There have been many scandals about celebrities brought to the attention of the public’s eye, but could a more recently discovered scandal be among the worst? Dozens of actresses say film producer, Harvey Weinstein, sexually harassed or assaulted them. For some of these actresses, it has been years since the assault or harassment occurred, but a copious amount of these actresses finally feel safe to tell their stories and file reports against Harvey Weinstein. According to Newsweek, Harvey Weinstein is facing criminal inquiries based on over 80 women confronting him through reports, the internet, or interviews. Lupita N’yong’o, a well-known actress, is among one of the actresses that told New York Times about her encounters with Harvey Weinstein. After describing the unusual actions of Harvey Weinstein, Lupita says that she cannot forget the memories from her encounters with him. But just how did Lupita meet the movie mogul?  

Early Ages  

According to IMDb, Lupita was the first to be born of her siblings on March 1, 1983, in Mexico City. Since her mother, Dorothy, and father, Peter, were citizens of Kenya, the family moved to Kenya shortly after Lupita’s birth. Peter Anyang Nyong’o, Lupita’s father, was a politician serving as a Senate member, representing Kisumu County. Dorothy Nyong’o also worked helping the African cancer foundation. She has a brother named Peter and sister named Esperanza. Lupita was raised in Kenya until she was 16 when she was sent to Mexico to learn Spanish.  

Early Opportunities  

Lupita started acting as a young teen playing a role in Romeo and Juliet and realized she had an interest in drama. She later had the opportunity to work behind the scenes of The Constant Gardener. Realizing that she loved the business, Lupita decided that she wanted to go to Hampshire College in Massachusetts to study film. Lupita not only directed but also edited and produced the documentary, taking place in Kenya about albinism, In My Genes (2009). During her time in college, she also created many films as a production assistant and graduated from Yale’s School of Drama acting program.  

Interaction with Harvey  

Lupita told the New York Times, it was not until an award ceremony in Berlin that she even knew of the name Harvey Weinstein. Shortly after meeting Harvey Weinstein, Lupita remembers asking others about him. Many other celebrities responded that it was smart to have him as a contact and that as an actress he is the type of contacts one needs to make it big. Since Harvey was a big-time producer Lupita gave him her information but tried to stay detached and cautious. After the award show, Harvey Weinstein invited Lupita to many social gatherings, but it wasn’t until they met alone that Harvey Weinstein made his intentions clear. The movie mogul had told Lupita he had a room for them above the restaurant they were eating at. He repeatedly made his goal very clear to her other times and Lupita had declined and tried to avoid him as much as possible. He mentioned it again at the premiere of 12 Years a Slave and the Academy Awards.  

Awards  

Lupita has built a name for herself and moved on playing roles in the movies: 12 Years a Slave (2013), the series Shuga, Non-Stop (2014), Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), and the Jungle Book (2016) along with much more. Lupita has also been decorated with the awards of: Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress, BET Award for Best Actress, the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female, Glamour Award for Woman of the Year, Critics’ Choice for Best Supporting Actress, Obie Award for Performance, and Glamour Award for the Breakthrough. Making her the first Kenyan and Mexican to win an Oscar.  

Final Thoughts  

Lupita admits to sharing her story because she learned that it is important to speak up for corrupt actions and to teach others to speak more about these issues.  Lupita also realized that she did not need to have sexual relationships with anyone to succeed and become successful.