‘The Bear’ star Liza Colon-Zayas is first Latina to win Emmy for best supporting actress in comedy

Los Angeles, Sep 16 (PTI) Liza Colon-Zayas of “The Bear” fame was the surprise winner in the best supporting actress in a comedy series at the 2024 Emmys, making her the first Latina to win in the category.

She was nominated alongside Meryl Streep (“Only Murders in the Building”), Sheryl Lee Ralph and Janelle James (“Abbott Elementary”), Carol Burnett (“Palm Royale”), and Hannah Einbinder (“Hacks”).

Colon-Zayas won the award for her performance as the indomitable and acerbic veteran line cook Tina Marrero in the FX series “The Bear”.

“Thank you to my husband, David. He told me to write a speech, and I didn’t, because I didn’t think it would be possible. How, 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 and Hannah. I love you all from the bottom of my heart, and all the women — my mommy, thank you,” she said in her award acceptance speech.

“Thank you for giving me a new life with this show. And to all the Latinas who would be looking at me. Keep believing and vote,” she added.

“The Bear” won three other trophies at the 2024 Emmys. Series creator Christopher Storer won the best directing Emmy for the “Fishes” episode in its third season.

Series lead Jeremy Allen White and Ebon Moss-Bachrach won in actor in a comedy series and supporting actor in a comedy series categories, respectively. It’s a second win for both the actors in the categories for the show.

At the Primetime Emmy Awards, “The Bear” was nominated in seven categories.

Actors Jon Bernthal (guest actor in a comedy series) and Jamie Lee Curtis (guest actress in a comedy series) won the Emmy in their respective categories during the Creative Arts Emmys last weekend.

The show lost to “Hacks”, starring Jean Smart and Einbinder, in the best comedy series category. Smart won her third Emmy trophy in the lead actress in a comedy series category for the show. It’s her sixth Emmy overall.