Newcomer Lupita Nyong’o walked away with the coveted Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her gut-wrenching performance as Patsey in 12 Years a Slave Sunday night in Los Angeles.
“Yes,” exclaimed the 31-year-old actress as she hugged director Steve McQueen and her co-stars. Lupita thanked her family, her co-stars and her drama school during her emotional acceptance speech.
“It doesn’t escape me for one moment that so much joy in my life is thanks to so much pain in someone else’s,” she said, referring to the suffering of African slaves in America.
“12 Years” was Lupita’s first ever feature film role. She was chosen from 1,000 young actresses who auditioned for the part.
Other major category winners included Matthew McConaughey (Best Actor for Dallas Buyers Club), Cate Blanchett (Best Actress for Blue Jasmine), Jared Leto (Best Supporting actor for Dallas Buyers Club), and actor Will Smith presented the Best Picture Oscar Award to 12 Years a Slave.
