Fresh from winning pretty much all the awards at the BAFTAs, Roma is up for an incredible ten OSCARs at this weekend's ceremony. Among the film's nominations, Yalitza Aparicio is a Best Actress nominee for her role as the Mexican maid Cleo in the film. The actress clearly has a big career ahead of her, so let's find out everything you need to know about Yalitza Aparicio.
Who is Yalitza Aparicio?
Yalitza Aparicio is a Mexican actress who made her film debut as Cleo in Alfonso Cuarón's 2018 Netflix film Roma. She was brought up by a single mother who was a maid and received no formal acting training while growing up. Yalitza's sister convinced her to audition for Roma and her breakout performance in the film led to her to be the the fourth Latina and second Mexican woman to receive a Best Actress Oscar nomination.
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What other films has Yalitza Aparicio been in?
Yalitza hadn't acted in any other films or TV shows before Roma. In fact, she was learning to be a teacher before auditioning to Roma. Speaking to The Guardian in 2018 about the moment she found out she had got the part, Yalitza revealed: "I was happy, but nervous because I had no idea whether I’d be able to achieve what I'd been asked to do by Alfonso. I was also a little sad." She continued: "I'd just got my degree and I hadn't yet worked as a teacher. I’ve still not worked as a teacher."
How old is Yalitza Aparicio?
Yalitza was born on 11 December 1993, which means she turns 26 in 2019. She was born in Heroica Ciudad de Tlaxiaco, which is a city in the Mexican state of Oaxaca.
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Who is Yalitza Aparicio in Roma?
The story in Roma follows childhood upbringing in the Colonia Roma neighbourhood of Mexico City. Yalitza plays Cleodegaria "Cleo" Gutiérrez in the film, who is a maid working in middle-class household during the 1970s. In an interview with Hollywood Reporter, Yalitza explained she had a strong connection to her character in the film because of the politics she has experienced in life. She said: "I recognised that woman. We had demonstrated, and it could have ended in that same way. It made me realise just how little things have changed in Mexico. It reminded me of everything that we students had been through in Mexico."
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