Adriana Barraza

Adriana Barraza González, born on 5 March 1956, is a well-recognized Mexican actress. She has been lauded for her performances and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal in Babel (2006). Hailing from Toluca, Estado de Mexico, Barraza was the daughter of Eduardo Barraza Carral, a farmer, and Celia González Flores. Having faced the loss of her mother at a young age due to myocarditis, a heart condition, she has experienced two heart attacks herself but has continued to brave life's challenges.

Barraza began her career in 1985, initially focusing on directing. She has since then expanded her repertoire of skills and has worked in front of the camera too. She first gained recognition when Alejandro González Iñárritu cast her in Amores perros in 1999. Barraza's performance and the film's nomination for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film helped get her international recognition. Aside from her acting roles, Barraza is known for her partnership with Mexican director Sergio Jiménez and the establishment of the Actors Workshop in Mexico City. Currently, she operates her own acting school, Adriana Barraza's Black Box in Miami, whose faculty includes her husband and daughter. Her career has spanned many genres; from telenovelas and television series to critically acclaimed films. Some of her notable appearances include Mujer, Casos de la Vida Real, Bajo un Mismo Rostro, and La Paloma. She also had a recurring role in the FX television series The Strain.