Norma (50-65)

About the Job

Rosa's adult daughter and primary caregiver. Norma arrives knowing that every visit with her mother could be their last. She cares for Rosa through small acts of love—cleaning her home, lighting a candle, sharing a favorite childhood candy and playing an old record. She desperately wants evidence that some part of her mother is still there. Norma is loving but exhausted. She tries humor, nostalgia and optimism to connect with Rosa before finally confronting the possibility that the mother she remembers may already be gone. Her final goodbye—followed by Rosa unexpectedly saying her name—provides the emotional climax of the film. Looking for: An actress capable of warmth without sentimentality. The performance should feel lived-in rather than melodramatic. Norma should feel like someone who has been caring for her mother for a long time. She needs strong emotional access because several scenes require tears and substantial emotional vulnerability.