Lupita Nyong’o Still Thrilled By Beyoncé Shout-Out In “Brown Skin Girl”
Even though it’s been about five years, Lupita Nyong’o is basking in the thrill of being name-checked in a Beyoncé song. The Oscar-winning actress, known for her role in the Black Panther franchise received a shout-out in Beyoncé’s 2019 song Brown Skin Girl.
In the song, Beyoncé sings, “Pretty like Lupita when the cameras close in.”
Lupita tells PEOPLE that this remains a standout moment in her career. “Believe me, it was an incredible career high,” she said, adding, “I was so excited about it, and I just felt so humble. I couldn’t believe that she made me a part of her history. And being at her concert, she is quite the performer and she’s also lovely.”
Lupita has had the privilege of meeting other music titans as well, including Taylor Swift. The 41-year-old attended Taylor Swift’s Eras tour in August when it stopped in Los Angeles.
Despite being on vocal rest due to a vocal polyp she developed while working on the animated film The Wild Robot, she had a great time. “It was so much fun. But it was particularly difficult to not be able to sing along or hum along. It was the craziest meditation exercise ever because all I could do was just have the concert wash over me. I wasn’t able to even just hum in my throat,” she recalled.
Despite the challenge of staying silent, Lupita enjoyed the concert and the camaraderie. “It was a struggle, but I had a lot of fun and I loved all the friendship bracelet sharing and stuff like that,” she said, adding, “The song that means the most to me is ‘Shake It Off.’ When she played that, I just jumped up and down. It was great.”
Although Lupita often meets stars and titans in the entertainment industry, she has learned to manage her reactions. “I’ve gotten way better at dealing with it. Before it used to scare me, confuse me,” she revealed.
“It’s just like, my brain would scramble because I wasn’t used to it at all. But now I accept it and I hope to diffuse it and get back to being human beings as quickly as possible,” she added.
Despite her impressive career, Lupita admits to feeling nervous with every new project, including her latest blockbuster A Quiet Place: Day One.
“I think it’s just natural because every time I take on a new role, I’m starting again. I’m a beginner. I don’t know what I’m doing, quite literally. The process of preparing is hoping that I’m doing the right work,” she shared.
Lupita acknowledges that acting has no set formula, which adds to the anxiety. In her words: “Acting … there’s no formula to it. You can’t be sure you’ve done the right homework. So it’s always unnerving, and you just have to get comfortable with that discomfort.”
