Catalina Sandino Moreno

Took acting classes at a Bogot (Colombia) theater before getting "discovered" by an anonymous supporter who referred her name to the casting agent for Maria Full of Grace .

Studied advertising at a college in Colombia before moving to New York City around 2003.

Reads Spanish-language books because she misses hearing the language as she did when living in Colombia.

She is the first Colombian to be nominated for an Academy Award.

Mother is a pathologist.

Was in New York when she heard on television that she was nominated for Best Performance by an Actress for her role in Maria Full of Grace .

Attended Saint Georges School in Bogot, Colombia.

Was one of People Magazines "50 Most Beautiful People" in 2005.

Invited to join AMPAS in 2005.

Became interested in theater and stage at a very young age.

Became the first actress ever to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Performance that was spoke entirely in Spanish throughout the entirety of the film.

Won Best Actress at the 2004 Cartagena Film Festival in her home country Colombia.

In the future Catalina would love to work with Pedro Almodvar and Alejandro Amenbar.

Is a huge fan of Ang Lee and would love to work with him in the future.

Her favorite actors are Javier Bardem , Gael Garca Bernal , Cate Blanchett and Frances McDormand.

Very good friends with Ethan Hawke.

One of very few actors to receive an Academy Award nomination for their screen debut.

(April 15, 2006) Married her boyfriend of 4 years David Elwell.

Gave birth to her 1st child at age 27, a son in January 2009. Childs father is her husband, David Elwell.

She is the first person born in the 1980s to have received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress, for Maria Full of Grace . Natalie Portman is the first person born in the 1980s to have won the award, for Black Swan .

I love theater. I want to keep learning and I think that by doing as,much theater as I can, it will make me a better actress for film.