Lupita Nyong'o

Lupita Nyong'o made her feature debut in Steve McQueen's Academy Award®-winning film "12 Years a Slave," alongside Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender and Brad Pitt. For her portrayal as Patsey, Nyong'o received the Academy Award in the category of best supporting actress, as well as the Screen Actors Guild Award®, the Critics' Choice Award, the Independent Spirit Award, NAACP Award and the 2013 Hollywood Film Awards' New Hollywood Award.

Nyong'o starred in in "Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens," directed by J.J. Abrams, and Disney's "Queen of Katwe," directed by Mira Nair. In addition, she produced and starred in a film adaptation of Chimamanda Adichie's "Americanah," which was selected as one of the 10 Best Books of 2013 by the editors of the New York Times Book Review.

Nyong'o can be seen in the action thriller "Non-Stop," opposite Liam Neeson, Michelle Dockery and Julianne Moore. Additionally, Nyong'o served as the creator, director, editor and producer of the award-winning feature-length documentary "In My Genes." The documentary follows eight individual Kenyans who have one thing in common: they were born with albinism, a genetic condition that causes a lack of pigmentation. In many parts of Africa, including Kenya, it is a condition that marginalizes, stigmatizes and endangers those who have it. While albinism is highly visible in a society that is predominantly black, the reality of those living with albinism is invisible to most. Through her intimate portraits, Nyong'o enables us see their challenges, humanity and everyday triumphs.

Nyong'o has become a favorite of designers and in June 2014, she was announced as a new ambassador of Lancome.

A graduate of the Yale School of Drama's acting program, Nyongo's stage credits include playing Perdita in "The Winter's Tale" (Yale Repertory Theater), Sonya in "Uncle Vanya," Katherine in "The Taming of the Shrew," as well as being in the original production of Michael Mitnick's "Elijah."

Walt Disney Pictures