Episode Art by Rage Kidvai @rkidvai
Lupita Amondi Nyong’o is an Academy Award-winning Kenyan-Mexican actress of Luo descent. She is the daughter of Dorothy Ogada Buyu Nyong’o and Kenyan politician Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o (currently the governor of Kisumu County). Lupita was born in Mexico City, Mexico and raised in Nairobi, Kenya. Lupita received her bachelor’s degree in film and theatre from Hampshire College, and a master’s degree in acting from the Yale School of Drama.
Lupita also happens to be one of our close, long-time friends and we’re super excited to bring you this rare, intimate conversation with her. Go listen to the second episode of Bad Brown Aunties, here!
Below is a playlist of our favorite songs from soundtracks of Lupita’s films, along with videos, photographs of her and her family, and other episode-related goodies!
Rage, Lupita & Thanu, BTS while recording Episode 2 of Bad Brown Aunties. Lupita, Thanu & Rage attended Hampshire College as international students from 2003-2007.
Lupita’s Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in 12 Years a Slave (2014).
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
East River (2008): Lupita starred in the short film directed by Marc Grey and shot in Brooklyn
Shuga (2008): Acted in the MTV Base Africa/ UNICEF drama about HIV/AIDS prevention
In My Genes (2009): Wrote, directed and produced the documentary about albinism in Kenya.
12 Years a Slave (2013): Directed by Steve McQueen, Lupita played the role of Patsey, a slave who worked alongside Solomon Thorthup, a free-born African-American man of upstate New York who is kidnapped and sold into slavery in Washington, DC, in 1841.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015): Lupita played Maz Kanata, a CGI character.
Eclipsed (2016): A Broadway play written by Danai Gurira, Lupita had a starring role in the production. Eclipsed tells the story of five Liberian women and their tale of survival near the end of the Second Liberian Civil War. It became the first play with an all-black and female creative cast and team to premiere on Broadway.
The Jungle Book (2016): Lupita played the voice of Raksha, a mother wolf who adopts Mowgli.
Queen of Katwe (2016): Directed by Mira Nair, Lupita co-starred in the biopic based on the true story about the rise of a young Ugandan chess prodigy, Phiona Mutesi. Nyong'o played Phiona's mother, Nakku Harriet.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017): Lupita returned as CGI character, Maz Kanata.
Black Panther (2018): Lupita starred as Nakia in the superhero film produced by Marvel. The film received 7 nominations and 3 wins at the 91st Academy Awards. A sequence is in the works…
Us (2019): American psychological horror film written and directed by Jordan Peele, starring Lupita Nyong'o in a double role as her own doppelgänger.
UPCOMING PROJECTS for Nyong’o include a children’s book titled Sulwe, a television series based on Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's novel Americanah which she will produce and star in, and a film adaptation of Trevor Noah's Born A Crime, which she will produce and play a leading role in as Noah's mother, Patricia.
Lupita with her parents, Dorothy and Peter.
Vogue goes to Kenya to see Lupita make ugali on her family farm.
Lupita’s younger sibling @juniornyongo.
147.9k Likes, 743 Comments - Lupita Nyong'o (@lupitanyongo) on Instagram: "So proud of my baby brother @juniornyongo who is making his professional acting debut playing none..."
Lupita doing the “T-pose” on the red carpet! Go listen to the episode, if you don’t know what we’re talking about…
455k Likes, 4,261 Comments - Lupita Nyong'o (@lupitanyongo) on Instagram: "NAACP Image Awards 💃🏾 #BlackPanther #UsMovie"
Lupita with the cast of Us, the movie.
266.8k Likes, 1,078 Comments - Lupita Nyong'o (@lupitanyongo) on Instagram: "We're heading to #SXSW! #UsMovie #BTS"
Lupita’s long-time collaborator Danai Gurira will be writing & producing the adaptation of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Americanah. Read about it here.
195k Likes, 1,336 Comments - Lupita Nyong'o (@lupitanyongo) on Instagram: "Happy birthday to my ride-or-die co-star, playwright, producing partner, and dearest friend..."
Lupita with Trevor Noah. Lupita is set to star in and produce Noah’s book “Born a Crime.” Read about it here.
313.5k Likes, 1,257 Comments - Lupita Nyong'o (@lupitanyongo) on Instagram: "@TrevorNoah is one of Us ✂️#UsMovie #HoldHandsWithUs"
Listen to Lupita’s speech on beauty at the Essence Awards (2014). Lupita decided to write a children’s book (Sulwe) so she could talk to a younger audience about colorism and beauty.
Lupita wrote children’s book Sulwe (illustrated by Vashti Harrison); Out October 2019.
443.8k Likes, 5,038 Comments - Lupita Nyong'o (@lupitanyongo) on Instagram: "I wrote a book! It's called #Sulwe! This is the cover! I'm thrilled to share it with you. Sulwe is..."
Listen to Lupita talk about the importance of representation and story-telling in this episode!
201.9k Likes, 3,049 Comments - Lupita Nyong'o (@lupitanyongo) on Instagram: "Wakanda FOURever. So special to have these women as co-stars and friends. @Essence #BlackPanther..."
Lupita with some of the auntie favorites she mentioned on the podcast.
84.7k Likes, 407 Comments - Lupita Nyong'o (@lupitanyongo) on Instagram: "Last night I got to witness the singular, exquisite, vibrant Ms. Cicely Tyson make history by being..."
181.2k Likes, 583 Comments - Lupita Nyong'o (@lupitanyongo) on Instagram: "Birthday hugs for the one and only @Oprah! You have taught us all so much by living on purpose...."
173.8k Likes, 503 Comments - Lupita Nyong'o (@lupitanyongo) on Instagram: "My first #SAGAwards in 2014. Excited to see my fellow actors tomorrow!"