Mexican actress Salma Hayek has paid tribute to her countrywoman Yalitza Aparicio for her Best Actress Oscar nomination for her debut performance in Roma.
"In 2002 I became the first Mexican actress nominated for best actress," Hayek, who received a nomination for her 2002 film Frida posted on Instagram. "I’m very moved that today I am no longer alone. Congratulations [Yalitza Aparicio] for your so well deserved nomination. I hope this time you win."
While Hayek was the first Mexican woman to be nominated for Best Actress at the Oscars, Aparicio, 25, is the first Indigenous Mexican woman to receive a nod. Aparicio, who plays Cleo—based on director Alfonso Cuarón's nanny—shared her emotional response to the news in a video posted to Twitter.
"I was extremely happy when I woke up very early today," she wrote in a caption for the video. "“I was not expecting to receive this news. Thank you Ale A. Garcia and for waking me up.”
Before Aparicio was the breakout star of the Best Picture-nominated film, she was a trainee school teacher in her hometown of Tlaxiaco in Oaxaca, Mexico. “It’s kind of incredible that I’ve had this experience because not everybody starts this way," Apiricio, who was also the first Indigenous woman to appear on the cover of Vogue Mexico, told in December.
Along with The Favourite, Roma leads the Oscars nominations with , with Cuarón receiving a best director nomination, and Marina De Tavira for Best Supporting Actress.
