Yay, Lupita Nyong’o is here! YAY!! Lupita covers the December issue of Glamour, which also serves as the “Women of the Year” issue. The cover bugs me because they cut off part of Lupita’s head, but the rest of the shoot is lovely. I mean, the camera loves Lupita. Always. Anyway, Lupita isn’t really promoting some specific project – it will be a few years before her films start coming out, like Star Wars VII. You can read the full Glamour piece here and here are some highlights:
What she misses now that she’s famous: “Like being stupid in public. I used to enjoy doing silly walks on the street with my friends. Like, you know, you’re walking, and then you break out in something completely ridiculous, to kind of spook out the person walking by you. I can’t really do that anymore.”
What it’s like when they called her name on Oscar night: “I don’t think I will ever be able to really articulate how bizarre it was to hear my name at the Academy Awards. I’d watched in my pajamas the year before! I felt numb—dazed and confused. I remember feeling light—weightless. More like limbo than cloud nine. At first I was like, This is my statue; nobody gets to touch it. And by midnight I was like, Please, someone, take this statue; it’s too heavy! So I gave it to my brother, and he went off with it.”
Her role models: “Oprah played a big role in my understanding of what it meant to be female and to really step into your own power. I wouldn’t even call her a role model; she was literally a reference point. You have the dictionary, you have the Bible, you have Oprah.
The responsibility she feels towards young women: “I feel a responsibility to myself and my parents and the people whose love has gotten me this far—people who were in my life before fame. That’s where I get my sense of self. It’s deadly for anyone to take on that role of a deity; it’s not sustainable. I’ve got tons of flaws. Call my mother—she’ll tell you! She keeps it real. Sometimes you don’t want to hear the truth; she’ll tell it to you out of love.
Learning how to feel beautiful: “European standards of beauty are something that plague the entire world—the idea that darker skin is not beautiful, that light skin is the key to success and love. Africa is no exception. When I was in the second grade, one of my teachers said, “Where are you going to find a husband? How are you going to find someone darker than you?” I was mortified. I remember seeing a commercial where a woman goes for an interview and doesn’t get the job. Then she puts a cream on her face to lighten her skin, and she gets the job! This is the message: that dark skin is unacceptable. I definitely wasn’t hearing this from my immediate family—my mother never said anything to that effect—but the voices from the television are usually much louder than the voices of your parents.
Beauty, love and value: “I come from a loving, supportive family, and my mother taught me that there are more valuable ways to achieve beauty than just through your external features. She was focused on compassion and respect, and those are the things that ended up translating to me as beauty. Beautiful people have many advantages, but so do friendly people…. I think beauty is an expression of love. [And] Lovely genes! But to rely on the way you look is empty. You’re a pretty face—and then what? Your value is in yourself; the other stuff will come and go. We don’t get to pick the genes we want. There’s room in this world for beauty to be diverse.
I kind of love that she’s still talking about having dark skin and how European beauty standards are applied everywhere, in film, in TV, in the fashion industry and in Africa. Asia too – I’ve had Indian aunts compliment me on my fairer Indian skin before, because India has become a hotbed of “European standards” of beauty as well. Just one of the many reasons to love Lupita.
Photos courtesy of Glamour.
She’s gorgeous, and she looks so much like a friend of mine, that I can’t help projecting that good will onto her. Also, so true, “You’re a pretty face—and then what? Your value is in yourself; the other stuff will come and go. We don’t get to pick the genes we want. There’s room in this world for beauty to be diverse.”
I loved that quote too.
She is just so breathtakingly beautiful. She has so much good stuff on the inside too, I almost feel bad for how moved I am by her appearance! Her skin and her smile are just radiant. I am in awe.
These are gorgeous pictures. She looks so happy. I love when women are allowed to smile in photos.
So fabulous. Also shows you don’t need all the Middleton- style tressy hair and kardashian weaves if you are beautiful enough.
Exactly. And, I love, love, love the photo of her in the long-sleeved white dress.
“You have the dictionary, you have the Bible, you have Oprah.”
I kinda love this 🙂
I like Lupita, but I think I like her brother even more. The Oscar selfie of stars and this story about him running around with the statue… that guy had fun.
Her brother was fab. He had the BEST time of anyone that night. But she is such a special person and I admire her so. I want her success to continue unabated and it is great that she is getting a cover again this year. I like the way she talks about “beauty” and the pride and confidence she shows. I think that is what really makes her beautiful (along with a great smile and gorgeous skin).
He brother was amazing!! Love him. She is just fabulous, such a fan. That was a really interesting article. I can’t imagine anyone ever telling her she wasn’t gorgeous.
She is SO Beautiful.
I would like to say: “You have the dictionary, you have the Bible, you have MJ.”
She sounds very level headed too!
Can´t help loving her. . . .
She is simply beautiful young girl.
Agree, she’s just gorgeous.
She’s 31 years old ,she’s not a girl ,but she is beautiful.
I had actually forgotten about her so it’s nice to see her here. Beautiful and inspiring as always.
I’m Indian and I totally feel for her. I know of many dark-skinned Indian women who could not find husbands (and this is in America!) because the man’s family didn’t like her skin tone (regardless of intelligence and personality) and/or because even men have been conditioned to pursue the lighter skinned women. Most of the dark-skinned women end up marrying Caucasian men as a result.
“Most of the dark-skinned women end up marrying Caucasian men as a result.”
That’s very interesting. Reminds me of Mindy Kalling (sp?) and her choice in men on her own tv show mostly being white…
How does the indian community feel about dark skinned indian women marrying white men?
Yeah, I’m glad the role of tv, magazines, movies, advertisements are being rightfully examined here. I would never say that a blue eyed blonde person isn’t beautiful or that a red haired green eyed person isn’t hot, but through television,magazines, movies and even porn beemed around the world the message is repeatedly driven into people’s minds that white features or as close as they can get to it are the ultimate markers of beauty.
Hey that’s still better than not getting married at all though right? I mean for someone who wants to be married? Is it so terrible to marry a white person ? No one is entitled to a spouse of their dreams.
Also, didn’t India have a caste system before media brought European ideals to India ?
I can’t say anything about Africa (and have not that much knowledge on the caste system) but I think it’s a myth that (some) Asian people like paler skin because it’s a European ideal. They’ve liked it in china for long before that. In short they don’t want to look like tanned workers, it’s a status symbol to not work outside.chinese people like fair skin on women and they don’t have any special passion for light hair, eyes, getting fat, or anything else western, and the skin thing is very old so I think it’s overstated that anytime another culture likes white skin the European beauty ideals are to blame. Also , bleaching cream is safer than tanning right? We should be more angry about tanning.
I wouldn’t say it’s exactly “safer”–Skin bleaching products do cause harm, physically and emotionally.
You are right, in several areas of the world, lighter skin was seen as a mark of success; it meant you were not out in the fields toiling. And even being overweight was a sign of success-meant you had the cash for lots of specialty foods. And this is long before western/european ideals came to influence in places such as China, as you mentioned. It’s great that you mentioned this, b/c the PC mindset has such knee jerk reactions to so many topics. The European influence of course is real today, but it’s good IMO to use critical thinking and have full historical knowledge on these matters, too. Also, I experienced being heavy as a sign of attractiveness when in Taiwan years ago. [I’m not heavy, just experienced this first hand] and when I lived in Kenya (coincidentally, Lupita post(: ], I was always told that I was too skinny and wouldn’t find a husband. My friend [heavy set white] was always told by her african boyfriend that he wanted her ‘big as a matatu’ [the mini bus vans/taxis there]. The younger generation, however, is more oriented towards the western ideal, particularly in the cities. But rural and older generations did not view the thin factor as ideal at the time I lived there. [granted, 20 years ago now]. This was also related to the wealth/success image.
LRM: East Africa is still the same. Funnily, as soon as the young ones get married, they revert to the cultural expectations.
I’ve figured out a way to achieve zen whilst my relatives tell me that my lack of a husband is entirely due to my skinny frame.
@ dolce
Hey that’s still better than not getting married at all though right? I mean for someone who wants to be married? Is it so terrible to marry a white person ? No one is entitled to a spouse of their dreams.
–Agreed. What I meant was that the dark-skinned women married white men as the white men were okay with the color of their skin or supposedly had no prejudice against it versus their own culture/race.
Also, didn’t India have a caste system before media brought European ideals to India ?
–The caste system was created by the Aryans and British where they grouped the light skinned people in the hight caste and it went down from there. Conversely the lighter-skinned higher caste received the best jobs and education while the dark sinned people were the servants and beggars. That type of system has remained hundreds of years later and leads to the notion of european beauty standards.
She is so pretty but it’s so frustrating that she doesn’t get more work because H-wood doesn’t know what to do with her. I hope she does more independent work but at the same time I like that she’s more visible so I look forward to seeing star wars.
You are right – it is SUPER frustrating. She should be able to have her pick of roles the way that Johnny Depp and Natalie Portman did in the past and the way that Brad Pitt currently does. She is as talented as any of them and as good looking. Because let’s face it, those three would not have had the careers that they did if they were not good looking.
On her next independent film Lupita is set to reteam with Brad Pitt’s Plan B production company on the drama Americanah novel.
I didn’t know they were making Americanah into a film already! She’s perfect, I can’t wait to see it.
I didn’t think it was possible to like and respect someone even more than after reading this article. Wow… she’s so great.
Lupita is beyond gorgeous and I am so glad to see the industry welcome her with open arms. However as a European, I feel offended when someone makes statements like this. I can’t help it.
Sure you can help it. Just try to imagine what it’s like from the otherside.
But even in your offense, as a European you still come out on top as far as your standards of beauty being accepted worldwide. Being offended by a simple comment doesn’t absolve the reality of being offended because one cannot find a job, a romantic partner, or even self-acceptance because it’s been beaten into their heads their whole lives that they are inferior simply because their skin carries more melanin. You’ll be ok, Anonymous. Many others will not.
In college, I had a dark-skinned black girl friend who professed, “A black man is not going to ride in on white stallion for me. He’s too busy chasing JLO!” She was hilarious.
I love Lupita and her honesty about how beauty standards made her feel ugly or less of a person. Because think about how many others feel that way because we see very little of us on tv, in magazines and have out culture appropriated for a “fad” like white people discovered it? For me I’m glad we have more Lupitas and Violas in the world today for the next girl to look up to because when I was younger rarely did I see someone who looked like me on tv. It’s sad yet true…it’s tiring
This editorial is simply stunning! I loved her thoughts on beauty and the how the European standards of beauty have conditioned basically every place on earth. Her interviews are always so insightful IMO
Does anybody know if she has any other project beside Star Wars? She looks great in the photos.
She’s developing the novel ‘Americanah’ as a self starring project.
She also doing The Jungle Book which only oddly enough her 12 YAS cast member Benedict Cumberbatch is also doing another Jungle Book movie.
Like LAK has she doing Americanah im not sure when production for that starts.
Candy Love: I think ‘Americanah’ is still at treatment stage.
Gosh, she is incredibly beautiful! Sounds like she comes from a really great family as well. I think she’ll do really well in the years to come!
Class act
One of the mose beautiful women to grace Hollywood evvvah. Simply stunning.
The Queen is Back! Stunning, as always.
What she says just proves how dangerous is advertising and marketing. And the responsibility celebrities carry when accepting to be in an ad. She gave an example about skin colour, but I’ve seen the same message over and over again: “you’re wrong, ugly, undesirable but we have something for you to buy who will make you happy and loved”. It could be something that will cure your cellulite (maybe you have never noticed before but after the ad you’ll start to question your “ugliness”; a car that will make you feel respected (because your old one is laughable in the ad and people make fun of you); it could be something that will make your kids safer and if you don’t buy that you’re a bad parent.
Advertising tells a story that fuels our fears, creates mew ones and basically explores our feelings of inadequacy (all for profit). If something you are ok with (like your skin colour) is perceived as a problem and you see that message many times you’ll be likely to believe it.
This is a subject I would like people to think about because it influences all of us, it gives us references about some kind of “normal” that’s just detrimental to our lives.
She is beyond gorgeous.
I’ve said this a million times before… but as someone with pale blotchy skin that burns at every opportunity, I’ve always looked at black/brown people with envy and have never understood this white=attractive narrative.
Black IS beautiful, FFS!
Where I live (boiling hot country where us Anglo-transplants always end up with skin cancer in middle age), Afro-Caribbean migration is relatively new, but I still find myself looking at people on the bus and thinking… damn, I wish I had skin that GLOWS instead of looking like a pasty, speckly blob.
Plus, quite apart from the attractiveness factor, darker-skinned people seem to age so much better and usually don’t have to spend decades of their lives having scabby moles frozen off/cut off their wizened, wrinkly faces.
These idiotic, out-dated and illogical “beauty standards” need to bugger off.
White skin is nothing more than an evolutionary response (i.e. gene mutation) due to the lack of vit-D absorption in colder climates when ALL our ancestors moved from Africa to cold, Northern regions. Light-coloured eyes=same deal. Us white people are the mutants!
You’ve given me an idea Kath. Would stealing X-Men quotes be an acceptable way to phrase benign affection in our white pastiness? “Mutant and proud”? 😉
Embrace what makes you special! Painfully frequent derm visits and all. Each of us is made of flesh and blood.
That’s so messed up- both what her teacher said to her and the commercial she saw. It’s good that she had a mother who encouraged self-acceptance and also taught her that a woman has more to offer than physical beauty anyway, even though she is beautiful. That’s something that I think all parents should promote. I think it would have been even harder for her if she had parents pressuring her to conform to narrow beauty standards as well.
U know what what? I don’t really understand this. I’m a white girl from Louisiana and to me she’s beautiful. I live around and work with a majority of African Americans/black folk. She’s a gorgeous woman. I’ve never dated a black man before, but I have a coworker that to me is so dark he’s almost grey, that is simply beautiful to me. Maybe it’s a combination of his looks and personality.
I don’t really understand what the big controversy is. My goodness! The “N” word was something I heard in a weekly basis growing up. My family always told me that they would disown me if I dated a black man. My 14 year old son wanted to ask out a beautiful black girl to homecoming and my mother threw a fit. I told him that I didn’t care about the race of the child only the content of her character. Same thing if she were a white girl.
So what I guess im saying is that if its not that big of a deal to me, why is it that big of a dealfor all the people that “should know better.”
Btw, I use the term black vs white because that’s how we describe ourselves here. I’ve never heard a black person here describe themself as African American. Not only that, but I can comfortably talk to a black person as to the shade of another black person without offending anybody. Maybe it’s just me and I come off that way because I genuinely don’t care about race or ethnicity. We all people, right?
That’s weird. I went to a very diverse college with students from all over the globe, and I always noticed how beautiful the people with super dark skin were. Their complexions always seemed perfect, for one. But also just… I don’t know. I just thought it was striking. Nico from Kenya and Ana from Malawi were probably the best looking people in the entire school.
ETA: I don’t mean to imply that I think Lupita is lying because my experience is different. I just think it’s weird that some people would find one skin tone preferable to the other.
errrmm.. was that an idea?