Lupita Nyong'o ‘didn't love’ romance rumors with Jared Leto

"It was drawing attention away from the work," the academy award-winning actress reveals.

Award-winning actress Lupita Nyong'o is addressing years-old speculation about her relationship with fellow Oscar winner Jared Leto. 

In a recent interview with Glamour magazine, Nyong'o reflected on the whirlwind that followed her historic Oscar win in 2014.

Fresh off her powerful performance in "12 Years a Slave," Nyong'o admitted to deliberately tuning out the constant chatter surrounding her personal life. 

"Everything was new to me," she shared, explaining her focus on adjusting to newfound fame. While they remain friends ("I can hit him up about things"), the constant speculation about a romance wasn't ideal for Nyong'o. 

"It was drawing attention away from the work," she revealed. "I didn't want that sort of attention."

Adding fuel to the fire, both Nyong'o and Leto won their first Oscars for supporting roles on the same night in 2014. Leto's win came for his performance in "Dallas Buyers Club." 

Their frequent appearances together at events only intensified the rumors, despite their insistence on being just friends.

Nyong'o has since leveraged her platform to champion important social movements like Black Lives Matter, Oscars So White, and Me Too.

"There's been a lot of amplification for issues that needed a voice," she acknowledged, highlighting the positive impact of these movements.

While acknowledging some progress, Nyong'o believes it's still too early to fully assess the lasting impact these movements have had on the entertainment industry.