The '12 Years a Slave' actress gets candid about her apprehensions at the 2014 Academy Awards when she won her first Oscar and her worry about the aftermath.
- July 7, 2024
AceShowbiz - Lupita Nyong'o didn't just walk away with an Academy Award in 2014; she carried with her a lifelong lesson in facing fears and nurturing artistic passion. While chatting with PEOPLE at the Paramount Pictures x Hollywood Confidential Celebrating Lupita Nyong'o event, the actress, 41, reflected on the nervous energy that accompanied her during the 2014 Academy Awards.
"I remember worrying about how much fabric I had to hold going up the steps," Nyong'o said, acknowledging her concern about tripping. Recounting Jennifer Lawrence's infamous fall the previous year, she added, "Jennifer Lawrence already did that the year before, so it's not cute when you're the second person tripping up the stairs. That's lame."
The fear of a public misstep was just a part of Nyong'o's apprehensions. "I remember having that fear, and then I remember a throbbing sensation in my whole body. It was just so unbelievable," she described. Despite the anxiety, Nyong'o triumphed, receiving the Best Supporting Actress award for her role in "12 Years a Slave".
Beyond the spotlight and applause, Nyong'o faced a more abstract challenge: the fear of falling off the map post-Oscar win. "Here I was winning it with my very first role. And I was like, ‘OK, where do I go from here?' " Fears of "Oscar curse" loomed large, where the accolade didn't necessarily lead to continued success.
It was Emma Thompson, 65, who steered her through these doubts. "I spoke to her about my fears of failing. And she was the one who encouraged me to go and do what I wanted to do, which was a play on Broadway," Nyong'o explained.
Thompson advised, "You know what? You have to lead your life the way you see fit. Do not do what other people recommend. You have to really follow your own navigation system. And if that is what you feel will strengthen your craft and remind you of what you're good at, do that because you have the rest of your life to lead, and you can't do it according to other people's expectations."
This advice proved to be invaluable. Since her Oscar-winning role, Nyong'o has gone on to star in films like "Us", "Little Monsters", and "Black Panther". Most recently, she led "A Quiet Place: Day One", released in June.
The Paramount Pictures x Hollywood Confidential event, held at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Los Angeles, celebrated Nyong'o's illustrious career. The Hollywood Confidential event series, created by TV & content producer Steve Jones, has been a beacon for aspiring Hollywood talent for over 10 years, featuring insightful conversations with powerful voices of color in entertainment.
