Liza Colón-Zayas
Encyclopedia
Liza Colón-Zayas is an American actress and playwright.
She was born and raised in the The Bronx borough of New York City
, and began her career starring in Off-Broadway
productions. She broke into mainstream theatre when she wrote, produced, and starred in her one-woman show titled "Sistah Supreme," a semi-autobiographical play where she chronicles growing up as an Latina
woman in New York City during the 1970s and 1980s.
A member of the LAByrinth Theatre Company since 1992, a New York City-base traveling actors group, Colón-Zayas has branched out into television and film projects, which has diversified her résumé with guest roles in such popular television series such as Sex and the City
and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
. She gained more recognition for her small role in the controversial, yet acclaimed film United 93
in which she played the role of Waleska Martínez, who was one of the passengers aboard doomed United Airlines Flight 93
that fought back, and therefore, help prevent the destruction of the United States Capitol
during the September 11 attacks.
In addition to her film and television work, she is also remembered for originating the role of Norca, in the off-Broadway productions of Our Lady of 121st Street and In Arabia, We'd All Be Kings (which also co-starred Puerto Rican actress Ana Ortiz
) and were directed by Academy Award-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman
. The latter production was named one of the ten best plays of 1999 by the Time Out New York magazine.
Married to actor David Zayas
, Colón-Zayas continues to remain active in theater, as well as television and motion picture projects. She presently divides her time between New York City and Los Angeles
, where her husband presently films his scenes for the Showtime network's drama Dexter.
She was born and raised in the The Bronx borough of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and began her career starring in Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
productions. She broke into mainstream theatre when she wrote, produced, and starred in her one-woman show titled "Sistah Supreme," a semi-autobiographical play where she chronicles growing up as an Latina
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
woman in New York City during the 1970s and 1980s.
A member of the LAByrinth Theatre Company since 1992, a New York City-base traveling actors group, Colón-Zayas has branched out into television and film projects, which has diversified her résumé with guest roles in such popular television series such as Sex and the City
Sex and the City
Sex and the City is an American television comedy-drama series created by Darren Star and produced by HBO. Broadcast from 1998 until 2004, the original run of the show had a total of ninety-four episodes...
and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it is also primarily produced...
. She gained more recognition for her small role in the controversial, yet acclaimed film United 93
United 93 (film)
United 93 is a 2006 fact-based historical drama film written, co-produced, and directed by Paul Greengrass that chronicles events aboard United Airlines Flight 93, which was hijacked during the September 11 attacks...
in which she played the role of Waleska Martínez, who was one of the passengers aboard doomed United Airlines Flight 93
United Airlines Flight 93
United Airlines Flight 93 was United Airlines' scheduled morning transcontinental flight across the United States from Newark International Airport in Newark, New Jersey, to San Francisco International Airport in California. On Tuesday, September 11, 2001, the Boeing 757–222 aircraft operating the...
that fought back, and therefore, help prevent the destruction of the United States Capitol
United States Capitol
The United States Capitol is the meeting place of the United States Congress, the legislature of the federal government of the United States. Located in Washington, D.C., it sits atop Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall...
during the September 11 attacks.
In addition to her film and television work, she is also remembered for originating the role of Norca, in the off-Broadway productions of Our Lady of 121st Street and In Arabia, We'd All Be Kings (which also co-starred Puerto Rican actress Ana Ortiz
Ana Ortiz
Ana Ortíz is an American actress and singer. She is a native of Manhattan, but was raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was a regular cast-member on the ABC comedy-drama series Ugly Betty, in which she plays the title character's older sister, Hilda Suarez...
) and were directed by Academy Award-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman
Philip Seymour Hoffman
Philip Seymour Hoffman is an American actor and director. Hoffman began acting in television in 1991, and the following year started to appear in films...
. The latter production was named one of the ten best plays of 1999 by the Time Out New York magazine.
Married to actor David Zayas
David Zayas
David Zayas is a Puerto Rican theatrical, film, and television actor. He is most known for his roles as Angel Batista on Showtime's series Dexter and as Enrique Morales on the HBO prison drama Oz.- Life and career :...
, Colón-Zayas continues to remain active in theater, as well as television and motion picture projects. She presently divides her time between New York City and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, where her husband presently films his scenes for the Showtime network's drama Dexter.
See also
- List of famous Puerto Ricans
External links
- New York Times review of Our Lady of 121st Street