Lupita Nyong’o covers Marie Claire: ‘Being called gorgeous is not a bad thing!’

May 2014 - Lupita Nyong'o

Lupita Nyong’o is one of five cover girls for the May issue of Marie Claire, and she’s the only woman of color in the group too. Personally, I think her photoshoot is the best, and I just want to talk about her so forget those other ladies! The camera really loves her, right? It’s not even a “oh, she’s so air-brushed” situation. Her skin really is that flawless. Some highlights from the interview:

On being called gorgeous: “Being called gorgeous is not a bad thing! But at the same time, I don’t want to thrive on people’s opinions of me.”

On waiting for her category at awards shows: “I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. It’s an internally loud moment. It’s not even about the outcome; it’s about the agony of the unknown. It’s like waiting for test results in a hospital.”

On this past year: “It was phenomenal. As brilliant as it was, onward ho. I hope that I will get to work soon. In due time, what I should do next and what I want to do next will reveal themselves. I am not in the business of trying to top this year – that’s virtually impossible. I’d have to be pronounced the queen of England or something.”

Her fashion education: “I wasn’t a follower of fashion. It was a world unknown. Then I met my stylist, Micaela Erlanger [introduced to her by friend and Non-Stop costar Michelle Dockery], and we came to interpret my style: clean lines, strong color. I don’t dress to impress; I don’t feel that pressure.”

Meeting Sidney Poitier: “I met Sidney Poitier, who has been someone I’ve looked up to and a blessing from afar. It was an incredible thing and something that I hold very dear to my heart.”

[From Marie Claire]

You know what I think serves Lupita the best? She has good instincts. Maybe I’m reading her the wrong way (it’s possible), but she surrounds herself with talented professionals who give her great advice, but she also has great gut instincts about when she should step forward and when she should step back. She leaves me wanting more, which is a good place for an actress/ingénue. Mostly I’m just glad that she’s not complaining about how pretty she is. No Jessica Biel-isms or Rob Lowe-isms here, thank God.

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Photos courtesy of Cedric Buchet/Marie Claire.

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41 Responses to “Lupita Nyong’o covers Marie Claire: ‘Being called gorgeous is not a bad thing!’”

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  1. Kiddo says:

    “I hope that I will get to work soon.” is depressing to hear.

    • LadyMTL says:

      Isn’t it just? I’m really hoping that she doesn’t become yet another one of those “where are they now?” Best Supporting Actress winners.

    • blue marie says:

      It is, I would have thought she was already working. Boo

    • OhDear says:

      You think she’d be surrounded by stacks and stacks of scripts right now. Apparently not.

    • Samtha says:

      It really is depressing. But I’m going to be optimistic and say it’s because she’s waiting for just the right project, rather than because she’s not being offered good scripts.

      Oscar-winning actresses have had a habit of choosing terrible follow-up projects recently (Halle and Catwoman, Charlize and Aeon Flux, etc.). Hopefully she’s trying to choose wisely.

      • harpreet says:

        I think she is waiting for the right role, I recall Freida Pinto, who signed a lot of roles, but most being the “exotic girl” or “the pretty girl who needs saving”. She has mentioned she regrets signing so many roles too fast.

      • Damaris says:

        Still, I hope Lupita’s not getting picky with the roles. I would imagine that she has had, at least, two or three things offered to her since 12 Years a Slave came about. Why it’s taking so long to hear any word of something is bizarre. Cate and Margot are working on many, many projects as we speak and they’ve been confirmed. Why wouldn’t we be informed already?

    • HHazel says:

      She does have an upcoming job she said she said that she doesn’t want to jinx it so she doesn’t talk about it. It’s on the bottom of the interview on the site..

  2. Saywhat? says:

    That close up is gorgeous.

  3. PixieWitch says:

    that skin, those lips, it give me chills. and i’m a girl!

  4. blue marie says:

    She is gorgeous BUT why did they put her in a prom dress?

    • GoodNamesAllTaken says:

      Yeah, it’s awful, but she looks lovely in that color. I don’t like the other dress much, either.

    • MrsBPitt says:

      Doesn’t that pink dress look a little tight around her chest and under her armpits…and I would have loved the black and white dress without the orange turtleneck…She is so pretty, but I have seen her styled better, imho…

      • blue marie says:

        You’re right, her stylist has been slacking lately it seems. Do your stylists pick clothes for magazine shoots or does the magazine have stylists?

  5. Jade says:

    On waiting for her category at awards shows: “I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. It’s an internally loud moment. It’s not even about the outcome; it’s about the agony of the unknown. It’s like waiting for test results in a hospital.”

    Gah really? Comparing an awards show to being in a hospital waiting for a test result?

    How daft and completely naive of her.

    #someoneneedsmorelifeexperience

    • minime says:

      I really really like her and wish that she will have an awesome career…but that comment is so out of line! If it would have been anyone else, people would be all jumping on her. It makes her sound so vapid!

    • Scarlet says:

      Really? Come on! #falseoutrage

    • flotsam says:

      Do you really think anyone who makes a hyperbolic comparison has never experienced trauma–or vise versa? I understand that such comparisons can trivialize a point of comparison, but unless we want to impose a blanket moratorium on dramatic analogy, perhaps we could ask if something like Nyong’o’s statement is hurting anyone–people dealing with illness, their family members, the care they receive, etc. Is it? How?

    • Ana says:

      As much as I think it’s an exagerration I’m quite indifferent to the quote because she has collectively done an HIV test with a cast back in Kenya. And I’m sure she’s just means the period of waiting which is agonizing not the end results.

      I’ve never done any test results other than a blood test check up so maybe there more to it and I’m being shallow…

      • Ahot says:

        ITA Anna. I did many test for different diseases & the HIV test after dating a douche. & the wait for the results is… horrendous. So many thoughts & anxiety! I totally understand what she meant. But it can be for any other disease. The wait is always awful.

    • Ahot says:

      Well, unless you were nominated yourself for an award with so much @ stake, you wouldn’t know how it feels like, would you? All I mean is, you cannot tell people what they should compare their feelings with, unless you have experienced in the same situation . Me think she chose the analogy that best describes the tension SHE felt. Nothing wrong with that.

    • Eleanor Zissou says:

      Oh come on now. If ANY other actress ( apart from maybe JLaw ) said that, she’d be crucified.

      • Tatjana says:

        This! I love this site, but the double standard is very annoying.

      • flotsam says:

        Yes, some would criticize another actress. But who’s to say those people are the ones commenting here? I certainly wouldn’t jump on Biel/Stewart/X actress for saying it. At worst it’s a relatively generic comparison; I’m pretty sure I’ve heard it used before.

      • DJohnson says:

        I sort of winced a little bit when I read that. Then I chalked it up to inexperience. But then I remembered her dad battled cancer over the last 2-3 years.
        We all make mistakes from time to time.

  6. Nadee says:

    That white and black dress/pic should have been the cover. Stunning. I agree with her saying ‘I hope to work soon’. It’s honestly not her fault she’s not been casted in anything in Hollywood because clearly they are still living in a primitive era. Theatre in new York will gladly welcome her since she’s pretty much classically trained for that. Wish her the best.

  7. Maritza says:

    I love her! She is so poised and articulate besides being beautiful and talented.

  8. Side-Eye says:

    “Being called beautiful is not a bad thing! ”

    *side-eyes Scarjo*

    • blue marie says:

      It’s not and did you notice that while Lupita’s mouth is open in the pictures it’s because it’s a genuine smile with teeth? She’s not trying to be sexy, she’s just being herself.

  9. Tadzio says:

    Come on Jade and Minime. You two can’t be serious. Lupita was just talking about the waiting and the anticipation feeling that we all get. Her comparison wasn’t offensive at all. It’s a universal feeling. Lupita is an attractive woman. I like her street style. This is what irritates me in the black community. The whole colorism problem. There are some physically attractive darker skinned women. Attractiveness has absolutely nothing to do with whether one is light or dark (or even facial symmetry). It’s whatever the individual’s naked eye finds appealing. This is why beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Each person has their own opinion about who or what they think is beautiful or not beautiful.

  10. lucy2 says:

    Beautiful photos, and I like her attitude about this past year.
    I hope she has some good offers, and makes some good choices. As for the “test results” comment – maybe not the best way to put it, but I get the impression she was just looking for an example of waiting under tension. I don’t imagine she truly equates medical issues with an award or intended to trivialize that.

  11. Suzanne says:

    She gives me goosebumps! So beautiful, and she presents herself very well.

  12. Lia says:

    The face close-up is everything!

  13. Jade says:

    The flawless adoration and preening over Lupita on this site is hilarious to say the least. When more than a hundred women on this site berate Goop for saying that she had it harder than women who work 9-5, then epically flawless Lupita gets a pass for saying something dumb. And yes that comparison was dumb and annoying…

    One hit wonder indeed. I’ll likely change my tune if I see her in anything else but until then, lets tone it down shall we?

  14. Kay says:

    The photo with the orange neck covering is awesome!