Lupita Amondi Nyong’o (born March 1, 1983) is a Kenyan-Mexican actress, filmmaker, and producer known for her powerful performances across film, theater, and voice work. She has received numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a Daytime Emmy, and nominations for a Golden Globe, Tony Award, and BAFTAs. She is the first Kenyan and Mexican actress to win an Oscar.

Lupita Amondi Nyong’o was born in Mexico City, Mexico, to Kenyan parents Dorothy Ogada Buyu and Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o, a politician and professor who was teaching there during a period of political exile from Kenya. The family returned to Kenya when she was about one year old (or around age three according to some accounts), and she was raised primarily there. Her father later served as a government minister and senator, while her mother worked in family planning and with the Africa Cancer Foundation.

She attended schools in Kenya, including St. Mary’s School and Rusinga International School. At age 14 (or 16,17 in some accounts), she returned briefly to Mexico to learn Spanish. She made her professional acting debut as Juliet in a Nairobi production of Romeo and Juliet with the Phoenix Players repertory company.

Nyong’o moved to the United States for college, earning a bachelor’s degree in film and theater studies (or film and African studies) from Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts, around 2003,2007. She later earned a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in acting from the Yale School of Drama in 2012. Her senior thesis at Hampshire was the documentary In My Genes (2009), which she directed, produced, and edited about Kenyans living with albinism.

Nyong’o began her career behind the scenes, including work on The Constant Gardener (2005) in Kenya. She appeared in the Kenyan TV series Shuga (2009,2012) and had an early short film role in East River (2008).

Her breakout came with her feature film debut as Patsey, an enslaved woman, in Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave (2013). Her performance earned widespread critical acclaim and won her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2014 (making her the first Kenyan/Mexican winner in that category), along with a SAG Award and other honors.

Subsequent notable roles include motion-capture as Maz Kanata in the Star Wars sequel trilogy (The Force Awakens 2015, The Last Jedi 2017, The Rise of Skywalker 2019), voice of Raksha in Disney’s The Jungle Book (2016), Nakia in Black Panther (2018) and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022) in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, dual lead roles (Adelaide Wilson/Red) in Jordan Peele’s horror film Us (2019), Samira in A Quiet Place: Day One (2024), and lead voice role as Roz in the animated The Wild Robot (2024).

She has also appeared in films like Non-Stop (2014), Queen of Katwe (2016), and The 355 (2022), and has upcoming projects such as The Odyssey (2026).

Nyong’o made her Broadway debut in the play Eclipsed (2015,2016), earning a Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Play. She has performed in other stage productions, including Twelfth Night in Shakespeare in the Park (2025) and Off-Broadway work.

She has narrated documentaries (e.g., Serengeti), hosted Warrior Women with Lupita Nyong’o, voiced characters in animated series, and directed/produced content. She is also an author; her children’s book Sulwe (2019) was a bestseller.

Nyong’o holds Mexican, Kenyan, and U.S. citizenship (naturalized in 2024). She is known for her advocacy on issues like albinism awareness, women’s health, and representation. In 2025,2026, she publicly shared her experiences with uterine fibroids, raising awareness.

She has been recognized as a style icon and one of Africa’s most powerful women (Forbes, 2020).

Nyong’o’s career stands out for her versatility, from historical drama and superhero blockbusters to horror, animation, and theater, while maintaining strong ties to her African and Mexican heritage.