Cinderella has found her prince, and he's a golden statue. 12 Years a Slave's breakout star Lupita Nyong'o completed her victorious awards season run with her first Oscar on Sunday, March 2.
The fashion-forward beauty, 31, dazzled in a sky-blue Prada gown as she took to the stage, beating out top contender Jennifer Lawrence who was nominated for American Hustle.
The Yale drama student graciously accepted her award with tears in her eyes as she thanked her family, the Academy, and her peers.
"It doesn't escape me for one moment that so much joy in my life is due to so much pain in someone else's," Nyong'o began, turning her appreciation to director Steve McQueen. "Thank you for putting me in this position. It has been the joy of my life. When I look down at this golden statue, may it remind me and every little child that no matter where you're from, your dreams are valid."
Not only is this Nyong'o's first Academy Award, but it is also her first credited film. Her portrayal of the tragic slave Patsey in Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave has earned her plenty of praise from critics and her peers.
Though Lawrence, 23, picked up the Golden Globe, Nyong'o snagged the SAG Award and the BAFTA Award. Their category has been arguably the tightest race this awards season.
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