History of Lupita Nyong'o in Timeline
Lupita Nyong'o is a highly acclaimed actress, recognized with an Actor Award, an Academy Award, and a Daytime Emmy Award. She has also garnered nominations for prestigious awards such as British Academy Film Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and a Tony Award, highlighting her versatility and success across film, television, and theatre.
1967: Original Jungle Book film
In 1967, the original animated Jungle Book film was released, of which Lupita Nyong'o starred in a live-action/CGI adaptation in 2016.
1980: Family left Kenya due to political unrest
In 1980, Lupita Nyong'o's family left Kenya due to political repression and unrest. Her uncle, Charles Nyong'o, disappeared after being thrown off a ferry.
March 1983: Birth in Mexico City
In March 1983, Lupita Amondi Nyong'o was born in Mexico City to Kenyan parents, Dorothy Ogada Buyu and Anyang' Nyong'o.
2001: Received IB Diploma
In 2001, Lupita Nyong'o received an IB Diploma from St. Mary's School in Nairobi, demonstrating her academic achievements.
2005: Production Crew for The Constant Gardener
In 2005, Lupita Nyong'o worked as part of the production crew for Fernando Meirelles's film 'The Constant Gardener', gaining early experience in the film industry.
2006: Production Crew for The Namesake
In 2006, Lupita Nyong'o worked as part of the production crew for Mira Nair's film 'The Namesake', further developing her skills behind the camera.
2007: Production Crew for Where God Left His Shoes
In 2007, Lupita Nyong'o was part of the production crew for Salvatore Stabile's film 'Where God Left His Shoes', continuing to build her experience in filmmaking.
2008: Acting Debut in East River and Shuga
In 2008, Lupita Nyong'o made her acting debut in the short film 'East River'. Later that year, she returned to Kenya to star in the television series 'Shuga'.
2008: Starred in short film East River and Shuga
In 2008, Lupita Nyong'o starred in the short film 'East River' and appeared in the Kenyan television series 'Shuga', marking her entry into acting.
2009: Starring in Shuga
In 2009, Lupita Nyong'o starred in the television series 'Shuga', demonstrating her commitment to acting and HIV/AIDS awareness.
2009: Understudied the Play Eclipsed
In 2009, Lupita Nyong'o understudied the play 'Eclipsed' at Yale, a role she would later perform on Broadway, marking an important early experience in her career.
2009: Directed In My Genes and Music Video
In 2009, Lupita Nyong'o wrote, directed, and produced the documentary 'In My Genes' and directed the music video 'The Little Things You Do', showcasing her skills in directing and production.
2011: Sexual Harassment by Harvey Weinstein
In 2011, when Lupita Nyong'o was a student at Yale, she was sexually harassed by Harvey Weinstein on two separate occasions.
2011: Herschel Williams Prize
In the 2011-12 academic year, Lupita Nyong'o won the Herschel Williams Prize at Yale, recognizing her outstanding acting ability as a student.
2012: Continued role in Shuga
In 2012, Lupita Nyong'o continued her role in the television series 'Shuga', about HIV/AIDS awareness.
2013: Breakthrough Role in 12 Years a Slave
In 2013, Lupita Nyong'o had her first feature film role as Patsey in Steve McQueen's '12 Years a Slave', receiving critical acclaim and winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
2013: Starred in 12 Years a Slave
In 2013, Lupita Nyong'o starred in '12 Years a Slave', and her performance earned her widespread critical acclaim and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
2013: Inclusion in Derek Blasberg's Best-Dressed List
In 2013, Lupita Nyong'o was included in Derek Blasberg's best-dressed list in Harper's Bazaar.
2013: Father Elected to Kenyan Senate
In 2013, Lupita Nyong'o's father was elected to represent Kisumu County in the Kenyan Senate, marking a continued involvement in Kenyan politics.
February 2014: Essence Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon Speech
In February 2014, Lupita Nyong'o delivered a speech at the Essence Black Women in Hollywood luncheon in Beverly Hills, discussing the beauty of Black women and her past insecurities, mentioning the impact of Alek Wek's success on her self-perception.
July 2014: Vogue and Elle Cover Appearances
In July 2014, Lupita Nyong'o was on the cover of Vogue, becoming the second African woman and ninth black woman to cover the magazine. She also appeared on the cover of July's issue of Elle (France).
October 2014: Opposition to Development in Shockoe Bottom
In October 2014, Lupita Nyong'o joined the National Trust for Historic Preservation to oppose development in the Shockoe Bottom area of Richmond, Virginia, a former site of major slave-trading. She sent a letter to Richmond's Mayor, Dwight C. Jones, and lent her voice to Conservation International's Nature Is Speaking campaign as the flower.
2014: Face of Miu Miu's spring campaign and cover appearances
In 2014, Lupita Nyong'o was chosen as one of the faces for Miu Miu's spring campaign, appeared on magazine covers, was named "The Most Beautiful Woman" by People, and became the new face of Lancôme. She was also named "Woman of the Year" by Glamour in November.
2014: Mentioned in Lecrae's song "Nuthin'" and Jay Electronica's song "We Made It"
In 2014, Lupita Nyong'o was mentioned in Christian rapper Lecrae's song "Nuthin'" from his album Anomaly and was referenced by Jay-Z in his verse from Jay Electronica's song "We Made It".
2014: Named Most Beautiful Woman by People
In 2014, Lupita Nyong'o was named the most beautiful woman by People, recognizing her beauty and influence.
October 2015: "Lupita Nyong'o Day" in Harlem, New York
In October 2015, Lupita Nyong'o appeared on the October issue of Vogue, and Congressman Charles Rangel and Voza Rivers announced that day as officially "Lupita Nyong'o Day" in Harlem, New York.
2015: Turning down Southpaw
Because of previous sexual harrasment by Harvey Weinstein, Lupita Nyong'o turned down an offer to star in Southpaw, a Weinstein-distributed film, in 2015.
2015: Broadway Debut in Eclipsed and Star Wars Role
In 2015, Lupita Nyong'o made her Broadway debut in the play 'Eclipsed' and performed motion capture for Maz Kanata in 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens'.
2015: Role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens
In 2015, Lupita Nyong'o played Maz Kanata in 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' using motion capture technology and also starred in the play 'Eclipsed', demonstrating her versatility.
2015: Mentioned in Sauti Sol's song "Nerea"
In 2015, Lupita Nyong'o was mentioned in the song "Nerea" by Kenyan afro-pop band Sauti Sol.
April 2016: Anti-Poaching Campaign with Wildaid
In April 2016, Lupita Nyong'o launched an anti-poaching campaign with Wildaid, in advance of the Kenya Wildlife Service ivory burn on April 30, to demonstrate a zero-tolerance approach to poaching.
April 2016: Honored for Work with Mother Health International
In April 2016, Variety honored Lupita Nyong'o for her involvement with Mother Health International, which aims to provide relief to women and children in Uganda by creating locally engaged birthing centres.
May 2016: Caricature Portrait at Sardi's Restaurant
In May 2016, Lupita Nyong'o was honored with a caricature portrait at Sardi's restaurant in New York City for her debut on Broadway.
October 2016: Vogue Cover and Elle Women in Hollywood Awards
In October 2016, Lupita Nyong'o appeared on Vogue's October cover and was an honouree at the 2016 Elle Women in Hollywood Awards.
2016: Co-Starred in The Jungle Book and Queen of Katwe
In 2016, Lupita Nyong'o co-starred in 'The Jungle Book' as the voice of Raksha and in 'Queen of Katwe' as Nakku Harriet, showcasing her versatility in live-action and voice roles.
2016: Voice Role in The Jungle Book
In 2016, Lupita Nyong'o voiced Raksha in 'The Jungle Book', adding to her diverse roles in film.
2016: Broadway Premiere of Eclipsed
In 2016, the play 'Eclipsed,' starring Lupita Nyong'o, premiered on Broadway, being the first play to premiere with an all-black and female creative cast and crew. Nyong'o's performance was highly acclaimed.
January 2017: Vanity Fair Hollywood Issue Cover
In January 2017, Lupita Nyong'o appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair's Hollywood Issue.
October 2017: The Sunday Times Magazine Cover
In October 2017, Lupita Nyong'o appeared on the cover of UK's The Sunday Times Magazine.
October 2017: Op-Ed in The New York Times
In October 2017, in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse scandal and the MeToo movement, Lupita Nyong'o wrote an op-ed for The New York Times divulging that Weinstein had sexually harassed her in 2011.
November 2017: Grazia UK Magazine Cover and Disappointment
In November 2017, Lupita Nyong'o appeared on the cover of Grazia UK magazine and later expressed her disappointment with the cover for altering her hair.
December 2017: Fourth Vogue Cover
In December 2017, Lupita Nyong'o landed her fourth Vogue cover in a row for the January 2018 issue, making her the first black actress to do so.
2017: Father Became Governor
In 2017, Lupita Nyong'o's father became the Governor, highlighting his political career.
January 2018: Vogue Cover Release
In January 2018, Lupita Nyong'o's fourth Vogue cover in a row for the January 2018 issue was released, making her the first black actress to do so.
April 2018: Time's Up Event at Tribeca Film Festival
In April 2018, Lupita Nyong'o joined Julianne Moore and other actresses in participating in a Time's Up event at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City.
June 2018: Hollywood Walk of Fame Honoree
In June 2018, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce announced that Lupita Nyong'o would receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
October 2018: Elle's Women in Hollywood Honoree
In October 2018, Lupita Nyong'o was honored alongside her Black Panther co-stars for Elle magazine's "Women in Hollywood" issue.
November 2018: Vogue España Cover Appearance
In November 2018, Lupita Nyong'o appeared on the cover of Vogue España's edition.
2018: Role as Nakia in Black Panther
In 2018, Lupita Nyong'o played Nakia in the Marvel Cinematic Universe film 'Black Panther', marking a significant role in a superhero film.
September 2019: Ambassador for Michael Kors' Watch Hunger Stop Campaign
In September 2019, Lupita Nyong'o became an ambassador for Michael Kors' "Watch Hunger Stop" campaign.
October 2019: Vanity Fair Cover Appearance
In October 2019, Lupita Nyong'o appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair's issue.
2019: Roles in Star Wars sequel trilogy and Us
In 2019, Lupita Nyong'o continued her motion capture role in the 'Star Wars' sequel trilogy and starred in the horror film 'Us'.
2019: Writing Debut with Sulwe
In 2019, Lupita Nyong'o made her writing debut with 'Sulwe', a children's book about a young Kenyan girl, drawing on her own childhood experiences.
2019: Serengeti Narration
In 2019, Lupita Nyong'o reprised her narration role in Serengeti, where she earned her second Primetime Emmy Award nomination in 2021.
2019: Roles in 'Little Monsters', 'Us' and 'Serengeti'
In 2019, Lupita Nyong'o starred in 'Little Monsters' as a kindergarten teacher in a zombie apocalypse, and in Jordan Peele's 'Us' as both the main character and her doppelganger. She also narrated the Discovery Channel documentary series 'Serengeti', advocating for African women in nature documentaries and using her Kenyan accent, earning an Emmy nomination. She was also nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Character Voice-Over Performance.
2019: Mentioned in Beyoncé's "Brown Skin Girl"
In 2019, Lupita Nyong'o was mentioned in the single "Brown Skin Girl" by Beyoncé from 'The Lion King: The Gift'.
2019: Author of Sulwe
In 2019, Lupita Nyong'o wrote a children's book named 'Sulwe', which became a number-one New York Times Best-Seller, showcasing her literary talent.
2019: Hollywood Walk of Fame Honoree
Lupita Nyong'o was recognized as a 2019 Hollywood Walk of Fame honoree.
February 2020: British Vogue Cover Appearance
In February 2020, Lupita Nyong'o made her first appearance on the cover of British Vogue.
March 2020: Forbes' Africa's 50 Most Powerful Women List
In March 2020, Lupita Nyong'o appeared on Africa's "50 Most Powerful Women" list by Forbes.
April 2020: Appearance on 'Together at Home' and 'Richard II'
In April 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Lupita Nyong'o participated in the Global Citizen organized television event, 'Together at Home', and in a radio play presentation of Richard II from The Public Theater and WNYC as The Narrator.
July 2020: Featured in 'Black Is King'
In July 2020, Lupita Nyong'o was featured in Beyoncé's musical film 'Black Is King', which premiered on Disney+.
2020: BET Awards Nomination
In 2020, "Melanin", the song where Lupita Nyong'o was featured on singer Ciara's song under the moniker "Troublemaker" along with La La Anthony, City Girls, and Ester Dean, was nominated for the Her Award at the BET Awards.
2020: Awards for Sulwe
In 2020, 'Sulwe' was selected for the Illustrator Honor at the Coretta Scott King Awards and won for Outstanding Literary Work – Children at the NAACP Image Awards.
2020: Board of Trustees Member at The Africa Center
In 2020, Lupita Nyong'o was announced as a member of the board of trustees for The Africa Center.
2020: Named One of Africa's 50 Most Powerful Women
In 2020, Lupita Nyong'o was named one of Africa's 50 Most Powerful Women by Forbes, acknowledging her impact and influence in Africa.
2020: Emmy Award for Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices
In 2020, Lupita Nyong'o won the Outstanding Limited Performance in a Children's Program category at the 48th Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Awards for her involvement in Netflix's television series, 'Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices'.
2021: Involvement in Super Sema, Romeo y Julieta, and Who Are You, Charlie Brown?
In 2021, Lupita Nyong'o partnered with Kukua for YouTube Originals' STEM-themed 'Super Sema', becoming an executive producer and voice actress. She also starred in Saheem Ali's radio play adaptation of 'Romeo & Juliet', titled 'Romeo y Julieta', and narrated Apple TV+'s documentary, 'Who Are You, Charlie Brown?'.
November 2022: Release of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
In November 2022, Lupita Nyong'o reprised the role of Nakia in 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever', the sequel to the original Black Panther film.
2022: Dropout of The Woman King
Around the time of filming the documentary Warrior Women with Lupita Nyong'o, Lupita Nyong'o chose to dropout of The Woman King (2022), in which she had previously been cast to co-star in.
2022: Role in Black Panther sequel
In 2022, Lupita Nyong'o reprised her role as Nakia in the sequel to 'Black Panther', continuing her presence in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
June 2023: Moved from Brooklyn to Los Angeles
In June 2023, Lupita Nyong'o moved to Los Angeles from Brooklyn after the COVID-19 pandemic.
June 2024: Residence in Los Angeles
As of June 2024, Lupita Nyong'o lives in Los Angeles.
August 2024: Announced as a U.S. Citizen
In August 2024, Lupita Nyong'o announced that she had recently become a U.S. citizen and planned on voting for Kamala Harris in her first U.S. presidential election.
2024: Overcoming fear of cats
In 2024 Lupita Nyong'o had a lifelong fear of cats, but underwent exposure therapy for the film A Quiet Place: Day One in order to work with her cat co-stars and adopted her own pet cat, named Yoyo.
2024: Lead role in A Quiet Place: Day One, voice role in The Wild Robot, and hosting Mind Your Own podcast
In 2024, Lupita Nyong'o played the lead role in the horror prequel film 'A Quiet Place: Day One'. She also voiced the lead role of an abandoned robot named Roz in the animated film 'The Wild Robot'. Also in 2024, Nyong'o began hosting the podcast Mind Your Own, in which she tells stories from the African diaspora and talks about experiences relating to her own life and Kenyan heritage. That same year, she became the first black and first African jury president of the Berlinale.
2024: Starring Roles in A Quiet Place: Day One and The Wild Robot
In 2024, Lupita Nyong'o starred in the horror film 'A Quiet Place: Day One' and voiced the lead role in the animated film 'The Wild Robot', showcasing her versatility in different genres.
2024: Cast in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey
In 2024, Lupita Nyong'o was cast in Christopher Nolan's upcoming epic film 'The Odyssey', set for release in 2026.
November 2025: Father's Role as Governor of Kisumu County
As of November 2025, Lupita Nyong'o's father, Anyang' Nyong'o, serves as the Governor of Kisumu County, Kenya, highlighting his continued involvement in Kenyan politics.
2025: Reflection on Career after 12 Years a Slave
In 2025, Lupita Nyong'o reflected on how '12 Years a Slave' shaped her career and her commitment to changing stereotypes about African representation in film.
2026: Release of The Odyssey
The movie The Odyssey, in which Lupita Nyong'o was cast in 2024, is set for release in 2026.
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