When Lupita Nyong’o stepped off the Oscars stage in 2014, clutching her first statuette, it felt like the beginning of everything. Audiences around the world were moved by her performance in 12 Years a Slave, and Hollywood suddenly had a new face to celebrate — a woman whose talent seemed limitless. But away from the flashing cameras and emotional speeches, a quieter reality unfolded.

Instead of opening doors to vivid opportunities, Nyong’o soon discovered that her achievement had placed her in a limiting box.

Lupita Nyong’o has opened up about the unexpected downside of her Oscar win for 12 Years a Slave, saying that instead of scoring her lead parts in Hollywood, it led to her being typecast almost immediately. In a new interview with CNN, the actress shared that most of the offers she received after her Academy triumph were for more slave roles, including one pitch that told her, “This time you're on a slave ship.” 

Lupita Nyong’o, further in her CNN interview, described that time as emotionally exhausting, with constant chatter about whether she had peaked too early. She said she learned to tune out the noise and focus on the bigger picture, using her career to challenge the stereotyping of African actors, even if it meant working on a project less. The star was able to achieve what she set out to achieve, and her illustrious portfolio stands as a testament to it.

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Since 12 Years a Slave, Nyong’o has carved a blockbuster path for herself with roles in a Marvel project, an acclaimed sci-fi world, and many more.

After her Oscar breakthrough, Lupita Nyong’o steered her career toward big-ticket franchises. She entered the revered world as Maz Kanata in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, then became a global sensation with Marvel’s Black Panther. Nyong’o continued to show her versatility in emotionally rich and challenging projects, though, with titles such as the now NYC Mayor-elect’s Queen of Katwe, horror hit Us, and A Quiet Place: Day One. She is now preparing for another major chapter with Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film The Odyssey.

So, Lupita Nyong’o’s journey makes one thing clear: Brilliance does not always guarantee an easy path, but resilience can rewrite the script. What began as a fight against typecasting has evolved into a career defined on her own terms, not Hollywood’s expectations. Today, she stands not just as an Oscar winner but as an artist who refused to be reduced to one story. And as she steps into her next chapter, it is obvious she is nowhere near finished.

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What do you think of Hollywood typecasting Lupita Nyong’o after her Oscar win? Let us know in the comments.