Everyone is rooting for Ana de Armas to win her first Academy Award after being the only Latina nominated in this year’s best actress in a leading role category and the only Latina actress considered for a 2023 Oscar. But according to one of her closest friends, although the Cuban actress had a magistral performance as Marilyn Monroe in Netflix’s NC-17 psychodrama “Blonde,” she is not expecting to take home the statuette.

As Periodico Cubano reported, Elena Furiase, granddaughter of Lola Flores and one of Ana’s best friends, the actress is happy and grateful for her nomination but still taking it one step at a time.

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“She is very well, very happy. She has been nominated for practically all the awards, she is nominated for the Oscars, and she is very calm,” Furiase said on the red carpet of the Goya Awards. “She believes that they are not going to give it to her, so she is very calm,” Furiase assured.

Elena said that Ana believes she has a lot of competition. “Ana is very realistic, and although she is excited, she knows that she does not have everything with her,” said the Spanish interpreter.

Despite Ana’s feelings towards the possibility of winning, film director Pedro Almodóvar named her his favorite to secure the golden trophy. “Ana deserves the Oscar; what she does as Marilyn is impressive; what happens is that this year there are two beasts, Michelle Yeoh and Cate Blanchett, who are going to make it difficult for her, but it is a role that deserves an Oscar,” he assured.

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De Armas‘ historic nomination also recognizes her as the first Cuban to be considered for the leading role category at the Oscars. Thirty-three years ago, Cuban actor Andy Garcia was nominated for best-supporting actor.

Ana is now part of the small group of Latinas ever been nominated for best actress in a leading role, including Fernanda Montenegro, Salma Hayek, Catalina Sandino Moreno, and most recently, Yalitza Aparicio.

In 2022, “Blonde” took the second spot on the Netflix charts after premiering in late September. The almost three-hour film has been rated an NSFW NC-17 meaning no one under 18 is allowed in the audience, even if accompanied by an adult.

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In an interview with Variety, de Armas revealed that she spent four months embodying Marilyn Monroe, a character that followed her into the next acting project. “That [Blonde] wrapped on a Friday, and I was shooting Bond the next Monday,” she says. “I don’t think anyone would choose two days, spending half in an airplane, as time off between films, but sometimes good things happen.”