‘The Bear’ sweeps early Emmys categories as Liza Colón-Zayas makes history

Liza Colon-Zayas holds an Emmy and delivers an acceptance speech on stage.

“The Bear” star Liza Colón-Zayas won the award for supporting actress in a comedy series.
(Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)

On the menu at the Emmy Awards: more trophies for “The Bear.”

Lead actor Jeremy Allen White and supporting actor Ebon Moss-Bachrach again won for their performances in the FX series. Liza Colón-Zayas joined them, becoming the first Latina to win the Emmy for supporting actress in a comedy series.

“This show has changed my life,” said White at the ceremony, held at the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live on Sunday. “It’s instilled a faith that change is possible. Change is possible if you are able to reach out; you are really, truly, never actually alone.”

“Thank you for giving me a new life with this show,” said Colón-Zayas in her stirring acceptance speech. “And to all the Latinas who are looking at me: keep believing and vote. Vote for your rights.”

Created by Christopher Storer, who serves as showrunner alongside Joanna Calo, the hectic yet meditative FX series centers on Carmy (Jeremy Allen White), a talented but troubled chef who transforms his family sandwich shop into a fine dining establishment.

“The Bear” entered this year’s Emmys race with 23 nominations, making it the most-nominated comedy series in a single year (surpassing “30 Rock,” which collected 22 nominations in 2009).

The show’s nominations included lead actress Ayo Edebiri and supporting actor Lionel Boyce, as well as two nominations for directing (Storer and Ramy Youssef) and one for writing (Storer and Calo).

At the Creative Arts Emmys, the series took home guest acting awards for Jon Bernthal and Jamie Lee Curtis — both for their performances in the chaotic Season 2 episode “Fishes” — as well as casting, cinematography, picture editing, sound editing and sound mixing.

“To be the source of someone’s pain is very difficult,” Curtis said in her acceptance speech of her anxiety-inducing character. “And yet, to watch this group of people come together — both the kitchen family and the family-family — and work it out, it’s astonishing to me that I get this opportunity at this point in my life.”

“Chris Storer is the chef,” she added, “and every single person — every crew member, every actor, every editor, those f—ing kitchen timers — they’re the ingredients of this beautiful, beautiful, beautiful piece of television.”

At the last Emmys Awards, the series broke the record for the most Primetime Emmys won by a comedy series in a single year with 10 trophies, including acting honors for White, Moss-Bachrach and Edebiri.

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