Lupita Nyong’o first gained widespread recognition for her role in the Hollywood film 12 Years A Slave, released in 2013.
Today, the Academy Award-winning actor discusses her decision to decline roles in films about slavery for a significant reason.
Nyong’o earned her first Oscar through her role in 12 Years A Slave, marking her debut in Hollywood.
In an interview discussing the film and her award triumph, the Kenyan actor stated: “It really did set the pace for everything I’ve done since.”
During her conversation with Inside Africa, the 42-year-old expressed her surprise that instead of receiving offers for varied lead roles after her successful performance, she found herself typecast into more slave roles despite her Oscar win for Best Supporting Actress.
This typecasting issue is something that resonates with many Black actors, who often face the challenge of being restricted to roles that focus on racial trauma.
Reflecting on her post-Oscar experience, she remarked, “After I’d won that Academy award, you’d would think oh I’m going to get lead roles here and there.
“’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 of the kind of offers I was getting in the months after winning my Academy Award.”
Numerous Black actors have voiced their concerns about being confined to roles that reinforce negative stereotypes. In an interview with GQ in 2021, actor Will Smith shared: “I’ve always avoided making films about slavery.” He elaborated: “I didn’t want to show Black people in that light. I wanted to be a superhero.”
Emancipation is the only film he has participated in concerning slavery as of 2022 in his extensive career.
Nyong’o also conveyed how this experience led to discussions and speculation about the potential decline of her career following the film’s release.
“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.”
Speaking on her decision to refuse slave roles, she stated: “I like to be a joyful warrior for changing the paradigms of what it means to be African. And if that means I work one job less a year to ensure I’m not perpetuating the stereotypes that are expected of people from my continent then let me do that.”
Now a well-established actor, Nyong’o has portrayed characters in a diverse array of films including Marvel’s Black Panther, Star Wars The Force Awakens, and more across different genres.
Nyong’o was born in Mexico and spent her upbringing in Kenya, which is her cultural background.
She holds US, Mexican, and Kenyan citizenship, reflecting the diverse experiences she has encountered throughout her life.