Yalitza Aparicio Martínez was born on December 11, 1993 in Tlaxiaco, Oaxaca. Her parents are of indigenous origin; Her father is Mixtec and her mother is Triqui. However, she was not fluent in the Mixtec language and had to learn it for her role in the Roma. Aparicio was raised by a single mother who worked as a domestic worker. He has no formal training in acting, but rather earned a bachelor's degree in preschool education while he already had a bachelor's degree in early childhood education and was working in a school. She landed his first acting role just before graduating as a teacher.

Aparicio made his acting debut in the drama film “Roma,” written and directed by Alfonso Cuarón. The film was released in November 2018. Aparicio received critical praise, with Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian stating that she “brings something gentle, delicate, stoic and selfless to the role. “She is the jewel of this outstanding film.”

For her performance, she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress, becoming the first Native American woman to receive an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.

She also earned nominations in the same category from the Chicago Film Critics Association, Critics' Choice Movie Awards, Hollywood Film Awards, Gotham Awards, San Francisco Film Critics Circle, Satellite Awards, and Women Film Critics Circle. as well as recognition from Time and The New York Times.