Megan McDonnell

Lupita Amondi Nyong'o, born in 1983, is an Oscar-winning Kenyan actress. She had a major breakthrough with her role as Patsey in the film *12 Years a Slave*. Born in Mexico City to Dorothy and Peter Anyang Nyong'o, her father was a lecturer there for a time before becoming Kenya's Minister of Health. Returning to Kenya at age one, she spent her youth there, except for a period at age 16 when she was sent back to Mexico to study Spanish. She received her university education in the United States, graduating from Hampshire College with a degree in film and theatre. For a period, she worked in the technical crews of films. She later attended and graduated from the Yale School of Drama, performing in various theatre productions. Immediately after graduating, she joined the cast of *12 Years a Slave*, receiving critical acclaim for her performance as Patsey and winning numerous awards, including the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She was also nominated for a Golden Globe and a BAFTA. In 2015, she appeared as Maz Kanata in *Star Wars: The Force Awakens*, the seventh film in the Star Wars saga, and reprised the role in *Star Wars: The Last Jedi* (2017). In 2018, she starred as Nakia in the Marvel film *Black Panther*. In 2014, she was named one of the world's most beautiful women by People magazine. She is an active advocate for women's rights in Africa, particularly in Kenya, and against ivory poaching.