from The Sunday Herald

CATALINA SANDINO MORENO Who was Oscar-nominated for her role as a drug mule in Maria Full Of Grace

How familiar are you and your fellow Colombians with the drug mules?

Everybody knows about mules in Colombia, but nobody likes to talk about it. When we screened the film in Bogota we realised that no- one knew about the actual process of muleing.

Were you surprised?

Oh yeah. I discovered the extent to which this was happening in my country, that it could happen right next door. There were stories about Colombian actors who were out of work and were caught going to the US as mules - that really shocked me.

How hard was the scene in which you have to swallow the heroin pellets?

It was a sugar pellet, the same size and thickness as the real thing. I hadn’t even practised when we did the scene, so when you see my discomfort that is very, very real. I swallowed two.

Have you ever been stopped by US immigration?

Yes, ironically when I was flying to New York to finish the movie. I knew what the process was, but still my heart was pumping, my palms were sweating.

Where were you when you heard you’d been nominated for an Oscar?

At home on the Upper East Side. I was watching TV and giving my mum in Colombia a running commentary. I couldn’t believe it when I saw my face on TV. I went silent. But my mum could just tell, and starting screaming.

Did you mind not winning?

No. I was the first Colombian to be nominated. My family is so proud.

So now you’re living in New York?

I funded myself with the money from Maria to move to New York and pay for acting classes, at the Lee Strasburg Institute. All my life I had dreamed of going to New York and being an actress.

Maria Full Of Grace is released March 25.