Nyongo: When I was little, kids made fun of my dark skin

Lupita Nyongo , an Oscar award-winning actress and new face of French beauty brand Lancome, was the dazzling African beauty featured in French weekly news magazine Paris Match.

In the magazine feature published in French and titled The black sun of Hollywood, Nyongo talked about beauty, her childhood, acting and how her life changed since she won an Oscar award.

She revealed that during her childhood days even in Kenya, she was teased for her complexion “When I was little, kids made fun of my dark skin.

“Even for a Kenyan, I was different. It took me a while to accept that, even though my parents had raised me not to let what other people say determine who I am.”

Lupita is the first African actress to represent the French beauty brand Lancome, joining an exclusive group of A-list actors Kate Winslet, Julia Penelope Cruz and Julia Roberts who she’s met several times and describes as a warm person.

She told the Paris Match that she felt honoured and happy to shake stereotypes of beauty.

“We must promote diversity in beauty. When I was 15, I was very influenced by Alek Wek, a top Sudanese model,” she said.

“I thought, ‘If she can get on the podium, so why not me?’ I hope that other girls can feel beautiful and legitimate.”

Lupita described her childhood as chaotic but exciting, saying: “I am the second oldest of six children. At home, there was always lots of people. I lived in a constant uproar. Today, I cannot stand the silence, I need noise around me to concentrate. I was especially happy. Our family is very unite.”

“I wanted to be a botanist. I love trees and nature. Living alone in a desert and studying endangered plants do not scare me. But the desire to play came to me very early. My aunt, who is an actress, encouraged me to audition. At 14, I got my first and role in Romeo and Juliet in Nairobi.”

She told the magazine the story of how she got cast in the movie 12 Years a Slave, which won her an Oscar award for Best Supporting Actress. She was recommended by a spouse of one of her drama teachers at the Yale School of Drama Elle Novack, who is now one of her managers. After she got the part, an anxious Lupita did her best to impress film director Steve McQueen.

“At the end, I had no idea what it looked like, if I was good or not. When Steve invited me to dinner that evening with the team, I thought that, perhaps, he liked me.”

Lupita was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Supporting Actress for her riveting though brief performance in the movie. Her life changed when she won. Now, she cannot take a step in New York without being asked for her autograph.

“I miss the times when I stopped in Union Square to listen to the musicians. But I gained the freedom to choose what I want to do. And that’s huge,” she said.

Finally, she recalled her experience meeting US President Barack Obama: “Yes, at the annual dinner of the correspondents of the White House. It was awesome. He said, ‘You know, I am furious with you. Before you arrived, I was the most famous Kenyan in America!'”

Lupita Nyongo identifies herself as a Mexican-Kenyan actress. She was born in Mexico but raised in Kenya. Lupita’s father was a university professor and a Kenyan minister for medical services.

From 2009 to 2012, she starred in television series Shuga. She was named Glamour magazine’s Woman of the Year and Personality of the Year 2014 at the MTV Africa Music Awards.