Latest news with #Colón-Zayas
Chicago Tribune
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
‘The Bear' Q&A: Liza Colón-Zayas on playing Tina, a chef rooted in reality
When viewers first meet Liza Colón-Zayas' character on 'The Bear,' she has an icy front — reluctant to adapt to the ways of Jeremy Allen White's Carmen 'Carmy' Berzatto, who's trying to breathe new, more organized life into his family's restaurant, The Original Beef of Chicagoland. It's mayhem, exacerbated by some of the longtime staff's unwillingness to see their own potential. But soon, Tina Marrero starts paying attention to the good that can come from being open to change. 'I was learning who she was in real time, so I trusted enough that Tina would be imbued with the humanity, with the rationale — it was a matter of me trusting what's on the page,' Colón-Zayas told the Tribune. 'I try not to judge the characters — and in this world where it's so easy to want to shut down because it's dangerous, and the changes that are coming with making people expendable are real in so many communities. So I'm glad (Tina) wasn't sanitized and sugarcoated and that we could see like … if we just invest in the people that we traditionally overlook, it could be beneficial for all of us.' Colón-Zayas said she understands Tina personally, having had similar experiences of 'feeling unwanted' throughout her decades-spanning acting career. Like Tina, Colón-Zayas has also experienced a reinvention of sorts. At the 2024 Emmy Awards, Colón-Zayas became the first Latina to win Outstanding Supporting Actress in a comedy series. She said she still hasn't processed the speed at which 'The Bear' took off. With Tina's backstory in full view in Season 3, the new season begins in true chaotic fashion: With a ticking stopwatch. As the Chicago sandwich shop turned fine-dining restaurant fights to stay afloat, Colón-Zayas said Season 4 is about coming to terms with the reality of the restaurant business. As Tina evolved from a tough-on-the-outside line cook to a culinary school student refining her knife techniques, she discovered that what she had thought of as a job for survival might actually be the dream she didn't know she had. And to prepare for it, Colón-Zayas had to sharpen her cooking skills. Colón-Zayas said she likes to cook off-screen, often making Puerto Rican food like in her New York City kitchen. But nothing compares to deboning a fish on camera, she laughed. 'I've always been curious about food. I liked watching cooking shows, but I would not say I was a great cook. I was an OK cook,' Colón-Zayas said. 'I knew how to do some of the food I grew up on, which was my mother's cooking. My life is like Tina's — I did what she knew adequately and with love. And so the more I've trained, the more I learned that I have a long way to go.' All 10 episodes of Season 4 are streaming on Hulu and Disney+ Wednesday. The Tribune spoke with Colón-Zayas ahead of the new season. The following has been edited for length and clarity. Q: What was your experience like staging at restaurants as part of your culinary training to play Tina? A: One of the restaurants (I staged at) was Contra on the Lower East Side. (The Michelin-starred restaurant in New York City closed down in 2023.) And I was there for a couple of days, just watching. They let me tweeze some herbs. Very tiny kitchen, spectacular cooks, but very tiny. I was basically wedged next to the trash can as tight as possible, just watching the operations in this very narrow, T-shaped kitchen, which also had the dishwashing section right there. I was just being amazed by the choreography of it, the unspoken language, the smooth, the calm, this well-oiled machine. That was the most educational for me, because I just always had it in my head that it had to be loud and chaotic, right? And to see that when they sit down for family meal, they discuss with each other and connect with each other and bond. It further filled in for me why Tina is in love with this family, with her (Original Beef of Chicagoland) family. Q: How many of the skills we see Tina learning, did you, as Liza, also have to learn? A: All of it. So first, I trained for a full week with chef David Waltuck one-on-one, learning the basics of how to even hold a knife. And also all of the basics of just cooking, and then I staged a little while later. And then anything you see me preparing, I train with our culinary consultant Courtney Storer — our amazing Coco — all the deboning of the fish, pasta prep, anything you see me doing, she's got to make sure I can pass muster. Q: And now you have all of these culinary skills in your real life, too. A: But like with any skill, you gotta practice it, so I still watch the YouTube videos, the training videos I love, the MasterClass stuff. Do I practice anywhere as much as I should? That's debatable. Q: One of the most poignant payoffs of Tina's trajectory came in the form of a bottle episode in Season 3, titled 'Napkins,' which revisits how Tina landed her job at The Original Beef of Chicagoland after a cathartic conversation with the sandwich shop's boss, Mikey (Jon Bernthal). What was it like reading and connecting with what was written in that script? A: It was emotional every single time I read it. And it validated for me that if there's space for me, then I want viewers who look like me to know that there's space for them. And that took a long, long time, many years of accepting and owning and daily meditations that there is abundance, and I deserve it. Q: Has playing Tina affected how you see restaurants and what you appreciate about the culinary world? A: Some things that I never thought about before — everything that it entails; just to get these ingredients, the farmers, the relationship with the local farm-to-table people, their struggles, the folks who are invisible in the kitchen, their dedication, their sacrifices. I think also as an actor, anything that you have a passion for, it never feels finished. We're all wrestling with these demons, and hopefully, when we're at our best, at 'The Bear' and as a community, is when we're all trying to help lift each other and cover for each other. I had that instinct coming from ensemble theater. I've cleaned toilets at the theater, I've painted sets, I've done all the things that we have to do to keep each other afloat. I understand it on a deeper level now. Q: You've been acting for more than 30 years — off Broadway, movies, shows. And you're now an Emmy Award-winning actress. 'The Bear' is what catapulted you to stardom in a way you hadn't seen before. Have you been able to fully process the journey? A: I don't stop processing it. I don't know, maybe 10 years from now, I will be like, 'Oh, yeah, now I get it. I get how epic it was.' It's an experience that feels so huge that I can't really put it in clean-cut categories. The other day, I was walking down the street and a group of young, Asian kids started screaming for me, like squealing, and all I could do was throw them kisses and hearts. That's wild to me, because it's changing for me, the image of who deserves that kind of admiration. And I'm so happy about it. It's just going to keep taking me a long time to let it wash over me — basking still, just putting my toe in the pool of basking. I don't take it for granted. Q: What can we expect from Tina in Season 4? A: For Tina, and I feel in general, it is reckoning for everyone. Having their thing that they are going to have to reconcile with and hold themselves accountable for. For me and for all of us, we're at this crossroads and we all are coming to terms with making really clear choices. We're gonna see more of that from for summer 2025: 15 shows coming up, including the return of 'The Bear'
Los Angeles Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Our awards columnist's Emmy ballot: Read his list of dream nominees
Emmy nominations voting ends tonight at 10 p.m. PT. Still need help with your ballot? I'm Glenn Whipp, columnist for the Los Angeles Times and host of The Envelope newsletter. Still time to bite into a 'Jaws' doughnut and peruse my picks for this year's Emmy races. (An ordinary bagel will do.) There are more than 100 Emmy categories, and if you scrolled through each and every one of them on the Television Academy's website, you are probably one of those people who read the terms and conditions on a document before signing your name. For me, simply filling out the following 15 categories — five each for comedy, drama and limited series — left me exhausted and in need of a sweet treat. And I already finished my 'Jaws' doughnut. Maybe this cherries jubilee? Paul Giamatti would approve. Without further ado, here are my picks and a brief line of reasoning for each. And if it's predictions you're after, you can find our full BuzzMeter panel's choices here. COMEDY SERIES'Abbott Elementary''The Bear''Hacks''A Man on the Inside''Only Murders in the Building''The Rehearsal''Somebody Somewhere''The Studio' Yes, 'The Rehearsal' is a comedy. COMEDY ACTRESSQuinta Brunson, 'Abbott Elementary'Ayo Edebiri, 'The Bear'Bridget Everett, 'Somebody Somewhere'Natasha Lyonne, 'Poker Face'Jean Smart, 'Hacks' Last call on nominating Everett (and her magical series), which has won a Peabody. COMEDY ACTORTed Danson, 'A Man on the Inside'Steve Martin, 'Only Murders in the Building'Seth Rogen, 'The Studio'Martin Short, 'Only Murders in the Building'Jeremy Allen White, 'The Bear' Best Netflix comedy: 'A Man on the Inside,' anchored by Danson, still a master of light laughs. COMEDY SUPPORTING ACTRESSLiza Colón-Zayas, 'The Bear'Hannah Einbinder, 'Hacks'Kathryn Hahn, 'The Studio'Linda Lavin, 'Mid-Century Modern'Jane Lynch, 'Only Murders in the Building'Catherine O'Hara, 'The Studio'Sheryl Lee Ralph, 'Abbott Elementary' Colón-Zayas won last year, probably for the episode that she submitted this year. It's weird when shows drop their new seasons in June. COMEDY SUPPORTING ACTORIke Barinholtz, 'The Studio'Colman Domingo, 'The Four Seasons'Paul Downs, 'Hacks'Harrison Ford, 'Shrinking'Ebon Moss-Bachrach, 'The Bear'Tyler James Williams, 'Abbott Elementary'Bowen Yang, 'Saturday Night Live' Thank you, Sal Saperstein! DRAMA SERIES'Andor''The Last of Us''Paradise''The Pitt''Severance''Slow Horses''The White Lotus''Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light' Voting for 'Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light' checks a couple of boxes. DRAMA ACTRESSKathy Bates, 'Matlock'Britt Lower, 'Severance'Elisabeth Moss, 'The Handmaid's Tale'Kaitlin Olson, 'High Potential'Bella Ramsey, 'The Last of Us' Moss won this Emmy eight years ago. With the show ending, she has earned a parting gift. DRAMA ACTORSterling K. Brown, 'Paradise'Gary Oldman, 'Slow Horses'Pedro Pascal, 'The Last of Us'Adam Scott, 'Severance'Noah Wyle, 'The Pitt' 'Why don't you say whatever speech you've got rehearsed and get this over with.' Godspeed, old friend. Also: Joel's parting words should flash onscreen any time an Emmy winner goes long at the podium. DRAMA SUPPORTING ACTRESSCarrie Coon, 'The White Lotus'Taylor Dearden, 'The Pitt'Fiona Dourif, 'The Pitt'Tracy Ifeachor, 'The Pitt'Katherine LaNasa, 'The Pitt'Julianne Nicholson, 'Paradise'Parker Posey, 'The White Lotus' Women of 'The Pitt' > Women of 'The White Lotus' DRAMA SUPPORTING ACTORPatrick Ball, 'The Pitt'Gerran Howell, 'The Pitt'Jason Isaacs, 'The White Lotus'Damian Lewis, 'Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light'Jack Lowden, 'Slow Horses'Tramell Tillman, 'Severance'John Turturro, 'Severance' I don't know. Tillman might deserve the Emmy for this alone. LIMITED SERIES'Adolescence''Dope Thief''Dying for Sex''The Penguin''Say Nothing' 'Adolescence' should win everything. LIMITED SERIES/MOVIE ACTRESSKaitlyn Dever, 'Apple Cider Vinegar'Cristin Milioti, 'The Penguin'Lola Petticrew, 'Say Nothing'Michelle Williams, 'Dying for Sex'Renée Zellweger, 'Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy' OK, maybe not everything, as 'Adolescence' doesn't have a submission here. Zellweger probably won't win because comic acting rarely does, even though it most definitely should. LIMITED SERIES/MOVIE ACTORColin Farrell, 'The Penguin'Stephen Graham, 'Adolescence'Brian Tyree Henry, 'Dope Thief'Kevin Kline, 'Disclaimer'Cooper Koch, 'Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story' Farrell has already won so many awards for 'The Penguin,' it feels like either A) he must have won the Emmy too or B) he hasn't, and good God, let somebody else have a prize. (Like Graham.) LIMITED SERIES/MOVIE SUPPORTING ACTRESSErin Doherty, 'Adolescence'Ruth Negga, 'Presumed Innocent'Deirde O'Connell, 'The Penguin'Imogen Faith Reid, 'Good American Family'Jenny Slate, 'Dying for Sex'Christine Tremarco, 'Adolescence' Doherty will likely win for the series' third episode, the taut two-hander with Owen Cooper. But the fourth episode is just as good — maybe even better — featuring a heart-rending turn from Tremarco as the mom trying to hold it together. LIMITED SERIES/MOVIE SUPPORTING ACTORJavier Bardem, 'Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story'Owen Cooper, 'Adolescence'Rob Delaney, 'Dying for Sex'Rhenzy Feliz, 'The Penguin'Hugh Grant, 'Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy'Ashley Walters, 'Adolescence' Cooper will soon become the fifth teen actor to win a Primetime Emmy.
Express Tribune
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Liza Colón-Zayas Joins the MCU in ‘Brand New Day' Spider-Man Project
Liza Colón-Zayas, widely known for her Emmy-winning performance on FX's The Bear, has officially joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She's been tapped to appear in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the fourth film in the Tom Holland-led Spider-Man series, a collaboration between Sony Pictures and Marvel Studios. The ensemble cast features returning star Tom Holland as Peter Parker, with Stranger Things actress Sadie Sink also on board in an undisclosed role. Fan favorites Zendaya and Jacob Batalon, who portray MJ and Ned respectively, are expected to reprise their roles. Destin Daniel Cretton will direct the highly anticipated project, while longtime Spider-Man producer Amy Pascal joins Marvel president Kevin Feige to produce. Cameras are set to roll later this year, with the film aiming for a July 31, 2026 theatrical release. This will mark the first live-action Spider-Man film since Spider-Man: No Way Home, which became a massive global hit, earning over $1.9 billion at the box office in December 2021. That film left Peter Parker facing a world that no longer remembers him, after sacrificing everything to protect the multiverse. Its predecessors, Far from Home and Homecoming, also enjoyed blockbuster success, bringing in over $1 billion and $880 million respectively. Colón-Zayas has earned widespread acclaim for her role as Tina Marrero, a no-nonsense yet warm-hearted line cook in FX's The Bear. Her portrayal earned her an Emmy win, making her the first Latina to take home the award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy. Her performance has also drawn recognition from the Critics Choice Awards, SAG Awards, and Golden Globes. The show aired its third season last summer, with a fourth season on the way. Details about Colón-Zayas's character in Brand New Day are being kept tightly under wraps, as Marvel continues its tradition of secrecy around major roles in development.
