Lupita Nyong'o is not one to shy away from speaking her mind. The Oscar-winning actress of '12 Years A Slave' and 'Black Panther' fame had some powerful words about Hollywood's lack of fair representation at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York on Monday.
The Kenyan-Mexican actress spoke at an event at the festival for Time's Up, the movement helping to hold those in the entertainment industry who have engaged in sexual misconduct to account.
At the panel event 'Reclaiming The Narrative', Lupita said that she wanted to help fill the 'gaping hole' of representation in the film industry. She also discussed her experience of growing up in Kenya, and not seeing people with a skintone as deep as hers represented on television.
"I just feel like I know my story best, and I want to be able to tell my story and tell it with people like me who also feel that gap—that deep, gaping hole that needs to be filled—of representation," the actress said.
Lupita Nyong'o also talked about her desire for African stories to be not just incorporated into global cinema, but explored and 'reinvigorated' to show "how global [African culture] can be."
She's currently living her best life in Lagos, Nigeria, on a trip with 'Black Panther' cast-mate Danai Gurira.
With a book coming out later this year about a dark-skinned girl who goes on a journey of discovery, and being cast in projects such as the assassin thriller 'The Killer', Lupita is continuing to power forward as an important role model.
Keep slaying, Lupita!
Do you think Hollywood is diverse enough? What could be done to elevate more groups?
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