In less than a decade, Lupita Nyong’o has become one of the most acclaimed actors in Hollywood. With an Oscar under her belt and several other various awards and nominations, she has shared her talents with movie fans through dramatic performances, as well as being a part of two of the most successful movie franchises of all time. This daughter of a Kenyan politician has taken the film world by storm and delivered some of the most memorable performances in recent history. With a relatively small resume thus far, it is hard to distill Nyong’o’s performances down to one list, one that is sure to only grow in the coming years. Let’s do it anyway, these are the top six Lupita Nyong’o performances… so far, ranked!
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
6 Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015)
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
This entry might catch some heat, given the overall direction that the latest Star Wars trilogy ended up traveling in, but think back to 2014. When the cast list was released for The Force Awakens, it was a list of relatively unknown actors, but one of the names on that list, Luipta Nyong’o was fresh off an Oscar-winning performance and announced to play this mysterious Yoda-like character. That is exactly what she delivered, as she aided Han, Chewie, Rey, and Finn on their adventure. Nyong’o’s first motion capture performance of Maz Kanata was well worthy of a place in Star Wars history, even if the character fell off in subsequent movies. While Maz won’t go down as one of the top characters from the Star Wars movies, it won’t be because of Nyong’o’s performance.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
5 Little Monsters (2019)
Much different from any other Nyong’o performance on this list, Little Monsters tells the story of a kindergarten teacher, a washed-up musician, and kids show personality who find themselves smack dab in the middle of a zombie outbreak and are tasked with protecting young children from the hoard of flesh eaters. Little Monsters allows Nyong’o to flex her acting and comedy skills, which she does as flawlessly as her dramatic ones. Her comedic timing and butt-kicking zombie kills help make Little Monsters one of the best zom-coms Hollywood has ever produced.
4 Black Panther (2018)
Ryan Coogler’s acclaimed entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe features several top tier performances from the likes of Michael B. Jordan, Angela Basset, and of course the late Chadwick Boseman. Black Panther also features Lupita Nyong’o’s introduction into the MCU as she takes on the role of Nakia, a warrior of Wakanda and love interest of Black Panther. In Marvel films it is easy for characters aside from the titular hero to get lost in the shuffle, but Nyong’o shines through as Nakia. Black Panther earned much-deserved praise for being one of the first mainstream representations of African Americans in the superhero genre, and it is due to performances like Nyong’os in the film that made Black Panther a worldwide phenomenon, even cutting through the normal box office wasteland of February, becoming one of the top-grossing blockbusters in history of that month.
3 Queen of Katwe (2016)
Queen of Katwe primarily tells the story of 10-year-old Phiona and her mother Nakku Harriet, played by Nyong’o, living in Katwe, a slum neighborhood in Uganda. One day, they meet missionary Robert Katede, played by David Oyelowo, who takes a newly fascinated Phinoa under his wing to teach her the game of chess. Queen of Katwe follows Phinoa’s successes and failures throughout chess competitions, as she works tirelessly to succeed in hopes of providing a better life for her family in Katwe. Nyong’o’s performance captivates as a worried and caring mother trying to provide a life for her family in the worst of conditions.
2 12 Years a Slave (2013)
Fox Searchlight Pictures
12 Years a Slave, perhaps one of the best cinematic historical dramas ever made, tells the story of Solomon Northup, a free African American who finds himself kidnapped and sold back into slavery. The film is based on a novel of the same name, and examines the old south’s heart of darkness. After being sold to a ruthless slave owner, Edwin Epps, Northup meets Patsey, played by Lupita Nyong’o. Patsey is one of Epp’s favored slaves and endures relentless sexual, physical, and emotional abuse at the hands of Epps and his wife. As Patesy and Northup develop a real friendship amongst the trauma, the abuse of Patesy continues as Epps at one point, forces Northup to whip her after a transgression, only to take over himself, nearly killing Patesy in the process. Northup is eventually helped to freedom by a Canadian laborer, Samuel Bass; he is forced to say goodbye to Patesy as he returns to freedom in the North. Nyong’o’s heartbreaking performance as Patesy earned her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
1 Us (2019)
Universal Pictures
An Oscar doth not make the performance the best of an actor’s career. That is certainly the case when it comes to Lupita Nyong’o. As emotionally hard hitting as 12 Years a Slave is, it is Nyog’o’s performance in Us that ranks as the best of her young career. The 2019 follow-up to director Jordan Peele’s smash hit Get Out, Us follows a family’s beach vacation as they are relentlessly hunted and terrorized by their doppelgängers. Us shines a light on society as a whole as well as the individual and the duality of man. It is a case study for those who try to explain the meaning of Us. What makes the performance of Nyong’o so brilliant in this film is the opportunity she is given to play Adelaide WIlson and Red, both the main protagonist and antagonist of the film. One actor playing two roles within a film is not a new concept, but Nyong’o’s ability to portray the straight-laced nature of Adelaide, while also plummeting into the true insanity of Red makes Us her best performance to date.
