Adriana Barraza González (born 5 March 1956)[1] is a Mexican actress. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Babel (2006).

Adriana Barraza
Barraza in 2009
Born (1956-03-05) 5 March 1956 (age 68)
OccupationActress
Years active1985–present
Spouses
Carlos Valsagna
(m. 1978; div. 1985)
Arnaldo Pipke
(m. 2005)
Children1

Early life

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Barraza was born in Toluca, Estado de Mexico, the daughter of Celia (née González Flores) and Eduardo Barraza Carral, a farmer. Her mother died when she was ten years old from myocarditis, a heart condition. Barraza herself has experienced two heart attacks. She has a sister named María Eugenia Barraza and three brothers, Eduardo, Porfirio and José.[2]

Career

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In 1999 director Alejandro González Iñárritu cast her as the mother of Gael García Bernal's character in Amores perros, which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. In 2006, she collaborated with Iñárritu again in Babel, for which she received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Barraza is known in Mexico as Master Barraza from her partnership with Mexican director Sergio Jiménez, known as El Profe. They created the Actors Workshop in Mexico City, teaching and developing their own version of Method acting. Barraza began her career directing telenovela episodes, the actors in which she would also coach. In the 1990s she decided to step in front of the camera.

She currently operates her own acting school located in Miami, Florida titled Adriana Barraza's Black Box. Instructors at the school include her husband Arnaldo and daughter Carolina.[3]

In 1985, Barraza moved to Mexico City, to work as a theatre director. Since 1985, Barraza has guest starred and directed the Mexican television show Mujer, Casos de la Vida Real, alongside host Silvia Pinal. She has also been a part of the telenovela ensembles of Bajo un Mismo Rostro playing Elvira, La Paloma as Madre Clara and Imperio de Cristal as Flora. In 1997 she took on the role of Nurse Clara Dominguez in Alguna Vez Tendremos Alas.

Barraza directed Locura de Amor (in which she also starred), Nunca Te Olvidare and El Manantial.

Barraza appeared in the films Henry Poole Is Here, Drag Me to Hell, And Soon the Darkness. In 2011, Barraza's latest films included From Prada to Nada and Thor (in which her part was cut down). She had a recurring role as Guadalupe Elizalde, on the FX television series The Strain. In 2014 she starred in the film Cake opposite Jennifer Aniston.

She is also a professional acting coach and has worked with actors for a number of films and television shows, including the American film Spanglish. Barraza worked for Telemundo as an acting instructor, teaching accents to actors and actresses from all over Latin America, giving them a more Mexican lilt and sound appropriate for their character.[4]

Personal life

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She became pregnant at age 18 with her daughter, actress Carolina Valsagna (b. 1975). The father of her daughter is not known, as he abandoned her. Her first husband was Carlos Valsagna, whom she married in 1978, and he adopted her daughter and gave her his name. Her second husband is Arnaldo Pipke. Barraza studied acting through the Fine Arts School at Autonomous University of Chihuahua.[5]

Filmography

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List of film and television credits
Year Title Role Notes
1993 Los cosas simples TV movie
1994-1995 Imperio de Cristal Flora Telenovela, antagonist
1995 Bajo un mismo rostro Elvira Telenovela, supporting role
La paloma Madre Clara Telenovela, supporting role
1996 La culpa Trabajadora Social Telenovela, special appearance
1997 Alguna vez tendremos alas Clara Domínguez Telenovela, antagonist
1998 Vivo por Elena Hilda 'La Machín' Telenovela, antagonist
The First Night Bruno's mother Film
1999 La paloma de Marsella Film
2000 Locura de amor Soledad Retana Telenovela, supporting role
Amores perros Octavio's mother Film
2001 La segunda noche Lulú and Laura's mother Film
1985–2003 Mujer, Casos de la Vida Real Lupe Appeared in 8 episodes from 1985 to 2006
2003 Clase 406 Mabel Telenovela, special appearance
2006 Babel Amelia Film
2007 ...Y solo humo Toña Short film
ER Dolores Salazar Episode: "Skye's the Limit"
2008 Henry Poole Is Here Esperanza Martinez Film
Tiempo Final Episode: "Reality Show"
CSI: Miami Carmen Delko Episode: "The DeLuca Motel"
2009 Rage Anita de Los Ángeles Film
Drag Me to Hell Shaun San Dena Film
Tres piezas de amor en un fin de semana Sofía Film
2010 Revolución Chayo Film
And Soon the Darkness Rosamaría Film
Sucedió en un día Madre Film
Burning Palms Louisa Álvarez Film
Cerro Bayo Marta Film
Te presento a Laura Conchita Film
2011 From Prada to Nada Aurelia Jimenez Film
Thor Isabella Álvarez Film, deleted scenes
2012 El Cartel de los Sapos La abuela Film
Mariachi Gringo Magdalena Film
2013 Buen Día, Ramón Esperanza Film
2014 The Strain Guadalupe Elizalde Recurring role
Cake Silvana Film
2015 Dueños del paraíso (Owners of Paradise) Irene Medrano Telenovela, co-protagonist
Wild Horses Mrs. Davis Film
2016 Todo lo Demás (Everything Else) Doña Flor Film, protagonist
2016-2017 Silvana sin lana (Silvana Without Money) Trinidad "Trini" Altamirano de Rivapalacios Telenovela, supporting role
2018 Al otro lado del muro (On The Other Side Of The Wall) Carmen Rosales de Romero Telenovela, supporting role
2018 The Inmate Guadelupe Mendoza Television
2019 Dora and the Lost City of Gold Abuelita Valerie Film
Coyote Lake Teresa Film
Rambo: Last Blood Maria Beltran Film
2020 Penny Dreadful: City of Angels Maria Vega Television
We Can Be Heroes Anita Moreno Film
2021 Bingo Hell Lupita TV movie, protagonist
Koati Amaya Voice role
2022 Diario de un gigoló Minou Television
Monica Leticia Film
2023 Dark Obsession Camila Film
Blue Beetle Nana Film
Where the Tracks End Teacher Georgina Film
2024 My Penguin Friend Maria Film

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Work Result
2006 About.com Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Babel Won
Academy Award Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role Nominated
Broadcast Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Nominated
Chicago Film Critics Association Nominated
Golden Globe Awards Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture Nominated
Gotham Awards Best Ensemble Cast Won
Imagen Awards Imagen Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated
Online Film Critics Society Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Nominated
Palm Springs International Film Festival Palm Springs International Film Festival Award for Best Ensemble Cast Won
San Francisco Film Critics Circle Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Won
Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role Nominated
Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Nominated
2007 ALMA Award Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture Won
2011 Imagen Awards Imagen Award for Best Supporting Actress From Prada to Nada Nominated
2017 Ariel Awards Best Actress Todo lo Demás Nominated

References

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