There’s no doubt Yalitza Aparicio is the actress to watch out for during awards season. Her amazing performance in Alfonso Cuaron’s multi-award nominated film, Roma, has put her in a place where she never imagined she would be. The 25-year-old went from being a preschool teacher to gracing the red carpets of some of the most influential award ceremonies, to even being nominated for an Oscar under the Best Actress category – a dream for many in the entertainment industry. Thanks to her undeniable talent, Yalitza can now check this amazing accomplishment off her bucket list.
People all over the world are fascinated by the Oscar nominee’s rise to stardom. The sweet little girl from this photo never imagined she would be an international superstar, far from her native town of Tlaxiaco, Oaxaca, and next to some of the most prominent stars in Hollywood.
Thanks to Netflix who published these images on their Twitter feed, we can enjoy these tender photos from Yalitza's childhood where we can see the artist before the glamour, the flashes and the magazine covers.
Yalitza looked to be destined for success even at an early age. This image holds all the proof we need to see the Roma star was one of the best in her class as it features her during a time where she served as a flag escort in school – an honor that in Mexico is only given to students with outstanding grades.
Ironically, Yalitza has confessed in various occasions that prior to starring in the film that brought her to fame, she was very shy and hardly spoke. We can relate to that based off this adorable pic of the actress with a serious face while dressed in a fuzzy dog costume.
In contrast to earlier days, the former teacher is now enjoying of the spotlight with one interview after the next. Especially now that she is nominated for an Academy Award – something she confessed completely took her by surprise – Yalitza now more than ever appears in the media eye.
“I’m very happy, it was very surprising. I hope many people are just as happy. As you may know we have several nominations for the film, and many will talk of what goes on in Mexico,” she said in an interview with Despierta America.
Yalitza knows she is making history. She is the first Mexican actress nominated for an Oscar for a film produced in her native language and country. And it's not just that: she's also breaking barriers with her authentic and ethnic beauty.
“It’s been a drastic change because I sincerely never thought this would be possible. You’re used to seeing people that look nothing like you on the screen, so much so that you feel this doesn’t belong to you.” She added, "Also, by means of society you begin to adopt ideas that there are certain stereotypes or certain things that determine you’ll be doing things that are already established.”
