She made the dramatic transformation for her character Maz Kanata in Star Wars: The Force Awakens but Lupita Nyong’o is just as interesting of a character off-screen. The actress recently opened up about how women fit in to Hollywood and how she feels about her looks since going bald.
"I like to put myself in risky situations - at least in terms of challenging myself," she told InStyle. "I do my best when I'm intimidated by confronting the unknown."
© Photo: RexLupita revealed how she feels about being the spotlight
The 33-year-old has been thrust in to the spotlight and revealed that she has found it difficult to adapt. "Right after the Oscars, I had no idea what I was going to do next. Zero clue," she explained.
"There's part of me that thought my life would go back to normal. Like at school. But it didn't. I did not get out of that unscathed, you know?"
© Photo: RexThe star opened up about her decision to go bald
Touching on the controversial issue of the lack of roles for women in Hollywood, particularly for women with an ethnic background, the Kenyan star said: "There is a real imbalance, from the very creation of the stories and who's telling them, how and why. Change has to happen with the writers, the studio, the marketers, the directors.
"That's got to be diversified because there is a hunger for the expansion of the role of people of colour in the centre of narratives," Lupita said.
The outspoken star revealed that a new challenge and braving new boundaries was a thrill for her. "I'm never going to allow any type of [failure] to be the definition of my talent or my skill or me," she said.
Lupita played Maz Kanata in the Star Wars movie
Apart from her renowned roles on the big screen, the Hollywood beauty is also known for her short hair but what did it take for her to make the chop?
"I wasn't sure if I could pull off [the bald look]. Because hair is the frame of the face, right? And we spend so much time on it, trying to get it perfect. It often defines one's beauty and feminine value. Almost on a whim, I was like, 'What if I didn't have it?' And so I shaved it all off - I was a complete baldy!
"It was shocking at first, especially for my mum. But I learned to embrace my features. And I like myself a lot more now that I'm not constantly fussing over my hair."
