About Lupita Nyong’o
Lupita Nyong’o is an Academy Award-winning Kenyan-Mexican actress, producer, and director. She is best known for her critically acclaimed roles in the films 12 Years a Slave, The Jungle Book, Black Panther, and Us. She made her Broadway debut in the play Eclipsed in 2015.
Nyong’o made history in 2014 when she became the first African woman to win an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in 12 Years a Slave. She is also the first Kenyan and Mexican actress to win an Academy Award. Nyong’o has also won numerous other awards, including a Primetime Emmy Award, a BAFTA Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. She has been recognized by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2014.
30 Interesting Things Most People Don’t Know About Lupita Nyong’o
• She was born in Mexico, but grew up in Kenya
• She earned her Master of Fine Arts degree from the Yale School of Drama
• She speaks four languages: English, Spanish, Luo, and Swahili
• She was the first African woman to win an Academy Award
• She is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
• She is a United Nations Global Advocate for Women’s Health
• She is a board member of the Hamptons International Film Festival
• She is an ambassador to World Vision Canada and the Global Citizen Festival
• She is an advocate for Wildlife Conservation
• She was a columnist for Allure Magazine in 2014-15
• She was on the cover of People Magazine’s most beautiful list in 2014
• She is a published author, with her title “Sulwe” being released in 2019
• She was named “Woman of the Year” by Glamour Magazine in 2014
• She is a humanitarian, having done work in Kenya and South Africa
• She was the first Kenyan actress to appear in a major Hollywood production
• She was the first Kenyan celebrity to be featured on the cover of Vogue Magazine
• She is a philanthropist, having donated money to schools and hospitals in Kenya
• She is a vocal supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement
• She is an advocate for sustainable fashion, having collaborated with brands like Calvin Klein and Miu Miu
• She is a founding member of the “Times Up” movement
• She is a board member of the African Leadership Academy
• She has a pet dog named Kibibi
• She was a member of the Harvard Black Student Union
• She was the face of Lancome cosmetics in 2014
• She is a yoga enthusiast
• She is a teetotaler and does not use drugs
• She is a big fan of the television show “Game of Thrones”
• She was a cast member of the Broadway production of “Eclipsed”
• She is an advocate for mental health awareness
• She is a fan of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, having played the character of Nakia in Black Panther
