Yalitza Aparicio

I really love teaching; I was actually studying to be a preschool teacher.

Never, never in my life did I have it in my mind to become an actress or be part of a film.

My name means 'sunrise of life.'

It wasn't something that I really wanted or had dreamed about. Because of your socioeconomic status or your culture, you think you can't aspire to be an actress, and to participate in this medium, that sounds like a fantasy.

Employers tend to forget that the people who are working for them are also suffering. They also have problems. They also are facing issues.

I have not decided if I want to be a teacher or an actor, because I like both of them.

I haven't really made plans for the future; I'm just enjoying the moment, going with the flow. I haven't really had time to mortify myself thinking about the future.

Politicians make a lot of promises when they are campaigning, and they come to towns, and people get enthusiastic about them coming to their communities. And then they don't fulfill the promises.

Just because you are a woman doesn't mean you have to suffer more. We have to get that idea out of our heads.

For me, it has been very important to grow up knowing about my mom's work and that she was always, at every moment, supporting me and teaching me to have this strength.

Certain stereotypes are being broken: that only people with a certain profile can be actresses or be on the cover of magazines.

I never expected a camera was going to follow all of my moves, and that was surprising when I saw it for the first time.

Yes, you can do it. You can dream about being on the cover of magazines; you can dream about being in a film.

People who know me cannot believe that I am here, because I am so shy.

In life, you have ups and downs, but you should never give up. You should always try to get ahead.

My sister sings, and in Mexico, we have these things called 'Casa de la Cultura,' which are specific places where they actually foster culture. They support people who want to do something in culture.

I believe acting and teaching are not so far apart. As a teacher, you educate. And films educate, too, but they do it in a massive way.

Sometimes, when I'm surrounded by a lot of people, I shake, I'm so nervous.

After every screen test, my family would ask how it went, but I would just say that I didn't know.

I don't think I am an actor, because I haven't studied to be an actress.

I wanted to be like my mum: as strong as her. She was my role model.

I don't want my mum to be a domestic worker any more because it is so exhausting.

I realized that film can educate people of all ages in a far-reaching way.

I'm not the face of Mexico.

It shouldn't matter what you're into, how you look - you can achieve whatever you aspire to.