Lupita Nyong'o graces the cover of Essence Magazine's January 2016 issue. Inside, the "Star Wars" actress talks about her meteoric rise to fame caused by her critically acclaimed role as a slave girl name Patsey in the Academy Award-winning film, "12 Years a Slave."
The Academy Award Winner for Best Supporting Actress revealed the whirlwind effect fame has had on her in the magazine interview. The actress talked about moving to Broadway to star in "Eclipsed," a Danai Gurira drama set during the Liberian Civil War.
"I didn't grow up seeing African women onstage very often, much less African women in African stories. I was in love with the world Danai [Gurira] created," Nyong'o said.
"Eclipsed" previews Feb. 23, 2016. Opening night is March 6, 2016 at the Golden Theatre.
A graduate of the Yale School of Drama's acting program, Nyong'o opened up about not feeling as confident as the public would think an Academy Award-winner would feel, reported The YBF.
“The stage of self-doubt is never eliminated. It’s work. It doesn’t come naturally or easily because I have a golden statue sitting on my shelf," Nyong'o said.
The Oscar-winner describes the whirlwind effect her fame has had on her. She became an overnight beauty and style icon gracing the covers of Vogue, ELLE and Harper's Baazar, to name a few magazines. She filmed three movies since "12 Years a Slave," including "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" in 2015, noted Bossip.
"After '12 Years a Slave' and the quote-unquote meteoric rise, I felt like there was a moment where I was suffering from whiplash. I had talked so much about who I was that I'd forgotten who I was," she said.
The January issue of Essence will hit newsstands on Friday, Dec. 4.
