If successful, the year-old Mexican, who worked as a teacher before she was discovered almost by accident at a casting call held at the cultural centre, will be the first indigenous winner of the award. The novice actor is up against established stars including Glenn Close and Lady Gaga. But in her home town, known formally as the Heroic City of Tlaxiaco in honour of a battle waged there during the β67 French invasion of Mexico , Aparicio is already a hero.
Tlaxiaco is a bustling city of 60, people in the mountainous south-west state of Oaxaca, surrounded by small indigenous villages where Spanish is normally the second language. Aparicio is of mixed ancestry: her mother is Triqui and her father Mixteco.
The modest family home, located up a hilly dirt road on the southern edge of town, is constructed of metal sheets, rocks and concrete blocks. A hundred or so young women turned up, and after three days the casting agents had 28 earmarked for a callback, but wanted two more.
Martinez persuaded Edith Aparicio, a locally renowned singer, to audition. She in turn persuaded her sister, Yalitza, to join her. Yalitza, who had no intention of becoming an actor, wowed the casting agents. After three more auditions, she was offered the role. Javier Guerrero, the radio presenter who conducted the interview, thinks winning is a long shot against such stiff competition.
Win or lose on Sunday, Aparicio appears destined for further stardom. There are rumours of a new project with the Mexican-American singer and actor Diego Boneta. Facebook Twitter Pinterest. Topics Mexico. Reuse this content. Most popular.
