Lupita Nyong’o is a Mexican-born, Kenyan-raised actress who has made waves in Hollywood since her breakout role as Patsey in Steve McQueen’s historical drama ‘12 Years a Slave’. Ever since then, she’s been everywhere – from the Star Wars sequel trilogy to Black Panther to the parody song “American Apparel Ad Girls.” But how did this talented actress manage to make it big?
From Mexico to Kenya and Beyond
Lupita was born in Mexico City in 1983 to Kenyan parents, but moved with them to Kenya when she was just three years old. In 2008, she made her acting debut in a movie called East River and from 2009-2012, starred on a Kenyan TV series called Shuga. Her first feature film role came in 2013 when she was cast as Patsey in Steve McQueen’s historical drama ‘12 Years a Slave’. The film earned her critical acclaim and won multiple awards including an Oscar for Best Picture. Following this success, Lupita was cast as Max Janata in the Star Wars ‘sequel trilogy’ which concluded with 2019’s Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker. She also played Nakia in Black Panther (2018).
Music Recognition
In addition to her success on the big screen, an African Giant Lupita has also been mentioned by some of today’s biggest musicians. Christian rapper Lecrae mentioned her by name in his 2014 song “Nuthin'” from his album Anomaly. The drag queens Willam Belli, Courtney Act and Alaska Thunderfuck paid homage to her with their parody song “American Apparel Ad Girls”. Rapper Nicki Minaj mentioned Lupita in her verse on A$AP Ferg’s remix of “Plain Jane”, while Beyoncé sang about her in her hit single “Brown Skin Girl”. It seems that no matter what medium she works in, Lupita Nyong’o captures attention everywhere she goes!
Hollywood Hair Representation
In 2014, People Magazine named Nyong’o the Most Beautiful Woman in the World. But she isn’t just influencing through her career— she is also inspiring fans to be more comfortable in their own skin and hair as she has learned to appreciate her own. When it comes to representing natural hair, Hollywood still has a long way to go. But with stars like Lupita Nyong’o leading the charge, there is progress! From rocking cornrows and bantu knots on the red carpet to speaking out in interviews about why natural hair representation matters, she even revealed how her hair was altered in a magazine. Nyong’o is an advocate for change and progress within the Hollywood industry.
Conclusion:
There’s no denying that Lupita Nyong’o has become one of Hollywood’s biggest stars in the past decade. Not only does she inspire the audience with her performances but also with her advocacy work around natural hair representation and self-love messages alike. From humble beginnings as an actress on Kenyan television shows, she has risen through the ranks of Hollywood stardom and become one of the most beloved African actresses ever. Not only is she celebrated for her work on stage and screen – even musicians are paying tribute to her.
Who is an African Giant?
Africa Giant media, where Africans share information on talent, achievements, culture, economy and more and together we can tell the original Africa story.
