Lupita Nyong’o undoubtedly gave a powerful performance in the award-winning “12 Years a Slave,” but her onscreen magic and emotion is not just bound to the silver screen. This past weekend at the Essence magazine’s seventh annual Women in Hollywood luncheon in Beverly Hills, Calif., Nyong’o, who was being honored, gave a powerful speech to the crowd about her struggle to accept her dark skin and how she prayed that it would one day become lighter.
However, Nyong’o explained that it was supermodel Alek Wek who helped her to understand that her skin, which she described as “dark as night,” was beautiful as is and worthy of praise, and that she hoped to inspire other young girls the way Wek did for her.
It was certainly a powerful speech for Nyong’o to share and we’re sure she is inspiration to other dark-skinned individuals who are looking to her for hope.
She’s certainly not the only dark-skinned celeb in Hollywood who has struggled to see their beauty. Check out some other beautiful dark-skinned celebs after the cut. – nicholas robinson
