There was much excitement in the air at Monday’s annual gathering of Academy Award nominees at the traditional Oscars luncheon, held at the Beverly Hilton in L.A. Stars including Glenn Close, Rachel Weisz, Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga mingled, chatted and snapped selfies during a cocktail hour before enjoying a salmon lunch.
The Mexican actress, whose starring role in Roma led to her first Oscar nomination, is living out her dreams. "I've felt so nervous since all this began, and I can't shake it, but I'm so happy to meet all these people and have these experiences," said the actress. "To see so many stars sat here casually, just eating, is incredible," she added.
The actress and singer is one of the favorites to take home one of the golden trophies on the big night, which takes place on Sunday February 24 at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland. If she does beat off competition in the Best Actress category from Glenn Close, Olivia Colman, Yalitza Aparicio and Melissa McCarthy she will become one of the few artists to have taken home trophies from the ‘big four’ of major entertainment awards ceremonies. Her straining mantelpiece is already home to gongs from the Grammys, Tony Awards and the Emmys. She’s only missing an Oscar.
Marina de Tavira
The Mexican actress is part of awards season’s biggest success story – Alfonso Cuarón’s Roma. This Academy Award nomination – for Best Supporting Actress – comes at the point in Marina’s career 13 years after her first big screen role and 21 years after her first TV part.