Read this captavitiating article by Charish who blogs on (The Motley News) and decide..
Lupita Nyong'o won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress last night, for her powerful role in 12 Years a Slave, directed by Steve McQueen! Go Lupita!
But lately I've been feeling a little fatigued by the "Oh-my-god-Lupita-Nyong'o-is-so-beautiful-I-can't-DEAL-WITH-IT!"
The current fad-like coverage of the Kenyan actress, overshadows the more interesting things about her background, the stuff that doesn't get reported. True, I assumed she was a nobody until this slave narrative film, but a quick skim of Wikipedia reveals the stuff that the media isn't all that interested in.
Black and white people, alike, are enamored with Nyong'o for what I believe, are different reasons. Blacks are proud that Nyong'o crushed it in her portrayal of Patsey and I'm personally excited that we've got another black woman winning major acting awards. Whites seems to be most preoccupied with Nyong'o's exotic look and I think that's something we, as a society, probably need to address.
For those who didn't know it, Lupita Nyong'o was born in Mexico City and hails from an affluent family of artists, doctors and scholars. She attended Hampshire College, here in the states, and graduated with a degree in film and theater studies. She's also a Yale graduate and a polyglot, fluent in several languages.
I'm also weirded out by the onslaught of white people who are just plain gob-smacked by her exquisiteness. I've received an enormous amount of trending Facebook articles from various fashion sources that seem almost amazed by how beautiful Lupita is. It irks me that people don't find it ironic how Nyong'o has preformed one of the most gut-wrenching representations of an enslaved black woman. Her character, Patsey, shows the reality of an enslaved body; this body is allowed to be ogled, worked to death, beaten, and raped. This body does not belong to Patsey and for some reason, it feels as though Nyong'o's body doesn't belong to her either.
Not too much has changed in regards to the black female body. Society still turns a blind eye to the raped black female body, but leers at the black female body on display. Whether it be in a Miley Cyrus music video, on the cover of King Magazine, or on a red carpet, black female bodies are still objects to be commodified. Designers have fallen all over themselves to drape their designs on Nyong'o's black body. When commentators talk about her many red carpet looks, I find myself wondering: "Are they talking about how lovely the dress is, being held up by a black mannequin? Or are they talking about Lupita's fascinating dark body and face?"
Admittedly, my cynicism can be dangerous. Instead of taking white people at their word, I'm being suspicious of their motives. Whites could genuinely find Nyong'o so gorgeous that they don't know what to do with themselves: "I CAN'T!" They might find her beautiful without even consciously understanding their exotic motivations: "She's just so. . . noble!" For all I know, they might not be trying to be proving anything when they loudly insist how stunning she is. This is 2014, why can't I just be happy that another black woman has won an Academy Award? Young black girls of all shades are finally able to see themselves on screen! That, in itself, is really exciting!
Ugh, but then there's that nagging feeling, the one built upon institutionalized racism and colonialism. The feeling that tells me that Lupita Nyong'o will end up just like the rest of them:
Viola Davis, who white people thought was a national treasure because she played the help with such a noble, quiet strength.
Quvenzhané Wallis, who was actually in 12 Years a Slave, but didn't receive much press. For her role as Hushpuppy, in Beasts of the Southern Wild, she was nominated for a Best Leading Actress Oscar. During Oscars night, she was called the C-word by The Onion in a jokey tweet.
Gabourey Sidibe, who played Precious, another "hard to watch" film. The white criticism was mixed and decidedly trite. But almost all of it had to do with her obesity.
Halle Berry, the only black female to win the Best Leading Actress award. Ever. Had to preform the most cringe-worthy, upsetting sex scene with Billy Bob Thornton to be recognized by the Academy.
All of this is to say, Hopefully, one day, a black actress will win an Academy Award based on a performance that's not based on the oppression of black women. Cate Blanchett won the award for Best Leading Actress last night. In the Woody Allen film, Blue Jasmine, she plays a New York socialite, whose life falls apart, forcing her to live with her sister in San Francisco. I'm sure she did an excellent job, she's a great actress! But did she have to prove anything or teach black people a valuable lesson in history or humanity to get her award? Was she involved in a "teachable moment?"
Just as Blanchett is classically beautiful in, I don't know. . . a kind of timeless way, I'm still hoping for the next great black actress to be beautiful in the same way. Not in an exotic, noble, new-car smelling way.
Source: The Motley News
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