Lupita Nyong'o Speech: Actress Tormented For 'Night-Shaded Skin' Becomes 'People's Most Beautiful Person Alive [PHOTOS, VIDEOS]
After actress Lupita Nyong'o starred in Steve McQueen's heart-wrenching 12 Years A Slave, she went on to win a host of awards, including this year's Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Now she can add People Magazine's Most Beautiful Person of 2014 to her bejeweled crown - something she "never dreamed" could happen. Officially the toast of the town, what makes her win all the more remarkable, is that as child Nyong'o didn't think she was very beautiful at all.
Lupita Wins Oscar For 12 Years A Slave!
Born in Mexico and raised in Kenya Nyong'o, 31, first equated beauty with "Light skin and long, flowing, straight hair," she said. Her mother, Dorothy "always said I was beautiful... and I finally believed her at some point," she tells Wednesday's People.
In a moving speech made at Essence's 7th annual Black Women in Hollywood luncheon (where she won Breakthrough Performance Award) she said:
"I remember a time when I too felt unbeautiful," she admits. "I put on the TV and only saw pale skin. I got teased and taunted about my night-shaded skin, and my one prayer to God was that I would wake up lighter-skinned... my complexion had always been an obstacle to overcome."
It's a familiar and deeply painful story that most dark-skinned actresses (and women world over) deal with in Hollywood - a world that splashes white beauty from every screen.
Nyong'o mentions that not only her mother, but top South Sudanese model Alek Wek helped her to find confidence in her own beauty. Now the charming actress desires to inspire other young girls who look like her. She gushed to People about gracing this year's cover;
"It was exciting and just a major, major compliment," she said. "I was happy for all the girls who would see me on [it] and feel a little more seen."
In that sense, Nyong'o's win can be seen as a triumph for many women.
Black women's misconceptions of their own beauty has some pretty deep historical roots in this country (beginning in slavery). Many black women had to pass the "brown paper bag" test in order to be considered light enough to be beautiful.
Traditionally, when it comes to black beauty, Hollywood honors lighter counterparts: your Halle Berry's and Beyoncé's. (Ironically Beyoncé is on the list too). It's rare to see someone of Nyong'o's "night-shade" honored.
Nyong'o definitely colors outside the lines when it comes to race. She spoke to CNN's Stephanie Elam about her 'jarring' discovery race treatment in America: "I grew up in a world where the majority of people were black, so that was not the defining quality of anyone... So it was an arrangement when I came here... definitely jarring."
Nyong'o has also recently been awarded to become the face of cosmetics giant Lancome - Lancome's first black ambassador.
She is known for wearing funky natural hair styles, and bright colorful chic gear that usually lands her on the covers of high fashion magazines.
After delivering a gut-wrenching performance as the abused yet dignified slave Patsey in 12 Years A Slave, she stole everyone's hearts - becoming only the 7th black woman in history to win an Oscar.
In its 25th annual, she joins Julia Roberts, Cindy Crawford, Tom Cruise and Beyoncé on People's Most Beautiful list.
Nyongo's carefree spirit, fashionista style, incredible talent, modest charm and natural beauty makes her the most beautiful person in the world inside and out.
"I'm flattered with, like, gravitas under it," she told CNN on winning. Congrats Lupita!
Luptia Nyong'o Wins The Oscar For Best Supporting Actress In 12 Years A Slave
Lupita Nyong'o Speech on Black Beauty At Essence's Black Women In Hollywood Award Ceremony
