Lupita Nyong'o has won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress this year, for her role in the critically-lauded drama 12 Years a Slave. The newcomer, whose portrayal of a young slave both adored and tortured by her master (Michael Fassbender), made her feature film debut in the Steve McQueen-directed film.
The actress faced tough competition from frontrunner Jennifer Lawrence (American Hustle) as well as established star Julia Roberts (August: Osage County), previous Oscar winner Sally Hawkins (Blue Jasmine) and June Squibb (Nebraska).
Nyong'o, a graduate of Yale School of Drama and a native of Kenya and Mexico, is the most talked-about new actress of the year. Her flawless red carpet style has grabbed as many headlines as her performance in 12 Years a Slave. She has been nominated for nearly 30 awards this season, and scored a win for the Screen Actor's Guild Award for Best Supporting Actress.  An emotional speech, Lupita said, "When I look down at this golden statue may it remind me and every little child that no matter where you're from, your dreams are valid."

Congrats to Lupita!
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(Photo: UPI/Kevin Dietsch/LANDOV)