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Lupita Nyong'o Says Post-Oscar Offers Tried to Typecast Her in Enslaved Roles

She says she turned down those roles to avoid reinforcing harmful portrayals, seeking fuller African narratives.

Overview

  • In a CNN Inside Africa conversation with Angélique Kidjo, Nyong'o detailed the scripts she received in the months after her 2014 Academy Award.
  • She said she was repeatedly asked to play another enslaved woman, including a role described as being on a slave ship.
  • Nyong'o said think pieces questioned whether her career would stall, which she attributes to racism and colorism.
  • Calling herself a "joyful warrior," she said she is willing to forgo work to avoid perpetuating stereotypes about Africans.
  • Reporting on the interview renewed discussion of limited roles for Black women in Hollywood, as Nyong'o continues work on titles including The Wild Robot, A Quiet Place: Day One, and the upcoming Lunik Heist.