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Lupita Nyong’o

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1 Mar, 1983

Lupita Nyong’o born in Mexico City

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Lupita

Lupita Amondi Nyong’o is born in Mexico City, Mexico. Her father is Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o, a Kenyan Senate politican and her mother is Dorothy Nyong’o, Africa Cancer Foundation’s managing director. She has five siblings and is of Luo descent.  The Luo tradition is to name a child after the events of the day, so her parents give her a Mexican name, Lupita (a diminutive of Our Lady of Guadalupe).  As a child, Nyong’o is teased about her race.

I got teased and taunted about my skin; my one prayer to God was that I would wake up lighter skinned.  The morning would come and I would be so excited about seeing my new skin that I would refuse to look down at myself until I was in front of the mirror because I wanted to see my face first.  Every day I would feel the disappointment of being just as dark as the day before.

2013

Albinism interview

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Nyong’o shares her experience coming to America. She reflects on how important it is to her to see herself as Black now that she is in America, after studying albinism.

Albinism in particular was an interesting subject because they’re the one group of people that unify all races. Having come to the United States was the first time that I really had to consider myself as being black and to learn what my race meant. Because race is such an important part of understanding American society.

Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o "In My Genes" Documentary on Albinism Trailer

14 Jan, 2014

Tavis Smiley interview

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Nyong’o discusses her role in 12 Years a Slave and the fanfare surrounding her life in the aftermath of the movie in this interview for PBS.

I was heartbroken when I read her story, and I felt a deep sense of sympathy. I felt so sorry for her. I realized then that I had a lot of work to do in order to be able to actually play her. Because playing – seeing someone sympathetically is a judgment of their situation rather than an advocacy for where they are and what they’re fighting for. So I had my work cut out for me, but I had a gut reaction to her.

16 Jan, 2014

Oscar nomination

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Nyong’o is nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the 86th Academy Awards for portraying Patsey in 12 Years a Slave.

We decided, one way or another, I’m going to find out, so I might as well find out from someone saying it. I woke up and remember being so mad at the weatherman for him to finish up before the announcement. My heart was beating so fast.

Oscar Nominations 2014

2014

Shadow & Act interview

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Nyong’o discusses her perspective on her role as a slave woman in 12 Years a Slave. She talks about the extreme emotions that went into playing the role along with the other cast members on set.

Everyone knew that this was going to be a hard day, not just for me, but for everyone involved. And we just went about getting it done.

28 Feb, 2014

Non-Stop

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Nyong’o plays one of the flight attendants on the movie “Non-Stop”, which is about an air marshal who receives text messages threatening to kill passengers, unless the airline pays a ransom, while on a non-stop flight, and his plans to thwart the potential murders.

I needed to do something in a totally different genre after 12 Years a Slave and Non-Stop was so much fun, working with Liam and Julianne Moore and Michelle Dockery who plays my side [correcting herself] – I’m her sidekick, she’s not my sidekick, I’m her sidekick! It was a joyful set.

Non-Stop - Trailer

2 Mar, 2014

Wins Oscar

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Lupita oscarNyong’o wins an Academy Award for best supporting actress for her role as Patsey in 12 Years a Slave.

I look down at this golden statue, and may it remind me and every little child that no matter where you’re from, your dreams are valid.

5 May, 2014

People cover

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lupitaNyong’o appears on the cover of People to discuss her Oscar win, beauty, and radiant personality.

Beauty was what I saw on television, you know, light skin and long, flowing, straight hair. Subconsciously you start to appreciate those things more than what you possess.

2 Jun, 2014

Nyong’o & Christie join cast

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Lupita Nyong’o & Gwendoline Christie (Game of Thrones) join the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII. Kathleen Kennedy, president of Lucasfilm, commented on the casting choice:

I could not be more excited about Lupita and Gwendoline joining the cast of Episode VII. It’s thrilling to see this extraordinarily talented ensemble taking shape.

The roles the actresses will play have not yet been announced.

19 Jun, 2014

Vogue cover

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1403181847_lupita-nyongo-vogue-cover-lgThe actress appears on the cover of the July 2014 issue of Vogue magazine. Nyong’o discusses her role 12 Years a Slave.

I remember it being one of the most joyful times in my life—and also one of the most sorrowful. I didn’t want my experience to be a vain one. But I will say that when I watched it, my heartstrings were pulled so tight for [the main character] Solomon that I couldn’t go into the ego trip. I cried—I mean, I was inconsolable. I wept for an hour after the movie.

Vouge cover

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Vouge features Nyong’o on the cover inside the issue Nyong’o is questioned about when the paparazzi first started taking her photo.

For a split second I looked behind me to see who they were flashing at and it was me! That was, I think, the beginning of the end of my anonymity.

18 Nov, 2014

To star in Queen of Katwe

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Nyong’o is slated to star in director Mira Nair’s Queen of Katwe, based on the life of chess prodigy Phiona Mutesi. Nyong’o talks about how she was first introduced to Nair:

I was home for the summer and I was talking to my parents about my interest in film, and my dad said, ‘You know what? I have a friend who’s married to a director.’ I said, ‘Who?’ and he said, ‘her name is Mira Nair.’ I was like, ‘Daddy… Mira Nair is a big deal. How could you not have told me that you have connections with Mira Nair?’

1 Dec, 2014

Glamour cover

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Nyong’o appears on the December cover of Glamour as one of the magazine’s Women of the Year 2014. Nyong’o discusses winning the Oscar.

I don’t think I will ever be able to really articulate how bizarre it was to hear my name at the Academy Awards. I’d watched in my pajamas the year before! I felt numb — dazed and confused. I remember feeling light — weightless. More like limbo than cloud nine.

7 Dec, 2014

Sunday Style cover

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Nyong’o appears on the cover of a December 2014 issue of Sunday Style magazine. She talks about her career as an actress.

22 Feb, 2015

Oscar gown

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Nyong’o wears a white gown encrusted with 6,ooo Akoya pearls worth over $150,000 to the Oscars. The gown is designed by by Francisco Costa for Calvin Klein. Nyong’o:

It was so much fun to create this dress. We talked about it being fluid and liquid. I wanted it to be an homage to the sea.

25 Feb, 2015

Oscar gown stolen

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Nyong’o’s Oscar gown is stolen from her room at the London hotel in West Hollywood. Representative for the London hotel:

This is a terribly unfortunate situation and we are working with law enforcement on their investigation.

27 Feb, 2015

Oscar gown returned

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Thieves who stole Nyong’o’s Oscar gown return it to the London hotel in West Hollywood in a garbage bag after reportedly discovering the pearls on the gown are fake. Nyong’o:

I’m happy that it has been potentially recovered. It is a timeless and priceless piece of art.

16 Apr, 2015

Star Wars: The Force Awakens official teaser #2

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Lucasfilm releases the second trailer of Star Wars: The Force Awakens at the annual Star Wars Celebration event held in Anaheim, California.