Winning an Oscar Helped Me Get US Green Card, Actress Lupita Nyong'o Says

Kenyan-Mexican actress Lupita Nyong’o says winning an Oscar Award made it easy for her to acquire the United States Green Card.

Speaking during an interview with Thanu Yakupitiyage and Rage Kidvai of the ‘Bad Brown Aunties’ podcast, Lupita said she struggled to establish herself in the US as she did not have permanent residency. 

To acquire a Green Card, the 36-year-old actress said she was required to get a permanent job or win an international films award.

Lupita was born in Mexico to Kenyan parents and lived there for one year before her family returned to Kenya after her father landed a job at the University of Nairobi.

She is the fifth child of Kisumu Governor Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o and his wife Dorothy.

Lupita scooped the Academy Award in 2014 for the best-supporting actress after her Hollywood debut in the film dubbed ‘12 Years A Slave’.

In the interview, Lupita admitted she was not one of the best-performing kids in the class but this did not stop her from pursuing her dreams. 

She attended college in the US, earning a bachelor's degree in film and theater studies from Hampshire College.