Lupita Nyong’o opens up about repeatedly being offered slave roles after Oscar win

Lupita Nyong’o is speaking candidly about the period following her Oscar win, explaining that the roles offered to her after 12 Years a Slave were far narrower than many expected.

In a recent CNN Inside Africa interview with musician Angélique Kidjo, the actress said she was repeatedly sent scripts asking her to portray enslaved or suffering Black women, despite her hopes for more varied opportunities.

“After I won that Academy Award, you’d think, ‘I’m gonna get lead roles here and there,’” she said. “They’re like, ‘Oh, Lupita, we’d like you to play another movie where you’re a slave, but this time you’re on a slave ship.’ Those are the kind of offers I was getting in the months after winning my Academy Award.”

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Nyong’o also noted that early commentary about her career often questioned her longevity, reflecting what she believes were underlying issues of racism and colourism. “There were think pieces of ‘Is this the beginning and end of this dark-skinned Black African woman’s career?’ I had to deafen myself to all these pontificators because, at the end of the day, I’m not a theory. I’m an actual person.”

The actress explained that she refused to take roles that centred African women solely in narratives of pain. “If that means I work one job less a year to ensure that I’m not perpetuating the stereotypes that are expected of people from my continent, then let me do that.” She added that she hopes her career contributes to shifting global perceptions of Africa and that she aims to be a “joyful warrior” for change.

Fans online praised her honesty, saying her experience shows how deep industry bias remains. 

Nyong’o’s comments have reignited debate about the limited and repetitive roles often offered to Black women in Hollywood, even after critical acclaim.