for her fan-favorite role as Tina in The Bear season 2. Wearing a sparkling emerald-green gown, Colón-Zayas began her speech by giving a shout-out to her husband David Zayas, who also played her on-screen spouse in The Bear season 3.

"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," the star said, before honoring the other actresses nominated in the category. "How could I have thought it would be possible to be in the presence of Meryl Streep and Carol Burnett and Janelle [James] and Sheryl Lee Ralph and Hannah [Einbinder]. I love you all."

Liza Colón-Zayas at the 2024 Emmys — Liza Colón-Zayas walks the red carpet at the 2024 Emmys.

The actress, who plays chef Tina Marrero on the FX on Hulu comedy, then thanked and honored the women in her life and The Bear's cast and crew. "I revere you to the bottom of my heart, and other women, and my mommy. My family, my grandkids, thank you. And thank you to my beautiful cast. Chris Storer, Joanna [Calo], thank you, thank you, thank you for giving me a new life with this show."

She concluded her speech with a message to all her fellow Latina women looking up to her. "And to all the Latinas who are looking at me, keep believing and vote. Vote for your rights."

The moment brought the room to a healthy round of applause, including heartwarming cheers from her fellow trailblazing actress, Sofía Vergara.

Colón-Zayas joins Jeremy Allen White and Ebon Moss-Bachrach in taking home awards for The Bear's second season. The FX comedy received 23 nominations this year, surpassing 30 Rock's record for the most-nominated comedy series in Emmys history.

Topics

Emmys Comedy

Quinci is a Culture Writer who covers all aspects of pop culture, including TV, movies, music, books, and theater. She contributes interviews with talent, as well as SEO content, features, and trend stories. She fell in love with storytelling at a young age, and eventually discovered her love for cultural criticism and amplifying awareness for underrepresented storytellers across the arts. She previously served as a weekend editor for Harper’s Bazaar, where she covered breaking news and live events for the brand’s website, and helped run the brand’s social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Her freelance writing has also appeared in outlets including HuffPost, The A.V. Club, Elle, Vulture, Salon, Teen Vogue, and others. Quinci earned her degree in English and Psychology from The University of New Mexico. She was a 2021 Eugene O’Neill Critics Institute fellow, and she is a member of the Television Critics Association. She is currently based in her hometown of Los Angeles. When she isn't writing or checking Twitter way too often, you can find her studying Korean while watching the latest K-drama, recommending her favorite shows and films to family and friends, or giving a concert performance while sitting in L.A. traffic.

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