‘The Bear’: Liza Colón-Zayas on Season 3 Response, Ayo Edebiri’s ‘Sensible’ Directing Observe and Appearing Reverse Her Actual-Life Husband

SPOILER ALERT: This interview incorporates spoilers for “Napkins,” the sixth episode of “The Bear” Season 3.

Between “Honeydew” and “Forks,” Season 2 of “The Bear” was at its best when it targeted on its supporting characters, diving into the interior lives of Marcus (Lionel Boyce) and Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) in ways in which enhanced the world of the present as a complete. The identical is true of Season 3, which takes a pause from the stress of attempting to maintain the restaurant open to return in time and highlight a foundational member of the kitchen workers: Tina.

Performed by Liza Colón-Zayas, Tina comes off as a hardass to start with of Season 1, unbending to Carmy’s (Jeremy Allen White) management out of loyalty to his older brother, Mikey (Jon Bernthal), who left the restaurant to Carmy when he died by suicide. However by Season 3, she’s deeply entrenched on the earth of superb eating due to belief and funding from Carmy and Sydney (Ayo Edebiri), who despatched her to culinary college and promoted her to sous chef. “Napkins,” the sixth episode of Season 3, provides context to that journey.

Marking Edebiri’s directorial debut — and written by Catherine Schetina — the episode begins as Tina and her husband (performed by Colón-Zayas’ real-life husband, “Dexter” star David Zayas) focus on their monetary issues, having simply had their lease raised. Quickly, Tina loses the job she’s given 15 years of her life to, and units out on a demoralizing odyssey of making use of to what looks like each open place within the metropolis of Chicago. Being turned away by a sequence of millennials with school levels and little empathy, she reaches a breaking level. After cussing at a receptionist after which lacking her bus, Tina wanders into The Beef for a cup of espresso. Richie provides it to her at no cost, alongside a sandwich that one other buyer forgot to select up

It’s sufficient to make her weep, which drives Mikey to return examine on her, as Richie is frightened she’ll scare off different clients. As an alternative of asking her to cool down, he tells her what’s happening in his personal life. Listening to about Mikey’s worries — from the busted restaurant bathroom to the truth that he can’t keep in mind the final time he went to mattress — helps Tina open up about her personal. Noticing how a lot better he feels after speaking to Tina, Mikey provides her a job as a line prepare dinner. The remaining is historical past.

Colón-Zayas spoke to Variety about the way it felt to steer her personal episode — and to be taught to cope with Tina’s soiled fridge.

When did you discover out you had been getting your individual episode, and when did you get the script?

I received it whereas we had been capturing Season 3. It wasn’t like we had been on hiatus and so they had been like, “You’re gonna get your individual episode.” No, I discovered whereas we had been capturing Season 3, and that Ayo was directing, after which I had the ugly cry. It’s simply such an outstanding script, and having Ayo direct was an enormous, surreal, stunning second.

Tina’s love for Mikey is evident from the start of Season 1. Had you spent a lot time imagining her relationship with him earlier than getting this backstory?

Truthfully, I didn’t. As a result of I didn’t need to lay one thing into my habits that will have been a 180. I simply trusted the writers. I don’t must spell every part out. A lot could be communicated nonverbally, and I used to be actually proud of our backstory. We’re a loving, struggling blue collar household, however there’s plenty of love.

“The Bear” is populated with characters from blue collar backgrounds who now discover themselves serving a white collar clientele. How do you make sense of Tina’s place in that?

I believe the backstory helps to elucidate a few of that. There’s the worry of being changed in Season 1. She’s gunshy — what is going to it imply to work for any individual who is way youthful with culinary credentials? And now we’ve received two of them. What that meant for me, for Tina, is that we [working class people] are inclined to get pushed out. And there’s the battle that occurred in attempting to even get a job at The Beef, then discovering a brand new residence there — after which shedding Mikey.

Now, Tina is a bit more trusting within the bonds that had been created. The purpose is for us all to succeed collectively, however the demons simply maintain coming again. To take heed to Carmy locked within the freezer and speaking about how that is all his fault and and why he can’t have something good, there may be some understanding on Tina’s half that he’s simply attempting to do the perfect he can. By the point all is wrapped up, Tina remains to be considerably optimistic and actually attempting to not let anyone down. Treading water. Not giving up.

What do you suppose Tina feels about working in a spot that her household would in any other case by no means be capable of afford to eat at?

I don’t suppose I’ve thought of it in that method. At this time limit, the principle concern is making it succeed. As a result of the fact is that the place we had been in Season 1, it was going to fail. Interval. So not solely will we get a second probability, however I, Tina, received a second probability.

So she’s extra targeted on what’s instantly in entrance of her.

Sure. Is it scary that these kind of locations are popping up all over the place round her? The gentrification, and individuals who look a sure method and don’t have the credentials are simply pushed out? Yeah.

However that’s not the place she is correct now, immediately. And there may be real love. We’re all simply attempting to do the perfect we will. If it was nearly getting the cream of the crop, I might have been let go a yr in the past.

Since everybody spends a lot time pondering and speaking about Mikey, how does it really feel when Jon Bernthal lastly does come to set? What did it deliver out of you to shoot your scene with him?

He’s a darling. Earlier than this, we didn’t actually have scenes collectively, however working into one another a pair occasions, it simply comes out of his pores: he’s variety. He’s beneficiant. So it meant rather a lot to me to present this every part and put together. That’s what I actually targeted on: “Let me actually get this in my bones so I can play the nuance of the scene.” And to not be held too nervous — like, “Oh my God, Jon Bernthal!”

Did something change about the way in which you play Tina now that you understand a lot extra about her historical past on the restaurant?

Her trajectory total reveals that she is greater than what we see originally. I don’t suppose it’s modified how I play her — I believe it grounds how I’ve all the time performed her, which is any individual who’s struggling and robust and passionate. She’s the mama bear. And that backstory provides extra perception that she isn’t simply bitter. This isn’t nearly ego and competitiveness. We get to see her doing the perfect she will be able to, and attempting to be there for everybody else.

And I like that it encapsulates why [Mikey] was beloved on this neighborhood. Yeah, there’s dependancy and trauma, however perhaps with Tina and with Mikey we will remind folks to take a deeper take a look at people who find themselves appearing out and have slightly little bit of empathy. Rethink. We don’t know what this particular person goes via.

You’ve said that Ayo Edebiri was very assured as a first-time director. Are you able to inform me extra about what she dropped at “Napkins”?

Nicely, Ayo is all the time assured. Since day one, my woman is assured. As a result of she’s good and he or she’s curious and he or she prepares. And we’ve had two years of working collectively, so there’s already a bond and respect. It was really easy. I knew she was prepared, however it was like she had been doing this ceaselessly. It was very light, very straightforward.

How did it really feel completely different from being directed by showrunners Christopher Storer and Joanna Calo, who helm most episodes?

I’ll inform you the way it was the identical: They allow you to do your factor. They allow you to be, and he or she’s like that too. There’s belief.

There just one second that I had a visceral response to, and that’s after I noticed how soiled Tina’s fridge was. My mother and pop are clear freaks, and I’m sort of that method too, so I began taking stuff out and wiping it. Ayo was like, “No,” and he or she gently put every part proper again. All of the mess. It wasn’t till watching it that I understood why, and I used to be like, “Rattling, she’s sensible.” As a result of Tina’s a busy girl. In some methods, she’s conventional, and in some methods, she’s simply not. Though my mom would have had a match if she got here to my home and noticed the fridge, that’s the fact. She’s a hard-working, busy girl. She will get up very early to be sure that when she comes residence after a protracted day of labor, her household has a scorching meal ready. So perhaps you don’t get to have the peerlessly put-together kitchen. Don’t choose me! Don’t choose your self.

How did it come to be that your real-life husband performs your on-screen husband?

He came over me in Chicago [during an earlier season], and I introduced him to set sooner or later, and so they had been followers. Chris mentioned, “Do you suppose he’d need to be on the present?” And I mentioned, “I believe so.” I didn’t know know in what capability — I believe any individual mentioned, “your ex,” after which that received me pondering, however I didn’t need to get too deep into it. Then he finally ends up being written as this stunning, first rate, loving, good man, which I used to be actually pleased to see.

I actually didn’t count on it. It speaks to how even I’ve been programmed to have a look at my neighborhood. Like, why can’t I’ve that? Why can’t that be the norm? There’s battle and there’s mess, however there’s love, and in its personal method, stability.

What was it wish to act reverse him?

He was so pleased to be there, and and received together with all people. He’s performed plenty of villains, and simply to be this actually, genuinely good man — he was so excited. And we’ve labored collectively during the last 28 years. I like working with him. Like Tina and his character, he grounds me.

How has it felt to see the response to this season and your episode?

The response has been overwhelming. Overwhelming. There’s some individuals who miss the frenzy. However I believe it’s essential to permit your self to get extra inner and quiet, and I simply like it. Total, the response I’m getting is that there nonetheless a highly regarded love affair with the present, and so they actually love and admire seeing Tina’s origin.

This interview has been edited and condensed.