Lupita Nyong’o sets the bar in Valentino

In a recent spread for INTERVIEW Magazine, Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o set the bar in a rogue red Valentino gown. Inside the pages of INTERVIEW, the 12 Year’s A Slave actress reflects on her role and making her dream as an actor become a reality.

On making 12 Years A Slave:

“There was so much joy in the making of this film, despite the fact that it’s about such a sad, traumatic experience. We all felt like we were part of something so real and so necessary. It was a joy to go on set every day and tell these real people’s story. Doing this movie, I discovered that joy is not the negation of pain, but rather acknowledging the presence of pain and feeling happiness in spite of it.”

On becoming an actor:

“When I was younger, I was almost too afraid to admit that I wanted to be an actor. I didn’t know any successful actors in Kenya, so I felt like I could get away with going to college to study film more easily than I could with saying, ‘I want to be an actor.’ That’s what I did.

I knew that if I didn’t try acting, that would be the one thing I would regret, so I decided to apply to acting schools. If I got in, I’d take it as a sign that I should pursue acting as a career. If I didn’t get in, I was prepared to figure out some plan B. Luckily, I got in.”