Profile Text
New York, NY, USA – April 17, 2015: Colón-Zayas and husband David Zayas attend the premiere of ‘The Wannabe’ during the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival at BMCC Tribeca PAC Manhattan, vonora /Bigstock.com
Birth Name: Liza Maria Colón
Place of Birth: The Bronx, New York City, New York, U.S.
Date of Birth: July 15, 1963
Ethnicity: Puerto Rican [Spanish, African, as well as Indigenous], small amount of Basque and Guadeloupean
Liza Colón-Zayas is an American actress and playwright. Her roles include Tina Marrero on the series The Bear ; and the films The Purge: Election Year , Cat Person , and IF (2024). She wrote the play ¡Olé!
Liza is the daughter of Romualda Benicia “Bernice” Marrero Rivera and Gilbert Colón. Her father was born in New York, New York, to Puerto Rican parents. Her mother was born in Santurce, San Juan, Puerto Rico. Her paternal half-uncle, Pvt. First Class Pedro Hiram Mangual, was killed in action on April 10, 1945, fighting on Okinawa Island during WWII.
She is married to actor David Zayas .
Liza’s paternal grandfather was Pablo Colón Gomez (the son of Ramon Colon and Juana Gomez). Pablo was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
Liza’s paternal grandmother was Julia Irizarry Garcia (the daughter of Emilio/Emelio Irizarry Bonilla and Anita/Ana Velez Garcia). Julia was born in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. Emilio was the son of Ambrosio Irizarry Torres and Ramona Felicia Bonilla y Montalvo.
Liza’s maternal grandfather was Pablo Marrero Almestica (the son of Pablo Marrero Adolfo). Liza’s grandfather Pablo was born in Vieques, Puerto Rico, and was in the merchant marines. Liza’s great-grandfather Pablo was born in Viequez, the son of Amadae Marrero and Maria Juliana Adolfo, who herself was born on Guadeloupe, into slavery; Juliana was brought to Puerto Rico to work for a sugar planter.
A DNA test whose results were displayed on the show Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (2026) stated that Liza’s genetic ancestry consists of:
*49% European ——–*35% Spain ——–*7% Portugal ——–*3% England & Northwestern Europe ——–*2% Sephardic Jewish ——–*1% France ——–*1% Basque *32% African ——–*12% Nigeria ——–*5% Benin & Togo ——–*4% Senegal ——–*3% Western Bantu Peoples ——–*3% Northern Africa ——–*2% Mali ——–*2% Cameroon ——–*1% Ivory Coast & Ghana *19% Indigenous ——–*17% Indigenous Puerto Rico ——–*1% Indigenous Haiti & Dominican Republic ——–*1% Indigenous Americas – Colombia & Venezuela
*49% European ——–*35% Spain ——–*7% Portugal ——–*3% England & Northwestern Europe ——–*2% Sephardic Jewish ——–*1% France ——–*1% Basque *32% African ——–*12% Nigeria ——–*5% Benin & Togo ——–*4% Senegal ——–*3% Western Bantu Peoples ——–*3% Northern Africa ——–*2% Mali ——–*2% Cameroon ——–*1% Ivory Coast & Ghana *19% Indigenous ——–*17% Indigenous Puerto Rico ——–*1% Indigenous Haiti & Dominican Republic ——–*1% Indigenous Americas – Colombia & Venezuela
Genetically, she was found to have a common ancestor with actress Justina Machado .
Sources: https://www.shondaland.com https://remezcla.com
Marriage record of Liza’s parents – https://www.familysearch.org