I’m starting to get a little bit worried about Lupita Nyong’o and her role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Here’s my concern: when all is said and done, her CGI role (Maz Kanata) might be very, very small. I think it was already a somewhat minor role, and then it might have been cut down even further by JJ Abrams because he reportedly was “not impressed” with Lupita’s CGI acting. It reminds me a bit of all the hoopla with Monica Bellucci’s role in Spectre – the way she was being pushed out to promote the film, I thought she had a much bigger role, and then in the end, she was on screen for barely 9 minutes, if that. I feel like that’s going to happen with Lupita in The Force Awakens – she’s going to be pushed out to promote the film over and over (she’s already got three major magazine covers and counting) and then in the end, her CGI-role will be utterly minor and barely on screen.
Anyway, these are photos from last night’s Star Wars Force 4 Fashion event at the Skylight Modern in NYC. Lupita was once again pushed out as the big “name” of the event, although Daisy Ridley and Joh Boyega were also in attendance. John and Daisy are so “unknown” in America (and around the world), which is why Lupita was probably encouraged to appear. Like, I wouldn’t be covering the photos from this event if just Daisy and John attended. As for fashion, Lupita’s dress is Zac Posen and it’s very cute.
Meanwhile, Star Wars stuff takes the cover of the new issue of Time Magazine. They put R2D2 and the new droid (the little one) on two covers, and Time did interviews with the cast. Lupita spoke to Time about how the world of Star Wars is multicultural, saying:
“I think you can tell from the cast that it is a lot more multicultural. One of the things I remember as a child connecting with Star Wars is one of the characters spoke Kikuyu, which is a Kenyan language. And I remember feeling like that made Star Wars mine, it made Star Wars Kenyan for all I was concerned. There’s a universality to the world that George Lucas created that makes it possible for this multicultural cast to exist without necessarily turning the universe on its head. By very nature and with all sorts of creatures, it is, I think, a universe that is made for a multicultural experience.”
I agree that there’s something inherently multicultural about the Star Wars world (I’m still a Lando fangirl, honestly), but… I think it’s problematic for the Star Wars world to hire the sole Oscar-winning African actress… and make her character hide behind CGI. I’m just sayin’.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
That’s true, I was too surprised that she plays a CGI character. She has such an original, striking beauty that there was no need to cover that with stupid CGI. Hopefully her character will be better that the horrible Jar Jar Binks.
She allegedly chose this role when they were considering hiring her for another one that would have more screen time in the next movie. She didn’t want to commit herself to it so she chose this one.
Her part has been cut in this movie because she ‘wasn’t delivering as an actress’ according to JJ. I think she was difficult to work with and she probably thought she would be playing a Princess like Natalie and Carrie did but got a silly looking CGI character instead. The ego is strong with this woman.
what has she done to her face?
Nothing. Lupita has always had the oversized cheekbones that people are buying these days. I think she’s striking and beautiful.
@bees better duck. LOL….
This is another movie besides Dawn of Justice and Civil War that I will be running to see.
I still don’t care much for Lupita and hope her role is a small part. I added the last line as to not disappoint the person who waits for me on the Lupita posts. 🙂
You have people coming for you for not liking Lupita?? For real? That’s too funny. I’m here to pass time, not to stan for anyone.
I didn’t recognize her either in the header photo
I think the new do accentuates her face differently, but I don’t think she’s actually done anything to it.
I always thought her role was going to be minor one, but when I saw her promoting it so hard and JJ specifically talking up her character it gives the impression that her role is bigger. It sounds she’s playing the equivalent of Yoda so we’ll see in a couple of weeks how integral her role is.
So, if you are beautiful it’s not ok to play SGI role? Look at Zoe Saldana in Avatar, she was magnificent and the movie is a masterpiece.
One of main characters is black and there are still conversations like “Lupita was cut because she’s black”. Really?
And, btw, I still don’t see diversity in these movies – where are Asians? Indians? Native Americans?
This! I’m an Afro-Latina and I get frustrated at shows/movies/industries that add a handful of black or latino characters and pat themselves on the back about their commitment to diversity. There are many other people beyond Blacks and Latinos.
The tv series were better in diversity matters.
Star Wars Is a multicultural Universe. And water is wet.
She does look different, but she’s wearing her hair differently and smiling a lot so maybe just that. I think her makeup looks MUCH better than it has in a while. Doubt she’s had work.
Ugh her skin! Jealous of how smooth and even toned it is.
Nothing wrong about her face. She has put on some noticeable weight that’s why her face looks filled out. You can see it in the rest of her body as well. She’s fit as a fiddle though. I’m surprised no one ever asks her about her workout regimen.
Well, not surprised by Monica Bellucci’s short role since she can’t act at all. She’s beautiful, great in interview, but damn if she opens her acting (and voice) is terrible.
Hope this won’t be Lupita’s case, but I think in her case it was just a fluke.
Yeah I don’t think Lupita is that great of an actress despite winning an Oscar. Apparently her part in SW has been cut significnalty because ” she just wasn’t delivering” according to JJ Abrhams and the rest of the big folks. Yeah I don’t think they choose a very good new cast with the exception of John Boyega. Daisy Ridley’s acting looks awful from the trailers. And I can’t stand Adam Driver on Girls so that just leaves Boyega as the only talented newcomer.