Yalitza Aparicio‘s journey to the Oscars has been a complete dream. For her, and her mom too.
ET’s Nancy O’Dell and Kevin Frazier spoke with Aparicio on the red carpet at the 91st Academy Awards on Sunday, where her mom joined the interview to gush over her daughter’s incredible last few years.
“Muy contenta,” Aparicio’s mother said, expressing how “very happy” she was. “Es un sueño inolvidable,” she added, calling the night an “unforgettable dream.”
Aparicio is nominated for Best Actress at Sunday’s event, for her role as Cleo in Alfonso Cuarón’s Roma. The character is based on Cuarón’s childhood nanny, whose real name is Liboria “Libo” Rodriguez, but Aparicio, who was born in Tlaxiaco, Oaxaca, Mexico, previously told ET that her performance was a tribute to her mom, who works as a housekeeper.
While the 25-year-old has been thrust into the limelight amid the success of Roma, she never planned to be an actress. Aparicio, who holds a degree in education and aspires to be a teacher, conceded that she has her sister to thank for “insisting that I go to the casting [for Roma].”
“She’s home and she’s with all our friends and family. They’re all watching the Oscars,” Aparicio told ET.
“I feel amazing. I realize that being a teacher and being an actress can actually be quite similar, and we can teach the world through this presentation and this film,” she shared.
ET caught up with Aparicio just days before the Oscars, where she opened up about the roles she’s turned down since Roma, and revealed that she still wasn’t sure what she’d wear to the Academy Awards (she ended up in a gorgeous Rodarte gown). Watch below.
The 2019 Oscars will air live on ABC at 8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT.
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