41 years ago today, Lupita Nyong’o was born and destined to claim her Hollywood crown. First starring in the Kenyan television series Shuga, the Kenyan-Mexican actress then graduated from the Yale School of Drama before landing a role as Patsey in the powerful horror film, 12 Years A Slave. Known for her profound performances, Nyong’o has held such intense, convincing roles– from Marvel’s Black Panther to Jordan Peele’s US– representing Black women in TV and Film, while captivating us all with her mesmerizing beauty.
Since 2013, all eyes have been on her. Appearing at the BAFTA Awards late that year, she showcased beauty in the color brown with deep, glistening lipstick and a touch of sheer blue eyeshadow. In the 2010s, Nyong’o reinvented lip pigments– from polished pink at the 12 Years A Slave premiere in Los Angeles to glazed orange at the 2014 Vanity Fair Oscar Party. Later that year, she was crowned as People’s Most Beautiful, honoring her signature short cut; which has taken on new styles over the years.
At the 45th NAACP Awards, she parted and sectioned her pillowy kinks into two, then later on appeared at the 19th Annual Critics Choice Awards with a sharp widow’s peak. She’s been seen in sculptural, gravity-defying looks (cue the 2016 Costume Institute Gala), bantu-parted buns, twine-wrapped braids, and even a campy gold pick look at the 2019 Met Gala. As time went on, her makeup looks grew more experimental; sporting red eyebrows and lips at the US premiere with one of our favorite looks a few years later at the 2021 Met Gala: denim-toned eyeshadow to pair with a Lorna Simpson-inspired afro.
Below, celebrate Lupita Nyong’o’s 41st birthday with her most iconic beauty looks from 2013 to today.
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 25: (Editorial Use Only) (Exclusive Coverage) Lupita Nyong’o attends the World Premiere of “Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé” at Samuel Goldwyn Theater on November 25, 2023 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/WireImage for Parkwood)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 04: (L-R) David Oyelowo and Lupita Nyong’o, wearing Gucci, attend the 12th Annual LACMA Art+Film Gala at Resnick Pavilion at LACMA on November 04, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Audi)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 11: (EDITOR’S NOTE: Image contains nudity.) Lupita Nyong’o visits the Zacapa XO x Baccarat Speakeasy at the 76th Annual Tony Awards on June 11, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Zacapa Rum)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 29: Lupita Nyong’o, attends the 2022 EBONY Power 100 at Milk Studios Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/FilmMagic)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 27: Lupita Nyong’o attends the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 27, 2022 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 13: Lupita Nyong’o attends The 2021 Met Gala Celebrating In America: A Lexicon Of Fashion at Metropolitan Museum of Art on September 13, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/MG21/Getty Images For The Met Museum/Vogue)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 19: Lupita Nyong’o attends the 26th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 19, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. 721430 (Photo by Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images for Turner)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 06: Lupita Nyong’o attends The 2019 Met Gala Celebrating Camp: Notes on Fashion at Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/WireImage)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
MARRAKECH, MOROCCO – APRIL 29: Actress Lupita Nyong’o attends the Christian Dior Couture S/S20 Cruise Collection on April 29, 2019 in Marrakech, Morocco. (Photo by Stephane Cardinale – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 24: Lupita Nyong’o attends 2019 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on February 24, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Daniele Venturelli/WireImage)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
NEW YORK, NY – MARCH 19: Lupita Nyong’o attends the “US” premiere at Museum of Modern Art on March 19, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – FEBRUARY 24: Lupita Nyong’o attends the 2019 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on February 24, 2019 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 05: Lupita Nyong’o attends The Hollywood Reporter’s Power 100 Women In Entertainment at Milk Studios on December 5, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for The Hollywood Reporter )
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA – NOVEMBER 04: Lupita Nyong’o attends the 7th Annual Breakthrough Prize Ceremony at NASA Ames Research Center on November 4, 2018 in Mountain View, California. (Photo by Taylor Hill/Getty Images)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – MARCH 04: Actress Lupita Nyong’o attends the 2018 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 4, 2018 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by J. Merritt/Getty Images)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
NEW YORK, NY – FEBRUARY 13: Actress Lupita Nyong’o, hair detail, attends the screening of Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther” hosted by The Cinema Society with Ravage Wines and Synchrony at Museum of Modern Art on February 13, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Jim Spellman/WireImage)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 08: Lupita Nyong’o (L) and Danai Gurira attend the European Premiere of ‘Black Panther’ at Eventim Apollo on February 8, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 21: Actor Lupita Nyong’o attends the 24th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 21, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 24: Lupita Nyong’o arrives at the 23rd Annual ELLE Women In Hollywood Awards at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills on October 24, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
NEW YORK, NY – MAY 02: Lupita Nyong’o attends the ‘Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology’ Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 2, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by George Pimentel/WireImage)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 16: Lupita Nyong’o attends the European Premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” at Leicester Square on December 16, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 03: Actress Lupita Nyong’o attends the 100th Annual White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton on May 3, 2014 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
PARIS, FRANCE – MARCH 05: Actress Lupita Nyong’o attends the Miu Miu show as part of the Paris Fashion Week Womenswear Fall/Winter 2014-2015 on March 5, 2014 in Paris, France. (Photo by Dominique Charriau/WireImage)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
HOLLYWOOD, CA – MARCH 02: Actress Lupita Nyong’o poses in the press room during the Oscars at Loews Hollywood Hotel on March 2, 2014 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
PASADENA, CA – FEBRUARY 22: Actor Idris Elba and actress Lupita Nyong’o attends the 45th NAACP Image Awards presented by TV One at Pasadena Civic Auditorium on February 22, 2014 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for NAACP Image Awards)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 15: Lupita Nyong’o attends the EE British Academy Film Awards Nominees Party at Asprey London on February 15, 2014 in London, England. (Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – FEBRUARY 22: Lupita Nyong’o attends 2015 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Graydon Carter at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on February 22, 2015 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Venturelli/Getty Images)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 17: Actress Lupita Nyong’o attends the Entertainment Weekly celebration honoring this year’s SAG Awards nominees sponsored by TNT & TBS and essie at Chateau Marmont on January 17, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Angela Weiss/Getty Images)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
SANTA MONICA, CA – JANUARY 16: Actress Lupita Nyong’o attends the 19th Annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards at Barker Hangar on January 16, 2014 in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
WAILEA, HI – JUNE 07: Lupita Nyong’o attends the soiree at Spago VIP party at the 2014 Maui Film Festival At Wailea – Day 4 on June 7, 2014 in Wailea, Hawaii. (Photo by Jonathan Leibson/Getty Images for Maui Film Festival At Wailea)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
NEW YORK, NY – MAY 05: Lupita Nyong’o attends the “Charles James: Beyond Fashion” Costume Institute Gala held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 5, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Karwai Tang/FilmMagic)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA – MARCH 02: Actress Lupita Nyong’o attends the 2014 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Graydon Carter on March 2, 2014 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Larry Busacca/VF14/Getty Images for Vanity Fair)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 18: Actor Lupita Nyong’o poses for a portrait during 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 18, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Theo Wargo/WireImage)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 10: Actress Lupita Nyong’o attends the Glamour 2014 Women Of The Year Awards at Carnegie Hall on November 10, 2014 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Glamour)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
PARIS, FRANCE – DECEMBER 11: Lupita Nyong’o attends the “12 Years A Slave” Paris premiere at Cinema UGC Normandie on December 11, 2013 in Paris, France. (Photo by Dominique Charriau/WireImage)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 12: Actress Lupita Nyong’o attends the GQ Men Of The Year Party at The Ebell Club of Los Angeles on November 12, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Steve Granitz/WireImage)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – NOVEMBER 09: Lupita Nyong’o attends the 2013 BAFTA LA Jaguar Britannia Awards presented by BBC America at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on November 9, 2013 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Araya Doheny/WireImage)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – OCTOBER 21: Actress Lupita Nyong’o arrives at the 17th annual Hollywood Film Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on October 21, 2013 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
LONDON, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 18: Lupita Nyong’o attends the European Premiere of “Twelve Years A Slave” during the 57th BFI London Film Festival at Odeon Leicester Square on October 18, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Mike Marsland/WireImage)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 14: Actress Lupita Nyong’o arrives at the Los Angeles premiere of “12 Years A Slave” at Directors Guild Of America on October 14, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Amanda Edwards/WireImage)
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“12 Years A Slave” Portraits – 2013 Toronto International Film Festival
TORONTO, ON – SEPTEMBER 07: Actress Lupita Nyong’o of ’12 Years A Slave’ poses at the Guess Portrait Studio during 2013 Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2013 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vespa/WireImage)