LUPITA NYONG’O: A PHILANTHROPIC AFRICAN QUEEN IN CINEMA

Lupita Nyong’o is a Kenyan- Mexican actress and film director who has made a significant impact in the film industry. Born on March 1, 1983, in Mexico City, Lupita was raised in Kenya. Her father, Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o, is a prominent Kenyan politician and her mother, Dorothy Ogada Buyu, is a former managing director of the Africa Cancer Foundation. Lupita developed a passion for acting at a young age and pursued her dreams by studying film and theatre studies at Hampshire College in the United States. She later attended the Yale School of Drama, where she earned a master’s degree in acting.

She began her career in Hollywood as a Production Assistant. In 2008, she made her acting debut with the short movie “East River” and returned to Kenya where she starred in the television series “Shuga” (2009-2012). After acquiring her master’s degree in acting from Yale, Lupita had her first feature film with her role as Patsey in the critically acclaimed film “12 Years a Slave”.  Her outstanding performance gathered, widespread praise and earned her numerous accolades, including an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. This achievement made her the first Kenyan and Mexican actress to win an Oscar. Following her success in « 12 Years a Slave, » Lupita continued to impress audiences with her impressive acting skills. She starred in films like “Eclipsed” (2015), in which she was nominated for a “Tony Award for Best Actress in a play”, she also performed in “Star Wars Sequel Trilogy” as Maz Kanata (2015-2019), she had a voice role as Raksha in “The Jungle Book” (2016), she also starred in “Black Panther” (2018), a Marvel Cinematic Universe Superhero film where she portrayed the fierce and intelligent character Nakia and its sequel in 2022 , she also starred in  her first horror movie “US” (2019) a Jordan Peele’s movie.

Beyond her acting career, Lupita is known for her advocacy work and commitment to social issues. She has been vocal about preventing sexual harassment, working for women’s and animal rights, she also engages in using her platform to address important topics such as colourism and body positivity. She was nominated “Most Beautiful Woman” in 2014 by People. She wrote a children’s book named “Sulwe” and it grew to become a number-one “New York Times Best-Seller. She also earned a nomination for “Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Narrator” for narrating two episodes of the docu-series “Serengeti” (2020). She was named as one of Africa’s 50 Most Powerful women by Forbes.

Lupita’s talent, beauty, and dedication have made her a respected figure in Hollywood and an inspiration to aspiring actors worldwide. Her ability to bring depth and authenticity to her roles has solidified her as one of the most talented actresses of her generation.

As Lupita Nyong’o continues to grace the screen with her presence, audiences eagerly anticipate her future projects, knowing that she will undoubtedly leave a lasting impact on the film industry.

Delia Nyadi