Lupita Nyong'o Quotes

People win 'Oscars', and then it seems like they fall off the planet. And that's partly because a huge expectation walks in the room and sits right down on top of your head.

I wasn't a kid growing up thinking, 'One day I'll get an Oscar and make a speech.' That wasn't on my mind.

When all this fame first comes, it's like being hit by a giant wave. You panic and think if you can just calm down and see where it's going, you'll be okay. Then you become more relaxed.

I was for sure not prepared for fame when it happened.

People dream their whole lives of their Oscar speech; I dreamt my whole life of hosting the Oscars.

Every time I step on stage an' see all of the lights or hear fans singing the words to my songs, it's a surreal moment for me.

I saw Adrien Brody's Oscar speech and was moved to tears.

I don't think you ever really get used to it, do you? There's always another little level of shock in it and of being starstruck at the people you meet. And that's the beauty of it: you're always fascinated, because it's not a normal thing to do, is it, this acting game?

I think if my eight-year-old self could see me at the Royal Albert Hall winning a prize for playing the Doctor on telly, he would need a stiff shot of Irn-Bru.

The Academy Awards for people in Hollywood is like the Super Bowl, the presidential inauguration and winning the NBA championship rolled up into one.

I've just never seen a live event [like Oscar] where the emotional swings - it was just stunning.And it was interesting because, on one hand, "Moonlight" is one of these, like, generational pictures that you wanted to see win. But at the same time, if "La La Land" had won, I completely understood.

Wait a minute man, who do you think I am? He answered, Mr. Springsteen.

Of course The Exorcist changed my entire life. I don't think there are very many people that will have the experience of sitting in this room, doing a job, and the next thing you know you've been on every television camera around the world, and people are they're frightened of you.

First of all, people were not expecting [Donald Trump] to win. I still think they're in shell-shock four months later. Get over it.

Never did I think that I became family entertainment.

The first thought that occurred to me, that night when I heard the chairman of the jury announce my name, was, Just think how many people hate me at this moment. Naturally, I wanted to annoy those people even further by being arrogant.

When you are an historian, there's probably nothing that matters more than to be recognized by your colleagues in your own profession. I was lucky enough to win the Pulitzer Prize for History. I had to give a talk right after that to some young people. The most important thing to tell them, I think, is that you can't ever know that it's going to turn out that way.

It's not what you are in Hollywood - it's what people think you are.

Fame, at one time, was associated with accomplishment, but in this day and age fame and notoriety have become confused.

I don't think of myself as a very famous person, but the modicum of celebrity that I've had has not been a positive experience for me at all.

I think one day I'd like to win an Oscar.

I think all good actors are personalities. If they're not, they're not stars. What makes you a star is horsepower.

I like being very busy. I think that's the definition of stardom, really. It's energy. It really is.

Last House offended a lot of people. The results in the theaters, even in Boston, reminded me a bit of things from when I was studying theater of the absurd, and the rise and the appearance of Ionesco plays, and things like that. Thinking, "My God, people actually are getting into fistfights. People are having heart attacks. People are actually trying to get into the projection booth to destroy the print."

When I was a little kid, I used to say, "I would rather host the Oscars than win an Oscar." To me, that seemed like the more appealing, fun gig.