Liza Colón-Zayas made history in 2024 when she became the first Latina to win an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Tina on FX’s The Bear. Now, as the series concludes with its final season, the actress says she sees her own life reflected in the character she created over five seasons.
“I personally have learned a lot about that from playing Tina,” Colón-Zayas said, describing how the role taught her about resilience and self-worth. She says she’s “proud” of The Bear‘s final season and the journey her character took from struggling single mother to confident kitchen leader.
When audiences first met Tina, she was a line cook at The Original Beef of Chicagoland, resistant to change and skeptical of Carmy’s fine-dining ambitions. She was protective of the old ways and deeply loyal to the people she considered family. Over five seasons, viewers watched her transform into someone who could plate a pasta dish in under three minutes and do it with precision.
Colón-Zayas saw something familiar in that arc. The actress, who spent years as a struggling performer in New York before landing the role of a lifetime, understood Tina’s journey because she’d lived a version of it herself. The character’s growth from reluctant follower to empowered leader mirrored the actress’s own career trajectory.
The role earned Colón-Zayas widespread critical acclaim and the historic Emmy win, cementing her place in television history. She has also received a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination and two more Emmy nominations for her work on the show.
The Bear‘s final season, which premiered on Hulu and Disney+ in June 2026, received positive reviews for bringing the series full circle. Critics praised the season for its focus on the core characters and the restaurant’s make-or-break final service.
Tina’s journey on The Bear may be over, but the character’s impact on viewers, and on Colón-Zayas herself, will linger. The actress has said the role taught her to trust her instincts and believe in her own worth, lessons she carried off the screen and into her own life.
“I’m proud of this season,” she said. “I’m proud of Tina. And I’m proud of what we all built together.”
