Dominican actress Zoe Saldaña won this Sunday with her first Oscar, for the best cast actress, for her interpretation as lawyer Rita Mora Castro in the Narcomusical ‘Emilia Pérez’.
During his speech, Saldaña claimed pride his Latin American roots remembering his grandmother, who migrated to the United States in 1961 in search of a better life, during his speech as the winner of the Oscar for Best Actress of Distributed for ‘Emilia Pérez’
“My grandmother arrived in this country in 1961. I am a proud daughter of immigrants with dreams and dignity and working hands, and I am the first Latina of Dominican origin to receive a trophy from the academy for singing and speaking in Spanish and I hope I am not the last one,” said Saldaña, putting his hand in his heart and crying with emotion during his speech of gratitude.
The actress wanted to dedicate the award her grandmother, named Dolores Argentina Cesse, who died almost six years ago.
Saldaña, surprised to hear her name, took the stage and her first words were in Spanish: “Mommy, mommy!”, After he added in English: “My mother is here.”
“Thanks to the Academy for recognizing the silent heroism and power of a woman like Rita”, in reference to her role as a lawyer in the film. He also thanked his family’s support. “Everything brave, scandalous and good that I have done in my life is thanks to you.”
Saldaña’s message coincides with a moment of political tension with the arrival of Donald Trump to the White House, who has promised the greatest deportation of Latin Americans in history on American soil.
The actress faced Ariana Grande (‘Wicked’), Felicity Jones (‘The Brutalist’), Monica Barbaro (‘A Complete Unknown’) and Isabella Rossellini (‘Conclave’).
Saldaña had already been awarded in the Golden Globes last January and won a Bafta for Best Supporting Actress. He also achieved the recognition of the Hollywood actors union (SAG Awards) and that of specialized criticism (Critics Choice), thus surviving the maelstrom of ‘Emilia Pérez’.
Directed by the Frenchman Jacques Audiard, Saldaña plays a somewhat tired lawyer of his work, who receives a juicy offer from ‘Manitas’, leader of a Mexicam cartel: help him pretend his death and start living his real me.
In a combined suspense, comedy and drama, the film is protected by musical numbers to address issues with social dye, such as trans activism, femicides, drug trafficking, corruption and the disappeared in Mexico.
Saldaña is the only actress who starred in four films that have raised more than 2,000 million dollars: ‘Avatar’ (2009), ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ (2022), ‘Avengers: Endgame’ (2019) and ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ (2018). EFE
News in process.
With EFE Informaicon.
You may be interested: Karla Sofía Gascón arrived at the Oscar, but avoided the red carpet
