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meet Libo, and she also told me more or less the same things as Alfonso, but
A PA R I C I O
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From preschool teacher training to taking the lead in Alfonso Cuarón’s stunning epic Roma BY J O E U T I C H I
she added more to her story. She talked about her difficulties, and things that she lacked back then, the reasons that made her come to Mexico City. That made me relate to her, and it made it easier for me to portray her because of that. There are some incredibly hard moments in the film, and some incredibly beautiful moments—the scenes with the baby, when you give birth, and on the beach at the end. How did you react to those scenes? I think the most difficult one was the one on the beach, on all levels. The technical level, because the camera kept falling down. And the weather. There was a
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ALITZA APARICIO HAD JUST COMPLETED her teacher training for preschool in her hometown of Tlaxiaco, Oaxaca when she was cast to play Cleo in Alfonso Cuarón’s retelling of his own childhood in Mexico City, Roma. She had no aspirations to act—her sister, in fact, was the performer of the family—but on a nationwide search of Mexico, Aparicio’s physical similarity to the Cuaróns’ real-life nanny Liboria “Libo” Rodríguez was undeniable. Libo had cared for Alfonso and his siblings during a difficult time for his parents and his country. And Aparicio’s heartfelt love for children, reflected in her chosen career, was an undeniable point of emotional connection.
storm just before we started shooting, so everything was difficult. And I don’t know how to swim, so I felt a lot of fear even before we were shooting, because I was told I was going to have to go in. But once we started shooting, the only thing I had in my mind was the same instinct any mom would have, that you’d do anything for your children, and that’s how I was able to flow along with the scene. Other difficult scenes were the ones with Nancy [García García] who plays Adela, because they were in Mixtec, and I don’t speak or understand it very well, so she was having to teach me. Sometimes I had in my mind what I had to say, but I was
What made you go to the casting call
You hadn’t heard of Alfonso before.
scared or shy, or I didn’t feel secure on how
for Roma?
Did you watch his other films?
to pronounce the words.
My sister sings, and she asked me to go
Well, actually, he asked me if I had seen
with her. Once we were there she said,
any of his films, and I said no. He asked me
ing birth to my baby was very difficult for
“OK, I’m not going to be able to do it be-
if I knew about his work, or who he was,
me, because I didn’t know what was going
cause I’m pregnant, and you know that I’m
and I said no, and that I had only seen pic-
to happen at all. So my reaction was, of
not feeling very well anyway. So go in there;
tures of him. So he said, “OK, cool. I don’t
course, totally natural. It helped a lot that
I want you to do the casting, I want you to
want you to see anything now until we fin-
the set was very real. The doctors were ac-
answer everything they ask, and I want you
ish shooting. Then you can go ahead and
tual doctors in real life. So that transported
to act if they ask you to act.”
see whatever films you want of mine. But
me to the moment, and made me feel and
I want your mind fresh right now. I don’t
believe I was really giving birth.
My sister thinks that I’m shy and don’t speak that much. So she wanted me to go
Then especially the scene when I’m giv-
want anything to contaminate your mind.” Do you hope to keep acting, or do you
through the experience. And also because she was very curious, as there has never
What did he tell you about Cleo and
see your future back where you were
been a casting before in our hometown. I
who she was? You didn’t have the
initially heading, as a teacher?
didn’t want to do it, but I did.
script, so how did you find her?
Actually, I found a lot of things that I like in
He told me that he was going to do this
this experience. One of them is the hope
Have you gotten over that sense of
story about his mother, and he explained
that through the film, people can make
shyness? Has it helped?
that he had two mothers and that this was
their dreams come true, even if acting
I sometimes ask myself, “How am I doing
going to be about the one who took care
was not always a dream of mine. I believe
all of this?” Sometimes, when I’m sur-
of him and his siblings at all times. Then
acting and teaching are not so far apart. As
rounded by a lot of people, I shake I’m so
he told me her actual name was Libo. He
a teacher, you educate. And films edu-
nervous. But I always remember what my
told me about her and how she got to his
cate too, but they do it in a massive way. I
sister told me, “Don’t stay quiet. Speak, say
home, how she treated them. After some
haven’t been offered another opportunity
things.” And so that’s what I try to do.
time, I had the opportunity to actually
yet, but I would love it if it happens. ★
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PHOTOGRAPH BY
Michael Buckner
11/23/18 12:56 PM
