This most certainly has been a break out year for Lupita Nyong’o. She’s bagged an Oscar, become the face of Lancome, and is now gracing the cover of Vogue. Heck, she was on the cover girl for this year’s People Magazine ‘s “Most Beautiful People” issue. It almost seems that there is nothing standing in the way of this young starlet with a past that People calls “inspiring”.
So what is so engaging about Lupita? To hear Phyllis Posnick, Vogue’ s Executive Fashion Editor tell it:
She knows the camera, she knows her angles.
But Lupita is much more than simply a pretty face. She is a role model and an activist too. In her short time in the spotlight, she has brought awareness to several social issues, most notably the issue of self-image, particularly for young girls. Lupita has not shied away from the spotlight when it comes to encouraging young women to embrace their differences.
Plus, Vogue would point out also that she does all these things with so much poise and grace.
Even Time magazine has picked up the story on Lupita Nyong’o, saying that she “nailed her first Vogue cover,” and that she is “having the best year ever”.
After winning the Oscar for her role in Steve McQueen’s epic historical drama, 12 Years A Slave, Lupita shot to super-stardom practically overnight. It was not a role that came without a price for Lupita though. She graduated from Hampshire University with a bachelors degree in film and theater and went on to gain her master’s degree in acting from Yale University. Nyong’o then worked for several years as a production assistant for several major Hollywood productions.
Her climb up the ladder of stardom in show business seems to have paid off for the 31-year-old actress, director, and now, Vogue cover model.
Aside from being passionate about acting, Lupita also feels drawn to the fashion industry as well. This is a passion that started from a young age, as the Vogue article points out. Nyong’o designed her own clothes from a young age when she was growing up as a child in Kenya. She even designed her own prom dress, which she described as “kind of ridiculous, but it was fabulous at the time.”
Who knows what the future holds for the young starlet, but she certainly has a bright future ahead of her. Her next project? Just a little movie franchise by the name of Star Wars. She has been cast in the new episode, which is due out in 2015.