It's been quite a year for Lupita Nyong'o - she won her first Oscar, bagged a major beauty campaign, got papped on the beach for the first time, joined the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII, and now, she's landed her very first Vogue cover!
The actress features in American Vogue's July issue - and she in it she talks about her role in the new Star Wars film, dealing with her sudden fame, and the Oscars.
Speaking about awards season, she said: "Everyone said, 'Brace yourself, Lupita! Keep a granola bar in that clutch of yours!' I didn't really understand what they meant, and it was only once it was past that I realized that my body had been holding on by a thread to get through this very intense experience. Nothing can prepare you for awards season," she reveals. "The red carpet feels like a war zone, except you cannot fly or fight; you just have to stand there and take it."
Lupita added that collecting her Oscar was terrifying, and she didn't want to trip up the stairs, because "it's not cute if you follow Jennifer Lawrence - it's not cute if you're the second one!".
She also added why appearing in Star Wars was a dream for her:
"They just resonated with me. Being able to convey emotions with just a few digital sounds - it speaks of good storytelling," she said. "It's a wonderful opportunity to be working in these fantastical realms...They're worlds away from 12 Years a Slave, that's for sure - but that kind of diversity is what dreams are made of."
The July issue hits newsstands nationwide on June 30th and is available today as a digital download for the iPad®, Kindle Fire, NOOK Color, and NOOK Tablet.
For more pictures, see the US Vogue site.
