Lupita Nyong’o Bio
Lupita Amondi Nyong’o (born 1 March 1983) is an actress who has received various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Daytime Emmy Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award, as well as nominations for two British Academy Film Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and a Tony Award. The daughter of Kenyan politician Anyang’ Nyong’o, she was born in Mexico City and was raised in Kenya from the age of three. She began her career working as part of the production crew for several films but gained fame after starring in the critically acclaimed film ’12 Years a Slave’ (2013), for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Early Life and Background
Lupita Amondi Nyong’o was born on 1 March 1983 in Mexico City to Kenyan parents, Dorothy Ogada Buyu and Anyang’ Nyong’o, a college professor. The family left Kenya in 1980 due to political repression and unrest. They returned to Kenya when Nyong’o was under a year old, after her father was appointed as a professor at the University of Nairobi. Growing up in Nairobi, she was part of an artistic family and describes her upbringing as middle class and suburban. Family gatherings often included performances by the children and trips to see plays. Nyong’o attended Rusinga International School in Kenya, where she acted in school plays. At the age of 14, she made her professional acting debut as Juliet in William Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ in a production by the Nairobi-based repertory company Phoenix Players. She credits the performances of Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey in ‘The Color Purple’ with inspiring her to pursue a professional acting career. Nyong’o later attended St. Mary’s School in Nairobi, where she received an International Baccalaureate Diploma in 2001. She went to the United States for college, graduating from Hampshire College with a degree in film and theatre studies. She also spent seven months in Mexico at the age of 16 to learn Spanish.
Path to Hollywood
Nyong’o began her career working as part of the production crew for several films, including ‘The Constant Gardener’ (2005) and ‘The Namesake’ (2006). She cites Ralph Fiennes, the British star of ‘The Constant Gardener’, as someone who inspired her to pursue a professional acting career. In 2008, she starred in the short film ‘East River’, directed by Marc Grey. That same year, she returned to Kenya and appeared in the Kenyan television series ‘Shuga’, a drama about HIV/AIDS prevention. Nyong’o also wrote, directed, and produced the documentary ‘In My Genes’, which won first prize at the 2008 Five College Film Festival. She later enrolled in a master’s degree program in acting at the Yale School of Drama, where she appeared in many stage productions and won the Herschel Williams Prize for outstanding ability.
Lupita Nyong’o Career
Early Career (2005–2012)
Nyong’o’s breakthrough role came when she was cast in Steve McQueen’s historical drama ’12 Years a Slave’ (2013). The film, based on the life of Solomon Northup, received widespread critical acclaim. Nyong’o portrayed Patsey, a slave who works alongside Northup at a Louisiana cotton plantation. Her performance garnered rave reviews, and she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, becoming the first Kenyan actress to win an Oscar and the first Mexican to win the award. The blue Prada dress she wore to the awards garnered substantial media attention and acclaim, being considered one of the classic red carpet gowns in Hollywood history.
Breakthrough (2013–present)
Following her Oscar win, Nyong’o’s first casting was for ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ (2015) as Maz Kanata, a CGI character created using motion capture technology. She also returned to the stage with a starring role in the play ‘Eclipsed’, which premiered on Broadway in 2016. Nyong’o’s performance in ‘Eclipsed’ earned her a Theatre World Award and a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play. In 2016, she co-starred in Jon Favreau’s ‘The Jungle Book’, voicing Raksha, a mother wolf. Nyong’o later starred in ‘Black Panther’ (2018) as Nakia, a former member of the Dora Milaje, and reprised her role in the sequel ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ (2022).
Notable Works and Milestones
Nyong’o’s signature work includes her role in ’12 Years a Slave’, which established her as a leading actress in Hollywood. She has received numerous awards and nominations for her performances, including a Screen Actors Guild nomination for her role in ‘Us’ (2019), where she played dual roles. In 2024, she is set to star in the horror prequel film ‘A Quiet Place: Day One’ and voice the lead role in the animated film ‘The Wild Robot’.
Lupita Nyong’o Award Nominations
Throughout her career, Lupita Nyong’o has received numerous nominations for her performances, including nominations for the Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, and BAFTA Award.
Lupita Nyong’o Awards Won
Lupita Nyong’o has won several prestigious awards, including the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in ’12 Years a Slave’, a Daytime Emmy Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award.
Lupita Nyong’o Family
Lupita Nyong’o is the daughter of Anyang’ Nyong’o, a Kenyan politician, and Dorothy Ogada Buyu. She is the second of six children in her family. Her family includes notable relatives such as Tavia Nyong’o, a scholar and professor, and Isis Nyong’o, a media and technology leader.
Personal Life
As of June 2024, Nyong’o lives in Los Angeles, having moved there from Brooklyn after the COVID-19 pandemic. She is fluent in English, Spanish, Luo, and Swahili. Nyong’o has been vocal about her experiences with sexual harassment in the film industry and has expressed her commitment to working with female directors. She has also been involved in various humanitarian efforts, including advocating for women’s rights and wildlife conservation.
