Lupita Nyong’o thought winning an Academy Award would open doors. Instead, it revealed how limited Hollywood’s imagination could be.
The actress took home the Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 2014 for her gut-wrenching performance as Patsey in 12 Years a Slave. The role announced her as a major talent, someone capable of carrying the emotional weight of harrowing material with grace and power. But the offers that followed her win told a different story about what the industry saw when they looked at her.
Speaking on CNN’s Inside Africa, Nyong’o shared what happened after her Oscar victory. The scripts that came her way weren’t the diverse leading roles she anticipated. They were variations on the same theme.
“After I won that Academy Award, you’d think I’m gonna get lead roles here and there,” she said. “Instead, it was, ‘Oh, Lupita, we’d like you to play another movie where you’re a slave, but this time you’re on a slave ship.’ Those are the kind of offers I was getting in the months after winning my Academy Award.”
Navigating the noise
The months following her Oscar win were rough. Industry observers and media outlets published endless speculation about whether her success would last. The commentary was particularly harsh, with some questioning if a dark-skinned Black African woman could sustain a career in Hollywood.
“There were thinkpieces about: ‘Is this the beginning and end of this dark-skinned Black African woman’s career?’” Nyong’o recalled. She described it as a “very tender time” and made a conscious choice to tune out the noise.
“I had to deafen myself to all those pontificators because, at the end of the day, I’m not a theory; I’m an actual person,” she said.
It’s a sentiment that cuts through the abstract discussions about representation. While critics debated her future in theoretical terms, Nyong’o was living the reality of being typecast despite proven talent.
Making deliberate choices
For Nyong’o, whose parents are Kenyan, the path forward required intentionality. She decided early on that she wouldn’t accept just any role. If being selective meant working less, so be it. Her concern extended beyond personal career advancement to how her choices might affect perceptions of African people.
“I like to be a joyful warrior for changing the paradigms of what it means to be African,” she explained. “If that means that I work one job less a year to ensure that I’m not perpetuating the stereotypes that are expected of people from my continent, then let me do that.”
That philosophy has shaped her trajectory. She’s chosen projects like Black Panther, Us, and other films that showcase her versatility while avoiding reductive portrayals. It’s a calculated approach, trading quantity for quality and impact.
Protecting creative space
Beyond Hollywood‘s limitations, Nyong’o grapples with the daily demands that drain creative energy. In a Harper’s Bazaar interview, she talked about how administrative tasks and mundane responsibilities can sap vitality.
“There’s so many demands on our lives today for me there’s a lot of administrative work, lots of emails to answer, dishes in the sink,” she said. “All of that can take away a lot of my vitality. So for me, creativity is something that I have to safeguard.”
She’s learned to carve out space for inspiration, which often strikes during ordinary moments. “Creativity comes to me in the shower,” Nyong’o revealed, finding that her best ideas emerge when her mind isn’t actively problem-solving.
Still, she balances that need for creative protection with professional discipline. She credits Reese Witherspoon with practical advice that’s served her well.
“Reese Witherspoon advised me to always be the first to answer group emails,” Nyong’o shared. “I think that’s great advice, because it means people will have to take you seriously as you’re quick to respond. I try.”
It’s this combination of thoughtfulness and professionalism that defines Nyong’o‘s approach. She’s built a career on her own terms, pushing back against an industry that wanted to box her in. More than a decade after her breakthrough, she’s expanded what’s possible for Black actresses while staying true to her values. The typecasting offers haven’t disappeared entirely, but Nyong’o has proven that an Oscar winner doesn’t have to accept limitations imposed by others.
