This is the most dressed-down look I think I’ve ever seen from Lupita Nyong’o. Lupita was pap’d outside of the Greenwich Hotel in NYC yesterday. I think she stays there a lot, but she also shares an apartment (or something?) with someone (?) in Brooklyn. I know she has some family money, but I also think she’s been living out of hotels for several months now, which must get expensive. Still, I bet the Greenwich Hotel is a lovely place to have a romantic rendezvous. Perhaps Jared Leto. Perhaps K’Naan. Perhaps Benedict Cumberbatch (God, I wish that was true).
As for the outfit… I’m assuming this is how she looks in her everyday life. Great lipstick, bright scarf, cute jacket (the jacket is a repeat from a critics’ event during the awards season). Skinny jeans and booties. Not bad. I would have taken off the hat though. If she wanted something warm, she might have gone with a skull cap, that might have been a cuter look.
As for Lupita’s career prospects, so much ink has been spilled in the past month and a half. It’s been a long month and a half while we wait for something, anything from Hollywood: will she be able to get great parts, or is there too much institutional racism in Hollywood? That article from THR – in which named sources openly discussed whether Lupita was “too dark” for Hollywood – was a low point. Thankfully, the NYDN has a nicer piece about her future:
An industry that loves its sequels is in suspense over what Oscar darling Lupita Nyong’o will do next. Nearly two months since the 31-year-old Yale School of Drama alum won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress with her very first film role, the starlet has yet to reveal a followup to “12 Years a Slave.” It’s not that she lacks offers — insiders say she’s mulling many options — but she’s picking her next project with great care. After all, a lot hinges on the choice.
The trick will be for the newly minted face of Lancome to hold onto her afterglow. Hollywood’s creative graveyard is littered with cautionary tales of Oscar winners, like Adrien Brody and Cuba Gooding Jr., who didn’t capitalize on their award glory.
“She’s proven she’s a great actress,” says Entertainment Weekly film correspondent Anthony Breznican. “Now she still needs to prove she’s a movie star.”
Now it’s Nyong’o’s turn to parlay Oscar gold into a golden ticket. “She’s America’s sweetheart right now,” says Roger Mussenden, whose credits as a casting director include the “X-Men” films. “She’d be at the top of any list I make.”
But Nyong’o is taking her time compiling hers. For now, her agent will only say that a big announcement will be made in the “very near future.” And the rumor mill is only churning out crumbs.
The NYDN goes on to say that Lupita probably is in the running for a part in Star Wars and that she’s very vary of not picking the correct projects in her first years post-Oscar. Some people compare her to Jennifer Lawrence, but that’s not fair at all – J-Law had years of work in film and TV before her Oscar. Someone else compares Lupita to Cate Blanchett… which is interesting. Anyway, I hope someone finally comes to their senses and hires her. For the love of God.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet.
I hope someone sits down and finds a good script for her, or writes one. I am sick and tired of Hollywood’s big kiss-kiss talk — just shut up, and walk the talk — give the woman some decent choices.
Wow welcome to North Korea, you’re awesome 😉
Yeah, okay.
Ugh, yes please, let her have some projects to follow up that win. I was really going to be upset if she just had “it girl” status. She’s so much more than a pretty face.
I thnik she has a very good feauture ahead of her. She is a very good actress, and even more important ( in Hollywood) she does have a pretty face.
Does Barkhad have any film lined up? I’m more afraid for him because he’s unconventional looking and that’s bad in Hollywood.
I saw on his IMDB page that he’s going to be in something with Tilda Swinton and Ezra Miller. Wasn’t he arrested a little while ago though? I remember seeing a story like that.
*Future
Arrested? For what?
I hear he has a film where he’ll be playing a marathon runner. I think he’s the lead, but not sure.
Barkhad has signed on for a Judd Apatow comedy that starts filming soon, I believe. And he wasn’t arrested – he was briefly detained at an airport after flying back in from London after the BAFTAS because of his drug arrest (which was later dropped) a few years ago.
This is driving me crazy. What is there to talk about? She is talented and also lovely. I’m sick of H’wood and their prejudices. If all they want are hot, dumb saleswomen call up Amber Heard and hire her for everything.
Ugh, this. There’s so much prejudice in Hollywood and even though you get articles about how things are so much better than they were a couple years ago, it really doesn’t feel like they are. If Lupita doesn’t have a steadily successful career after her Oscar win then I will be very disappointed.
While I do think Hollywood has prejudices…I think that is in large part due to the fact that it is a business and projects are made depending on what is going to be the best investment, what the American public will buy.
I think people need to vote with their money. If we want more diversity or better representations of women in film, then we need to go out and spend our money on films/tv shows where that is represented. When you look at the movies that make the most money, they tend to lack strong diversity and female characters of quality.
@Tiffany You always make good points Tiffany and this one is no exception. It’s a bitter pill to swallow but the truth is that we spend so much time complaining about society when we ARE society you know? I just always want to be hopeful that there will be more diversity.
People do vote with their money. The top grossing movies last years were female led. The top network TV drama in the 18-49 demo has a black female lead. The Mindy Project is chugging along well. There are so many cases that show that, to put it crassly, white people and/or men will watch good programming starring people of color and/or women. But prejudice still reigns. At the end of the day, if the powers that be just feel more “comfortable” employing an endless string of Amber Heards for lightweight female roles, that’s what going to happen.
@Tiffany: I think an important distinction needs to be made: execs and producers make decisions based on what *they think* will make money. Its why we have so many reboots, sequels, and movies made out of television shows. They think that movies starring and about women won’t be successful because men won’t want to have to go with their significant other, whereas women can be dragged along to whatever the man wants to see. Hollywood is almost entirely run by older white men – Bechdel numbers for movies were abysmal last year (television not nearly as much) and an awful lot of that is because it’s a town run by men that assume that the only people that will spend real money is white men between 18 and 45.
So when a movie comes out starring women, and made by women, these are considered the exception to the rule, because some exec ‘tried that awhile back but chick movies don’t make money’ – because of course they’re just slapping something like Bride Wars on the screen. Support movies MADE by women!
I think a big part of the problem is the lack of variety in women’s roles in the films that are being produced. Not just racially, but character type. Lupita carries with her a grace and intelligence that might not mesh with the “dumb hot chick who needs to be saved in someway” type of character.
To be clear, there are a wide variety of womens roles that get written, but not so much in the films that get made when you look at the overall picture. Kind of like the comments in Celebitchy, I appreciate a wide variety of female perspectives. I want to hear the stories that a woman with Lupita’s skill set could tell.
Yes! And I would be surprised that she is not getting a ton of scripts. I think she is taking the time to choose. I’d rather her find a part that challenges her and that she feels passionate about rather then just take a part to take a part. She’s got a lot of talent and is great looking.
I hate the coat and scarf. Love the hat and booties.
Hope there’s some announcement about work soon. Very soon.
I like that scarf on her, could never carry off the color myself. Like the coat too.
Hollywood would be dumb not to give her a job.
I’m sure she could get a TV series built around her with no problem — no reason to look down on television, it may be the best route.
Why would it be the best route?
Because TV continues to offer women the best roles today that are more rich than film roles and also allow for more diverse people. By TV I mean cable – FX, HBO, Showtime, AMC.
I dunno if it’s the best route but there is so much great original programming coming out that it wouldn’t be a bad idea as a fall back.
Actually forget what I said and go with what Karen said, it’s true.
We are in the midst of a TV Renaissance!
I hope she gets a good role. She was amazing in 12 years a slave.
I have read both THR and NYDN articles just now. THR one was really harsh. But there are unfortunately many people in Hollywood thinking that way. As for the NYDN one, i hope she actually gets to pick her roles. But i am sick of comparisons to JLaw. Lupita and JLaw are nothing alike. It feels like they only compare anyone to JLaw just to compare, no other reason.
And can’t this X-men’s casting director guy cast her as Storm? I hate Halle Berry’s storm.
RIGHT! At least Lupita *is* African (like Storm is supposed to be)
And it is not like Halle Berry is a boxoffice draw. I have never met an x-men fan that is happy with HB.
I think one of the problems might be that we actually don’t know if Lupita is any good as an actress. I mean outside what she did in 12YAS (which I personally thought was OK but nothing spectacular). That’s her only film and it might have been her niche. She has been auditioning a lot but nothing seems to catch on. I’m starting to think maybe her range is so limited that that’s the reason why she seems to get no roles.
Maybe it is all just hype and she is not that good of an actress. That might be the case since we didn’t really see her in anything other than TYAS. But even if it is the case, she should be able to at least try. Many actors that have never given oscar-worthy performance gets a shot. It is not fair that she doesn’t.
I’m not saying it’s hype. I’m saying that we don’t know. Of course she should have a chance to show her talent. And as I’ve understood that is what she has been doing by auditioning a lot. But nobody has hired her. That is what is making me think she might not have much range. I mean even Abdi has two films offered or at least under discussion and as someone said he is a bit more challenged in the looks department.
She should be able to at least try?
Isn’t that what she is doing?
Yeah…let’s just GIVE her all the roles. Why?
Hollywood is very competitive, as was said above. HW is a business…they’re not going to just GIVE her anything. She will have to learn the ropes & play the game. Personally, I think TYAS painted her into a corner.
@ Alex I am not saying that you did. I am not disagreeing with you. There is a chance that she won’t be able to pull of a character that has more… dimension. I am just mad that Hollywood gives chance to really bad actors because they are Hollywood kind of hot (which means white, of course) and doesn’t give any chanve to her although she has proven herself capable.
She graduated from Yale School of Drama. How many young actors can say the same?
Having graduated from a pretigious hardly means you are an amazing actor with great range.
You got to be kidding me. So Channing Tatum and Amber Heard can star in movies left and right but Lupita just isn’t getting roles because she’s just not talented? Wow. Let’s blame the non white actress for not getting roles for lack of talent instead on the institutional racism. That’s a wishful way to pretend that race isn’t at play when it comes to who gets casted.
@Nick can I hug you? Seriously, people like Kristen Stewart, Lily Collins, heck, even f-cking Kellan Lutz can get roles without being huge talents but Lupita has to do backflips just to get one? Spare me the BS.
I think Lupita has major talent. But, I also don’t think she’s auditioning for the same roles as Channing or Amber. If she wanted to act in cheesy popcorn flicks, I think she could easily get roles.
She needs hustle and a good PR team. Good PR practitcally won awards for JLaw.
That’s what i am trying to say by ‘get a shot’. English is not my first language so obviously i failed. Thank you for writing that.
@Nick …
All true … and let’s not forget the incredible film “The Color Purple” was nominated for 11 Oscars–sans Director (poor Steven Spielberg, but he made up for the snub by winning the Directors Guild Award that year–1986)–and didn’t win one. It was an incredible, well Directed film with a wonderful cast, a wonderful script (based upon Alice Walker’s Bestselling novel), and phenomenal cinematography, yet it didn’t win ‘one’ Oscar. And can someone please tell me how a Director can win the DGA–voted on by his peers–and not be nominated for a Best Director Oscar, which is also voted on by his peers?
I don’t know if you are deliberately misunderstanding me or what.
I really hope she gets to show us her talent. But as even Abdi is given a chance and she is not, it is making me wonder why not her.
I don’t believe Hollywood racism works that way that the beautiful African female is discriminated against because of her race but the ‘ugly’ African male is not. (I’m exaggerating on purpose, in case you don’t understand that). I totally hope I’m wrong, on all accounts.
@Alex
Abdi has supporting roles in both films. It’s unsure how significant his part is going to be. Lupita was in Non-Stop but she only had a few scenes throughout the whole film. Following up her year with just small roles would be a mistake. If you notice in the article it says she’s getting offers but she wants to choose carefully. Which sounds like the roles are beneath her status.
Since she had such a successful year she deserves to being getting lead roles similar to how Lawrence and Mara were offered after their Oscar nods/breakout year.
To put in comparison, Margot Robbie gave a great performance in Wolf of W.S. but had no where near the buzz/hype Lupita had. Yet she has four films slated for this year and next year where she’s the lead in each movie. Why is that you think?
@ nick
Margot Robbie is a good actress?
Just kidding. But seriously speaking, I think racism might be a too easy answer to her not getting cast. It might be (and probably is) one of the reasons but not the only one.
Also, I disagree Abdi had a supporting role for which he won but so did Lupita. Just because Lupita was getting more press and attention during the awards season it doesn’t mean that she would somehow be more deserving in getting lead roles than Abdi. Their roles in the Oscar movies were of similar importance. Lupita got more press and attention because she is gorgeous (not solely but for a big part) but that doesn’t make her a leading lady, in merit.
People are already whining that her win must have been affirmative action at work, guilt-based, or an example of *shudder* ‘reverse racism’ People seem to say that whenever a person of colour makes good. Sorry, my minority guilt is acting up.
@Alex Unfortunately men have it easier than women in Hollywood. I wish them both successful career. And Lupita might be more picky too. It is going to be her first role after her oscar win. I like to think that she is waiting for the right role, but racism in Hollywood is not unheard of.
I actually think it has more to do with her abilities as an actress than racism. I mean, after her leading nomination for precious, Gabourney Sidibe was cast in several movies and tv shows.
When you look to all the parts she auditioned, you will see that those have gone to other actresses (she was test for both Star Wars and Peter Pan). So maybe she is not that great of an actress after all (and those comparations to Cate Blanchett and JLaw are laughable as they gave many acclaimed performances before their first nomination and then wins, something Lupita has not). Or maybe she has a bad agent that does not know how to handle her career.
@Emma,
Spielberg seemed to experience backlash or even resentment for making it big so quickly. I think Empire of the Sun is one of his greatest films, yet they snubbed it like they did TCP. I do vaguely remember some controversy that The Color Purple was being directed by a white man. I don’t think Spielberg was ever really appreciated until Schindler’s List – at that point they couldn’t snub him anymore.
There, it’s been said. I didn’t think she was super great in TYAS either. A lot of boo-hooing and wailing. I didn’t think there was enough range in her part for her to win the Oscar frankly.
she has family money?
She’s very upper class. I don’t know why she downplays it in interviews.
Because then she’s not an “underdog” for the masses to root for.
Did JLaw ever say she was middle class?
Taylor Swift’s family is super rich. Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s family is super duper rich. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if someone is good at what they do. Why would they need to bring it up in interviews?
That’s the thing. They don’t. She specifically said she had a middle class upringing which amazed me because in my country middle class people couldn’t possibly send their kid to America. So I thought it was different in Kenya.
Those things tend to bug me, the same as English actors hiding their poshness ( like Ralph Fiennes). You had a very priviledged childhood? Own it.
Well, that’s just one more thing to add to the neverending list of things I find annoying about JLaw.
JLaw’s parents were supposedly a construction worker (dad) and children’s camp manager (mom). It seems like Jennifer had accrued more wealth by the age of 18 than her parents. Maybe her parents used their portion of the money she’d made for that condo? I just don’t see her as some rich kid slacker.
Of course she has family money! You seriously think a middle class African family could afford to send their kids to Ivy League colleges or even regular colleges in the US. Kenya is a dictatorship and her father is a diplomat of that country. Do the math.
Sorry, Actually Kenya is not a dictatorship. Every 5 years there is a vote for the Presidency.
I’m not Kenyan but I read before I assume.
Well, read a bit more. Rest assured I am not assuming. I have actually lived there at one point. There are elections and then there are elections. Many countries have elections but they are not democracies. Kenya is one of such countries.
Yep. I’m actually shocked it didn’t come up during the oscar campaigns, as a way to smear her. Knowing Kenya, I don’t doubt her father is a part of some sort of corruption. Of course she has nothing to do with that (other than reaping the immense benefits), but those oscar campaigns can get ugly.
Oh Yeah like every Italian in New York must be in the Mafia! GMAFB!
FACTS:
Her father was an high ranking diplomat who came to disagree with his elected president and so he and his family fled the country out of fear of retaliation and they went to Mexico, where Lupita was born then there was an electoral change of Government (I think about 5/6 years later) and the father took his family back to Kenya.
Kenya is one of Africa’s oldest democracy and a long standing friend of the USA, where they have always been held up as the gold standard from African democracy. – school is good, but I prefer eating brains. :_)
“Kenya is one of Africa’s oldest democracy and a long standing friend of the USA, where they have always been held up as the gold standard from African democracy.”
OMG child. I sure hope you don’t think democracy and being a long standing friend of the USA have anything to do with each other. Kenya is under NO circumstances the or even a gold standard of African democracy.
Being a friend of the US is often synonymous with “the enemy of my enemy is my friend”. Prior to 9/11, we were once great supporters of Afghanistan (enemy: Russia) and Iraq (enemy: Iran). I love my country, but I don’t blind myself to our corruption.
There’s an interesting online NPR article date 11/27/13, titled “In Kenya, corruption is widely seen, rarely punished”. The change of government that brought Lupita’s father back to Kenya may not have been any less corrupt than the one it replaced. It was simply the side that Lupita’s father happened to be on.
Having said that, Lupita and her siblings have no responsibility in any corruption her father did or did not partake of. If she happened to profit from this corruption – sadly, that’s the way of the world.
I’m already sick of her and she’s only been in one noteable film.
Me too, but I didn’t seen 12 YOS yet. I got an overdose of her here with all the pre-oscar carpets (she was everywhere!), hanging out with Terry Richardson, on how pretty she and her skin is, and she is pretty, but I have never seen her as an actress and for me it takes more than a pretty face to fall for an actress. Can we see her play in a couple of movies before hyping as the next Blanchet, Lawrence, etc ?
gawd, her SKIN…so gorgeous.
I really think Lupita is going to be in Star Wars but it’s just not being announced yet…..because if she wasn’t, I have a feeling she would have announced a different role by now.
They’ve already cast a black British woman for Star Wars as the relative of Obi-Wan, but she may still be up for the Sith role.
I don’t get why some people are in a panic about Lupita’s career.
Lupita at present is making a lot of money representing fashion and cosmetics houses and also, I am sure her agents are sending her a lot of scripts which she is looking through while being careful not to hurriedly pick a stupid junk movie role, which would reduce her market value as an Oscar winner.
I would prefer her to do what she’s doing now, make quick easy money from the fashion and cosmetics industry and pick her new movie carefully, because there are many Directors/Casting Directors who have rotten movies shopping around and would love to get an Oscar winner name to give it legitimacy to the financiers.
Lupita is making “a lot” of money off of cosmetic and fashion houses? Do tell. What constitutes, to you, as “a lot of money”? I promise you, Lupita has made a few thousands of dollars, maybe even hundred thousands, from her endorsements. She hasn’t even done even one campaign for Lancôme yet. You’re getting ahead of yourself.
@karen you are absolutely right lupita nyongo’s father Anyang’ Nyongo was the ministry of health during president kibaki’s reign ,he was accused of stealing and not doing anything about the stealing of millions in the national health insurance fund scandal ,am surprised Hollywood reporters did not dig into this,
her father has been an member of parliament and has done very little for his constituents,he is also buddies with a guy called raila odinga -a politician who has done very little to improve his constituency when he was elected, am partly happy for her but knowing that her and brother-who went to one of the most expensive schools in Kenya called saint Andrew’s turi- lavish lifstyle has been paid for by her father stealing taxpayers money makes feel kinda salty and not care much if she has roles in hollywood,after all she will not be struggling with all the money her father has stolen
I also just want people to remember that she is not the only actress of color in Hollywood. So, if she gets juicy rolls, that’s it ? All is well? What happened to the rest of them who have been working in Hollywood for years – Danai Gurira from the Walking Dead, Frida Pinto, Kerry Washington (who I hope to see more of on the silver screen), Sandra Oh, America Ferrara? So she’s the “it” black girl who crowds all of the rest out of jobs? She’s the only one? That “it” black girl phenomenon is another part of the problem – this idea that there can only be one. I’m over it and I’ll be totally over her if it means that her presence makes the rest invisible – and this is coming from a fellow, dark-skinned black woman who is very proud of Lupita and happy for her, but realizes that she’s not the only one. Also, everyone has to pay their dues. She’s a gorgeous woman, who has had one mainstream roll. I’m going to need more of a resume before I fall at her feet and deem her a Viola Davis – level actress (Viola, by the way, has never garnered as much attention and opportunity as Lupita and is waaaaaaaaaaaaay more deserving of it – hmmm, wonder why that is?). Granted, Lupita has done some work before (see, “Sugar,” MTV Africa – great work, great cast, and her amazing documentary on albinism), but I still need more before I give her a friggin crown. Also, why compare her to J.Law? Why should the rise of Lupita, mean the fall of J.law? I still love me some J.Law. There is room for all of them.
I’d like to believe that Lupita will have a long career. She could go the way of Jennifer Lawrence and Cate Blanchett actresses that have consistently done good work. Or she could go the way of Kim Basinger and Helen Hunt, Oscar winners that have really done nothing of note work since their wins. Only time will time. I wish people would stop trying to predict Lupita’s future. It’s seems really futile.
Kim Bassinger and Helen Hunt have what I would consider successful careers. Kim Bassinger had a role that really appealed to her vulnerability, but she was 44 when she won her Oscar – way past the interest of most of Hollywood.
Helen Hunt was only 34 when she won her Oscar, but that was too old for the ingénue that Hollywood favors for women. She also was strongest as a comedian, and those films always get less recognition.
I think the worst case scenario would be to follow the Marissa Tomei example – her win has become almost comical.
I think most people are trying to predict her future because they care about her, and want her to succeed. I hope she’s not holding out for a huge starring role – which rarely comes, and focuses on good quality roles, even if they’re simply supporting roles. She needs to get more work out there before people start looking at her as simply a celebrity or spokes model.
I was going use Marisa Tomei as an example,but she’s actually done good work since winning the Oscar. She was good in The Wrestler, Before the Devil Knows Your Dead, and In the Bedroom.
C’mon she hasn’t proven anything yet. She gave a incredible performance for 12yrs of slave. The best of the year and won the Oscar but Adrien Brody also gave a incredible performance for the pianist and the list go on about oscar winners who can’t not be called great actors because they just had one great performance which they end up winning for. I hope her people know that. It seems they are worried she isn’t a movie star/box office draw yet but she still has to build a resume for that. If they start rushing this will not go well as they want.
So she has started calling the paps now. I would like to see her in a film, and it will soon be about two years since she has really had an acting job (TYAS filmed in July-August 2012). On the other hand, being the face of Lancome is not insignificant, and maybe modeling is the career for her. I wish her the best.
When I see people all dressed up and just . . . walking? I’m guessing they’ve called them. If they look like slobs, have little kids with them, seem to be in a rush, are looking away, or are at an airport, I’m guessing they likely haven’t.
That scarf is a big mistake. I like the color but it ruins what could have been an OK outfit.
yeah , so has Jennifer Hudson. Winning for your first film is more hype than actual proof of talent.
She always has that smug look…
What is pretty about her? She looks normal and I can see she is from a good family. But why is this website keep hyping her up and praising. Makes me kind of sick