Liza Colón-Zayas, an actor whose performance in The Bear stunned critics, says she learned a powerful lesson from the critically acclaimed series.
That is, that dreams can come to fruition one day.
She plays Tina on the FX show, whose journey is akin to a roller coaster: several ups and downs.
Yet, when the curtain falls on The Bear, the fan-favourite character achieves what she always dreamed of.
Now, in an interview with People, Colón-Zayas weighs in on the life-changing impact of the mega-hit show.
“I’m a lot like Tina,” she says, adding that her journey mirrored the character she portrayed on-screen.
Encouraging others, Colón-Zayas shares that chasing dreams has no expiration date.
“Going through this journey, [I recognized] there’s no expiration date on realising my dream as an actor and owning what talents and skills I have and feeling good about it.”
“I personally have learned a lot about that from playing Tina,” she adds.
In 1995, Colón-Zayas debuted on Broadway and went on to star in series like Law & Order, Sex and the City, and In Treatment.
The Bronx actress’s career highlight came when she won the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2024, making her the first Latina ever to achieve this milestone.
Even Colón-Zayas did not expect she would win, and that’s exactly what she shared in her acceptance speech.
“Thank you for giving me a new life with this show,” she noted.
“And to all the Latinas who are looking at me, keep believing and vote. Vote for your rights.”
The Bear is considered one of the most critically acclaimed series, which ended after season five. It is streaming on Hulu.
