Adriana Barraza

Adriana Barraza (born March 5, 1956, in Toluca, Estado de México) is a Mexican screen artist celebrated not only for her acting, but also for her work as an acting teacher and director. After years behind the scenes shaping performances, she made a decisive move into on-camera roles that would bring her international recognition.

Her breakthrough arrived when filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu cast her as Octavio’s mother in Amores Perros, the Oscar-nominated Mexican drama that introduced her to a global audience. She later reunited with Iñárritu for Babel, delivering a widely praised performance as Amelia that earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

In Mexico, Barraza became known as “Master Barraza” through her collaboration with director and mentor Sergio Jiménez (“El Profe”). Together they founded an actors’ workshop in Mexico City, developing their own approach to Method-style training while she also directed and coached on telenovela productions.

Barraza’s filmography spans emotionally grounded roles in projects such as Henry Poole Is Here, Drag Me to Hell, Dark Blood, and Where the Tracks End. Based in the U.S., she runs Adriana Barraza’s Black Box in Miami, continuing to mentor actors alongside her family.