Post Oscars | Lupita Nyong’o Career Prospects

A Star Is Born

Lupita won Best Supporting Actress. And she well deserved it. Her speech was simple yet very inspiring. She had the joy of her life. And I can certainly understand why.

Lupita’s Future

I read in a discussion yesterday Oscars day that Lupita Nyong’o doesn’t have any films in production at the moment. She’s in that Liam Neeson film, Non-Stop, and then… Nothing? Comparing her trajectory to Jennifer Lawrence, who had a breakout with Winters Bone, followed by mostly quality films, then got not only into one but two franchises, does this smack of racism to anyone else?

We all know Hollywood had a case of racism for a long time. And even though 12 Years A Slave won big yesterday and Lupita has had big lights on her since a couple of months, she still might experience difficulties finding new roles in the future.

Lupita for New York Magazine

So why does a Black supporting actress winner have to win less than a white best actress?

Remember Octavia Spencer and Viola Davis? Or even Jennifer Hudson ? They won big but we haven’t seen them so much since. Comparing to Jennifer Lawrence for example. Here’s a bunch of interesting thoughs from the Internet:

 They’re both amazing actresses but don’t really fit the ‘leading actress’ mold (same with Jennifer Hudson) in the way Lupita does… I just feel like literally the only thing in her way is racism, not other issues like sizeism or ridonk??? standards of beauty._Stephanie Sutherland

I just feel like an actress as talented and beautiful as Lupita would be knee deep in offers if she was white. Size, age and beauty standards for women in Hollywood really upset me too, but here it seems like entirely a race issue._Stephanie Sutherland

Is Lupita the Next Jennifer Lawrence ?

Lupita’s role in 12 Years A Slave was absolutely stunning. She played it absolutely right. Nyong’o's Patsey reveals herself in layers to both Solomon and the audience, and she’s emotionally and literally laid bare by the end of the film (Vulture). Now all Hollywood loves her. She’s even more popular than Jennifer Lawrence. Lupita is the Lawrence of 2014. Her campaign was a non-stop red carpet appearances and TV shows. She even said she has spent more times flying than in a hotel room (crazy huh!).

Nyong’o — beautiful, born in Mexico, raised in Kenya, trained at Yale Drama School — represents one of the things the Oscars are supposed to be about: the notion that pure merit can take you from virtual unknown to Academy Award winner within a year. (grantland.com)

But I figure she’ll mainly work as a Slave Girl, an Exotic Foreign Girl, a Voodoo Witch Girl, or maybe a Future Bond Girl. She’s probably considered to be too “dark” to be a lead, in Hollywood’s standard, which I suppose are reflective of the tastes of the general public, or something._Stacy Robinson Triplett

I believe we will see her in great good movies in the future… She has great acting skills and great celebrity personality. Everything she needs to become an Hollywood Cool It Girl.

Good luck Lupita !