Yalitza Aparicio

Yalitza Aparicio Martínez was born on December 11, 1993, in Tlaxiaco, Oaxaca, Mexico. Her parents are of indigenous origin, with her father being Mixtec and her mother Triqui. Raised by a single mother who worked as a maid, Aparicio pursued a degree in pre-school education and holds a baccalaureate in early childhood education. She was preparing to qualify as a teacher when she secured her debut acting role, which marked a significant turning point in her life and career trajectories.

Aparicio gained international recognition for her screen debut as Cleo in Alfonso Cuarón’s 2018 drama film, “Roma.” Her performance earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress, making her the first Indigenous American woman to receive such a nomination. This achievement brought her critical acclaim; Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian described her as bringing “something gentle, delicate, stoic and selfless” to the role. Beyond the Academy Award nomination, she received nominations from the Chicago Film Critics Association, Critics’ Choice Movie Awards, Hollywood Film Awards (where she won the New Hollywood Award), Gotham Awards, San Francisco Film Critics Circle, and Satellite Awards.

Her prominence continued with appearances on the cover of Vogue México in January 2019 and the Vanity Fair 2019 “Hollywood Issue” cover. In 2019, Time magazine recognized her as one of the 100 most influential people in the world, and she was appointed a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Indigenous Peoples. Aparicio was invited to become a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2020. Her acting credits include the Mexican horror film “Presencias” (2022), a recurring role in the American comedy series “Los Espookys” (2022), and a co-starring role in the Netflix film “The Great Seduction” (2023).