GiveThe Bearstar Liza Colon-Zayas a sharp knife, and she’s totally fine.
But Tina’s moment of triumph was actually terrifying for Colon-Zayas to film.
FX
“I freaked out because I don’t do karaoke!
Liza Colón-Zayas on ‘The Bear’.FX
I don’t sing,” the actor, 52, tellsEntertainment Weekly.
She’s a normal person doing something she’s never done before.
“It’s about stepping out of our comfort zone,” she adds.
Liza Colón-Zayas on ‘The Bear’.FX
“It’s not about how well we do it but the courage to do it.
It wasn’t just the idea of singing that had Colon-Zayas feeling the pressure.
It was a long, nuanced journey that Colon-Zayas understood deeply and felt was earned for the hardened character.
Liza Colón-Zayas on ‘The Bear’.FX
Despite all of the toxicity, we stay with each other and we hold each other up.”
“Ageism is real.
I fully get it.
That feeling hit deep for Colon-Zayas.
“As an actor, as a human being, I tend to be suspicious, like, ‘Really?
Am I getting set up?'”
And this is what makes Tina tick, what keeps her up at night.
I hope that’s what audiences walk away with, because it’s vulnerability, right?
And as we get older it’s harder to show that.”
Andwe’re still going to learn a lot more about Tina in the future."
“Ebra served as a soldier.
We’re at a certain age, we don’t have a lot of extra opportunities like this.
That tough love easily translated.”
But while Ebra didn’t take to culinary school, Tina soared as she learned new skills and techniques.
That meant a lot of prep work in the kitchen before filming.
“Ain’t got no autotune on this?”
Colon-Zayas says with a laugh.
But they just threw me in the deep end."
She remembers warming up all week in her bathroom at home “My poor neighbors!”
but still feared she would be “terrible.”
But just like Tina, Colon-Zayas conquered her fears and emerged triumphant.
The Bearis available to stream on Hulu.
