Lupita Nyong'o Quotes

When I signed 'Kaaka Muttai,' a lot of directors told me that I shouldn't be doing the role of a mother so early in my career. But I went ahead, as I aspire to do challenging roles.

I'd maybe done about 12 movies when I decided that this was what I was going to do.

Where I come from, you don't just say, 'Oh, I'm going to become an actor.' Talk like that and they think you're crazy.

I loved doing 'Pennies from Heaven.' Because you have to understand that I'd been doing comedy for 15 to 20 years, and suddenly along came the opportunity to do this beautiful film. It was so emotional to me. I loved it. I don't think it was a good career move, but I have no regrets about doing it.

When I was little, I was actually really shy. I really enjoyed doing school plays, but I found the whole thing terrifying. I cried myself to sleep once because I thought my teacher was going to give me the lead role. I never imagined acting was a viable career.

Though I technically come from a film family, my father had stopped making films even before my brother and I were born. So I did not really grow up in a filmi environment. And when I was growing up, becoming an actress was still quite a taboo. And you may not believe this, but even my father did not want me to join films.

My goal was for acting to become my main income. I would say to myself, 'I'm good enough.' That became my mantra.

I didn't think I'd ever be able to do movies. That was for serious actors.

You grow up in a Sicilian household, becoming an actor is not a big leap.

My mother was asked to be a model when she was younger, but my father had not let her, so she was quite keen on me becoming a model. I just went off without telling my dad. I took off to Paris and never came back, but when I became a success and started making money, he was very proud of me.

I don't know, you know, when I look at it now, I don't know what in the world made me think I could become a director. I really don't.

When I left high school - I was younger than my classmates, just 17 - I knew I wanted to be an actress, but I thought, 'When I go to college, I'd rather study something else.'

My first passion was to create for young girls the idea that you have to be brave and courageous, it's not easy taking big steps and saying, 'I'm going to be a professional dancer'.

I always revered people that I thought had an idea and proceeded through with it. I guess I've been that way since the day I called my father and told him I was going to study acting and maybe try to see if I could do well with that, and he told me: "Don't do that. You don't want to do that, that's just dream stuff. Get a legitimate job and move forward."

My father told me, "Don't do anything that would bring shame to the family." I was always mindful of that. When I told him I wanted to pursue a career as an actor, my father said, "Look at what you see on television at the movies, is that what you want to be doing? Do you want to make a life out of that?" And I said, "Daddy, I'm going to change it".

If I truly had the courage of my convictions, I would be a full-blown comic novelist.

I don't think I made it clear where I was mentally when I appeared on 'X Factor.' There was so much pressure and a lot of judging. But I wanted to take a chance on the show because I wanted to make something of myself. 'X Factor' seemed like the only way out.

A lot of people will say different stuff like, 'You can't do it.' They'll say no before I even say anything. You just have to believe in yourself, and there's a reason they might say no, because they probably haven't seen it before.

As a kid, I wanted to be an actress, but ambition and reality are two different things.

In fact, I never gave up doing dance shows despite films and even started my own dance school.

When I left Cameroon, I was 15 years old... I had one dream - it was to conquer the world.

Cinema was my passion and I am sure that if you are talented, nobody can sideline you because you are just a comedian.

I want to do glam roles, too. I don't want to restrict myself when it comes to doing good cinema.

If I get another chance to star in Hollywood movies in the future, I am going to do my best to proudly show the best of Henry to the world.

If it wasn't for 'Kill Bill' I probably would have been back in New Zealand three months after I left, and if it wasn't for 'Death Proof' I don't think I would be pursuing an acting career right now.