G-Girls Putting in Work: Meet Actress Lupita Nyong’o

I went to a screening of Steve McQueen’s Twelve Years a Slave a couple of weeks ago (it was hard to watch but good, more on that later) and fell in love with one of the actresses in the film. Her real name is Lupita Nyong’o and in the movie she plays “Patsy,” a tortured slave who is constantly raped by her slave master and battered by his jealous wife. I cried twice during that movie and both times were during scenes involving Patsy but more on the film later, like I said.

When initially saw her during her intro scene my first thought was, “Who is this beautiful onyx woman?” Seriously, I wish I had her rich smooth skin (boo to my hyperpigmentation). Her performance was compelling and despite the tragedy in her role, she was just so striking. I found out after the film that I wasn’t the only one who felt that way. So, again, meet Lupita Nyong’o.

According to IMDB, she was born in Mexico, raised in Kenya and educated in the US. She’s a graduate of the Yale School of Dramas Acting Program (Goooo Bulldogs! LOL, sorry, my sis went there). Twelve Years a Slave marked her film debut and people are talking. The founder and executive producer of the 17th Annual Hollywood Film Awards, announced that she will be honored with the New Hollywood Award for her performance (the ceremony is on October 21).

Nyong’o has also appeared in MTV’s drama series, Shuga (2009), various stage plays, and she’s the  filmmaker, director, editor, and producer behind the award-winning documentary, In my Genes. The film follows eight Kenyans who were born with albinism. In many parts of Africa, including Kenya, albinos are stigmatized and often in danger, so the film shows each individual’s humanity and daily personal struggles.

In related news, Broadway World reports that Lupita Nyong’o will co-star alongside Liam Neeson, Michelle Dockery and Julianne Moore in the thriller Non-Stop, coming in February,

I knew I liked this woman!  Yaaassss! For African sistas making moves! (By “African” I mean the entire diaspora).

Tags: Lupita Nyong'o, Twelve Years a Slave

Category: TV/Film