Lupita Nyong'o Is Lensed by Jackie Nickerson for Vanity Fair Magazine October 2019

Lupita Nyong'o Is Lensed by Jackie Nickerson for Vanity Fair Magazine October 2019

Actor, activist and super woman Lupita Nyong’o delivers her most beautiful fashion editorial to date — and she’s had some lovelies. Samira Nasr styles Lupita’s vibrant, colorful ensembles in gorgeous images by Jackie Nickerson for Vanity Fair Magazine’s October 2019 issue. Kimberly Drew conducts the interview.

Lupita Nyong'o Set To Narrate US Version 'Serengeti' For Discovery Channel Wildlife

Lupita Nyong'o Set To Narrate US Version 'Serengeti' For Discovery Channel Wildlife

Beloved actor Lupita Nyong’o is already an award-winning narrator devoted to protecting wildlife in Africa. the short documentary, supported by The Tiffany & Co. Foundation won top honors in the Virtual Reality/360° Storytelling category at the 2018 Jackson Hole Science Media awards.

Now the articulate, multi-dimensional, Oscar winner, currently making headlines for her role in Jordan Peele’s latest movie ‘Us’, has signed on to narrate the American version of a new “innovative series” ‘Serengeti’ for the Discovery channel. The six-part series, a joint venture of Discovery Channel and BBC One, is the vision of ‘American Idol’ creator Simon Fuller and Emmy winner director John Downer. ‘Star Wars’ actor John Boyega will narrate the British version.

Lupita Nyong'o Is Pure Wisdom + Glam Style In 'Drama Queen' By Paola Kudacki For Porter Edit March 8, 2019

Lupita Nyong'o Is Pure Winsdom + Glam Style In 'Drama Queen' By Paola Kudacki For Porter Edit March 8, 2019

Oscar-winning actor Lupita Nyong’o is styled by Tracy Taylor in liquid, evening elegance in bold colors for ‘Drama Queen’. Paola Kudacki is in the studio for the March 8 issue of Porter Edit. Marjon Carlos conducts the interview

AOC won’t spend time on Lupita’s upcoming horror film ‘Us’, directed by Jordan Peele. The psychological thriller, also featuring Shahadi Wright Joseph, Evan Alex, Elisabeth Moss, and Tim Heidecker, opens in theaters on March 22. Nyong’o is never a dull, robotic interview and she shed great light on her taxing role and relationship with Jordan Peele in her recent Marie Claire US cover story.

A-Squad Mentoring

Actor Lupita Nyong'o is a queen for many reasons, including her universal messaging of inclusion and protection in Hollywood -- even by Brad Pitt. Lupita opens her Porter Edit interview speaking to more protection and genuine support of Hollywood people like Sarah Paulson, Alfre Woodard, Gabrielle Union and Jared Leto, who remains on speed dial.

Lupita N'yong'o Takes The Lead, Covering Marie Claire US March 2019 By Daria Kobayashi Ritch

Lupita N'yong'o Takes The Lead, Covering Marie Claire US March 2019 By Daria Kobayashi Ritch

Malibu-raised photographer Daria Kobayashi Ritch captures Oscar-winning actor Lupita Nyong’o in ‘Lupita in the Lead’. Stylist J. Errico styles Lupita for Marie Claire US March 2019 cover story./ Hair by Vernon Francois; makeup by Nick Barose

Veronica Chambers interviews Lupita about her new horror movie ‘Us’. Lupita’s ‘Rolling Stone’ interview does a better job of setting up the plot line.

“I was fairly terrified just reading the script,” says Lupita Nyong’o, who stars in two roles in Jordan Peele’s ‘Get Out follow-up, ‘Us’, due March 22nd. Playing both a loving mom and a creepy, scissor-toting, probably murderous doppelgänger of said mom (her fellow ‘Black Panther’ actor Winston Duke plays the dad and his double) posed numerous acting and technical challenges, particularly when she shares the screen with herself. Still, she says, she “thoroughly enjoyed” the experience. Here’s what Nyong’o had to say about ‘Us’ and Peele in an interview for our latest cover story.

Girl Baby Elephants Become Proxy Matriarchs At Kenya's Reteti Elephant Sanctuary

Girl Baby Elephants Become Proxy Matriarchs At Kenya's Reteti Elephant Sanctuary

Sunday night has been elephant update night for Anne. My head is swimming in new information and stories. Before I venture out, let me share this charming, empathetic story in National Geographic about Kenya’s Reteti Elephant Sanctuary in Kenya.

A few weeks ago, AOC featured the entire short virtual reality film ‘My Africa’, narrated by Lupita Nyong’o and set among the Samburu people. The region of the film and this May, 2017 article includes the Turkana, Rendille, Borana, and Somali peoples — besides the Samburu. Knowledgeable about many of the civil wars that have ravaged Africa (and America) I’m not familiar with tensions in this area. The point of our story and ‘My Africa’ is how these ethnic groups are working together today to strengthen their communities while protecting the estimated 6,000 elephants, according to National Geographic, who share the land.

In fact, I pursued the article because of this beautiful image of Mary Lengees, one of Reteti’s first female elephant keepers and Shyian. Upon landing at National Geographic, I felt a poignant moment for Shaba, a little female elephant who is now the boss. So much has been written about the great elephant matriarchs, strong leaders who sleep hardly at all to protect their herd.

The notion of a baby girl elephant’s natural instincts taking hold, making her the leader and caretaker long before her time is due reminds me of stories of young girls with countless siblings — too many for mom to manage — or even orphan girls with young brothers and sisters who suddenly rise to positions of leadership, almost out of instinct.

Lupita Nyong'o Narrates Award-Winning 'My Africa' Virtual Reality Film For Elephant Conservation

Lupita Nyong'o Narrates Award-Winning 'My Africa' Virtual Reality Film For Elephant Conservation

A virtual reality film ‘My Africa’, narrated by Oscar-winning film star Lupita Nyong’o and supported by The Tiffany & Co. Foundation, is among the winners of the annual Jackson Hole Science Media Awards.

The nine-minute film won top honors in the Virtual Reality/360° Storytelling category for “effectively using 360 technology and resources to advance an appreciation or understanding of a scientific discipline, discovery or principle.”

The film which was commissioned by Global environmental organization Conservation International which supports community-led wildlife conservation in Northern Kenya —is available in 7 languages including English, French, Mandarin, Portuguese, Samburu, Spanish and Swahili.

Directed by David Allen, the project was captured with virtual reality cameras in the Namunyak Wildlife Conservancy in Samburu County of northern Kenya at the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, the first elephant orphanage in Africa owned and operated by the local community. In a region where conservation has traditionally been pursued by outsiders, Reteti — and the surrounding conservancy organization, Northern Rangelands Trust — offer a model grounded in local leadership and traditional knowledge, explains Creative Planet Network.

Lupita Nyong'o Covers Vogue Spain's 'Space Odyssey' November 2018 Issue By Luigi & Iango

Lupita Nyong'o Covers Vogue Spain's 'Space Odyssey' November 2018 Issue By Luigi & Iango

Actor Lupita Nyong’o is styled by Juan Cebrian for images by Luigi & Iango in Vogue Spain November 2018 issue ‘The Space Odyssey, Finger Comb issue”./ Hair by Vernon Francois; makeup by Nick Barose

Lupita Nyong'o Covers Porter Magazine #28 Fall 2018, Lensed By Mario Sorrenti

Lupita Nyong'o Covers Porter Magazine #28 Fall 2018, Lensed By Mario Sorrenti

Actor and WildAid ambassador for elephants and Africa, Lupita Nyong'o covers the Fall 2018 #28 issue of Porter Magazine. The 2014 Academy Award winner for Best Suporting Actress for her performance in '12 Years a Slave' is styled by Cathy Kasterine in 'L is for . . . ' lensed by Mario Sorrenti. / Hair by Vernon Francois; makep by Nick Barose

Actor Lupita Nyong'o by Mario Sorrenti for Porter Magazine Fall 2018

Actor Lupita Nyong'o by Mario Sorrenti for Porter Magazine Fall 2018 AOC Style Photos

Kenyan-Mexican actor Lupita Nyong’o graced the pages of Porter Magazine Fall 2018. Cathy Kasterine styled the WildAid ambassador for elephants and Africa since 2015 in vibrant images by Mario Sorrenti [IG]. / Beauty by Nick Barose; hair by Vernon François

Lupita Nyong'o & Saoirse Ronan Launch CALVIN KLEIN WOMEN Fragrance | Key Analysts Say It's Game Over For Victoria's Secret

Lupita Nyong'o & Saoirse Ronan Launch CALVIN KLEIN WOMEN Fragrance | Key Analysts Say It's Game Over For Victoria's Secret

On the face of it, one might not readily connect Calvin Klein choosing top-drawer actors Lupita Nyong'o and Saoirse Ronan to front its new scent Calvin Klein Womenscent and Fast Company running a headline Tuesday titled 'The end of Victoria's Secret: Why analysts and readers say the brand is on its last lace.' 

“It’s game over,” Jeffries analyst Randal Konik told Bloomberg about the world's biggest lingerie brand, pointing to declines in traffic, pricing power, and market share. Konik also said that he thought investors were ignoring these obvious warning signs and choosing to believe Victoria’s Secret is still a great brand.

That's a harsh statement about a great brand, one that I worked for over 10 great years. You know it's time to go, though, when your own vision for what women want are out of sync with the owners'. If there's anything wrong with Victoria's Secret, it's symbolized by the tawdry spectacle that is the annual Victoria's Secret fashion show. Just imagine if VS piled all those beautiful models on an airplane and took them on a supporting women and girls activism tour. Consider that the VS models who have made high-profile departures from the brand -- women like Karlie Kloss and Doutzen Kroes -- are women who embrace activism and justice as part of their DNAs. 

Jessica Chastain's '355' Female Spies Save The World Project Is Hotter Than Hades In Cannes

Jessica Chastain's '355' Female Spies Save The World Project Is Hotter Than Hades In Cannes

The women are out in full force in Cannes, and in the post-Weinstein, #MeToo era, they mean business -- proving that they really can survive without Harvey. Variety reports that three major Chinese distribution companies are competing to acquire distribution rights in Greater China, and also to become equity investors in Jessica Chastain's original idea project '355'. 

'355' is named after the first female spy in the American revolution, although her precise identity is not known. In Chastain's film, five female operatives band together to stop a global organization determined to acquire a deadly weapon that would thrust the world into chaos. The women are strangers and technically enemies in some cases. Under this dire threat of global destruction, Cruz, Bingbing, Cotillard, Chastain and Nyong'o join forces and become friends in the code-name '355' cell. 

An Le Eyes A Dramatic, Seductive Lupita Nyong'o For Lancôme USA November

An Le Eyes A Dramatic, Seductive Lupita Nyong'o For Lancôme USA November 2017

After updating Lupita Nyong'o's AOC archives, we searched to see what we missed in our regular posts. Lancôme released these very dramatic and sensual images of Lupita, styled by Toni-Blaze Ibekwe and lensed by An Le in November 2017. Bravo to one of our most favorite young women and global role models. / Makeup by Nick Barose; hair by Vernon Francois

AOC Lupita Nyong'o Archives

Lupita Nyong'o Talks 'Black Panther', Time's Up & 'Sulwe', Her New Children's Book For THR

Lupita Nyong'o Talks 'Black Panther', Time's Up & 'Sulwe', Her New Children's Book For THR

Actor Lupita Nyong'o covers the January 25, 2018 issue of The Hollywood Reporter, styled by Micaela Erlanger. Photographer Miller Mobley captures Lupita, an AOC favorite for her talent, work on behalf of elephants, and her determined efforts to stop the slaughter of elephants in Kenya. 

Lupita opens up about her globe-trotting childhood, exposure to political turmoil and why she went public on Weinstein: "I couldn't sleep. I needed to get it out." Then, we have Lupita's upcoming role in 'Black Panther', opening February 16.

Now the actress is planning to take an active role in the Time's Up anti-harassment initiative and is weighing how she can best serve it. She's as vocal in its defense as she is on subjects from colonialism to colorism, the prejudice against dark skin that is the subject of a new children's book she's writing, Sulwe, which Simon & Schuster will publish next year. "Sulwe is a young Kenyan girl who, though her name means star [in Luo], her skin is the color of midnight," she says. "And she's uncomfortable because she's the darkest in her family and goes about trying to change that, then she has this adventure that leads her to accept herself." The book came out of a 2013 speech Nyong'o gave "about my journey to accepting myself and seeing beauty in my complexion."

AOC is proud to say that we covered that speech and will post the link in a few.

Lupita Nyong'o Talks Next Steps, Lensed By Matthew Kristall For Sunday Times Style Magazine October 2017

Lupita Nyong'o Talks Next Steps, Lensed By Matthew Kristall For Sunday Times Style Magazine October 2017

After the success of 'Wonder Woman', can Charlie's Angels be far behind? And if 'Charlie's Angels' do arrive on the scene to kick some proverbial butt, will Lupita Nyong'o be in the posse? Will 'Charlie's Angels' be an action comedy in the mold of the 2000 film based on the TV series starring Kate Jackson, Farrah Fawcett and Jaclyn Smith, airing from 1976-1981? Or do the days of Trump require a more steely-eyed approach, now that Emmy-award winning The Handmaid's Tale is a runaway hit on Hulu? 

Lupita's role in the 'Charlie's Angels' reboot isn't confirmed. For now, Netflix has listened to Twitter users, sealing a deal at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival involving Rihanna and Lupita as a pair of genius scammers, screenwriter Issa Rae and director Ava Duvernay will have to hold us over. Rae’s team confirmed to Vanity Fair in May that "the project is in the works, adding that the original Twitter users who imagined the concept for this film will be credited and included in some form."  The plot line works something like this: Rihanna scams rich white men and Lupita is her tech-savvy best friend who maps out the details of the digital heists.

In these images, actor Lupita Nyong'o is styled by Verity Parker in photographer Matthew Kristall's 'The Game Changer' for The Sunday Times Style Magazine October 2017./ Hair by Vernon Francois; makeup by Nick Barose

Diversity Gets Major Uplift On US Fashion Magazine Covers Reports Fashionista

Fashionista beat me to the topic of diversity on US magazine covers. I was about to praise Vogue US for featuring women of color three months in a row -- November 2016-January 2017.

Fashionista has tracked diversity on magazine covers in-depth for several years, and finally we are celebrating some progress.

This time last year, we reported a disappointing statistic: That diversity on the covers of 10 leading U.S. fashion publications — Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper's Bazaar, InStyle, Nylon, Teen Vogue, Vogue and W — did not improve in 2015 from 2014. In 2015, 27 of 136 covers featured people of color* while the year before, 27 of 137 did. It was an improvement, technically, but only from 19.7 percent to 19.8 percent. 

In 2016, however, there have been sizable lifts in cover star diversity across the board. For consistency's sake, we reviewed the covers from the same titles we looked at in 2015 — all 147 of them. And we found that 53 of 147 covers — or 36 percent — starred people of color*, as compared to 2015's 19.8 percent. That's a 16.9 percent rise.

AOC gives Vogue US a sound round of applause for featuring three inspiring women of color in a row: Lupita Nyong'o, Michelle Obama and 'Loving' star and Golden Globe nominee Ruth Negga. See their editorials, covers and interviews.

Vogue US January 2017: Ruth Negga

Interview and Editorial

Vogue US December 2016: Michelle Obama

Editorial and Anne's commentary about Michelle Obama's mission to educate girls worldwide.

Vogue US November 2016: Lupita Nyong'o

Editorial and Anne's rich rieview of Lupita's trip to Kenya.

Sustainability Gaining Major Credibility In Fashion Industry

Lupita Nyong'o, Margot Robbie and Emma Watson wore Calvin Klein gowns to the Met Gala, all designed as part of Livia Firth's Green Carpet Challenge.

Read in-depth: Sustainability Gaining Major Credibility in Fashion Industry

They were joined by supermodel Amber Valletta, who co-hosted the recent sustainable innovation summit in Copenhagen, wore H&M conscious couture to the Met.

Amber Valletta Co-hosts Copenhagen Fashion Industry Summit

Livia Firth's Green Carpet Influence Is Spreading

Livia Firth stepped out in Cannes this weekend, refusing to splurge on a new gown and wearing her mother's 1968 vintage coral dress once modelled by her mother in the Italian resort of Viareggio.  Last year, Firth launched her documentary 'The True Cost' Fashion Industry Documentary, featured on AOC one year ago today. 

In Cannes Livia dazzled in ethically-sourced emerald jewelry, a collaboration by Chopard and Gemfields, the world's leading producer of colored gemstones. Firth was not alone, joined by Julianne Moore, featured last week wearing Chopard for a David Roemer feature in Grazia Italia.

Moore's emerald earrings are part of the same Chopard and Gemfields collaboration with Llivia Firth.

'Eclipsed' Tony-Nominated Danai Gurira Joins The Edit's The New Hollywood Lineup

'Eclipsed' Tony-Nominated Danai Gurira Joins The Edit's The New Hollywood Lineup

Gucci Creative Director Alessandro Michele joins stylist Tracy Taylor for The Edit's May 12 issue with its focus on 'The New Hollywood'. Photographer Bjorn Iooss flashes six creatives including Gillian Jacobs, Sonoya Mizuno, Elizabeth Debicki, Meera Menon, Ellie Bamber, and Danai Gurira in the all-Gucci feature.

Of special interest to AOC readers is Danai Gurira, a Zimbabwean actress and playright, who has mounted Broadway's first-ever all-female, women of color production called 'Eclipsed'. Our beloved muse Lupita Nyong'o is quoted by The Edit, describing Danai:

“In Eclipsed, Danai exposed the true pain of war. Performing it has been one of the most emotionally exhausting and rewarding experiences of my life. I thank the brilliant Danai for writing such an essential, powerful, funny and moving story, which forces me to dig down to my core every night.”

U2's Bono joined 'The Walking Dead' actor and 'Eclipsed' playwright, who also serves as an ambassador of the ONE Campaign, an organization he co-founded. The human rights activist was introduced by Lupita Nyong'o:

"We’ve asked (Bono) to join us today to launch our effort to bring direct attention to the challenges faced by millions of girls all over the world living under the tyranny of war, in poverty and being denied their human rights simply because they are female," Nyong'o told Saturday's audience. "From here on out, each performance will be dedicated to specific girls from around the world who have been kidnapped and are still missing."

Lupita Nyong'o Joins NYC Public Theater's 'Eclipsed' In September 2015

Lupita Nyong’o Joins NYC Public Theater’s ‘Eclipsed’ In September 2015Women

Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o will make her New York stage debut in September.

The Oscar winner for ‘12 Years A Slave’, who is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama. will star in ‘Eclipsed’, described as a story of survival and resilience as a woman suffering through the Liberian civil war in post-colonial Africa. The play was written by ‘Walking Dead’ actress Danai Gurira and will be directed by South Africa Liesl Tommy.She is a native of Cape Town, South Africa and a graduate of Newton North High School and Trinity Repertory Conservatory. Read on.

 

Lupita Nyong'o Steps Up To Save Africa's Elephants

Lupita Nyong'o Steps Up To Save Africa's Elephants As WildAid Global Ambassador

AOC loved Lupita before she won an Oscar. But to open an email from the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, where we support orphan elephants, and read that the stellar woman Lupita was there — as evidenced in this magnificent photo — brought tears to our eyes.

In addition to joining WildAid on behalf of elephants, Lupita will be promoting women’s causes, acting and the arts in her native Kenya. She also visited Amboseli National Park and filmed public service messages for international distribution in Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, China, Hong Kong, Thailand and the United States.