Few actors have made as big of an impact with their first feature film role as Lupita Nyong’o, who earned an Academy Award for her role in the 2013 film 12 Years a Slave. Since then Nyong’o has appeared in a variety of roles, including some of the biggest blockbusters of the 21st century (the Star Wars and Black Panther film franchises). Speaking with Harper’s Bazaar, Nyong’o speaks about what she loves about acting — and how she believes acting can help one’s mind.
Lupita Nyong’o’s Honest Take on Her Passion for Acting
Nyong’o details what are some of her favorite things about acting, saying, “I always, always loved acting. It took me a long time to give myself permission to want to be an actor, so I harbored that desire for a number of years, even if I was still doing it, and then finally in my twenties, I said it out loud – ‘I want to be an actor’ – and I went after it. The one piece of advice I’d give to someone just starting out in this industry is to love every stage of your career. It’s important to have goals and dreams, but your life is being lived now, so just enjoy it while you have it.“
She continues to share what she loves about her career, adding, “What I find most rewarding is the opportunity to play different characters, which means my life is always exciting and there’s a lot of change. I think it’s really good for my brain and will hopefully keep me quite spritely.”
